Where is the time going?
I can't believe it's September, either! :) This morning I made a mad dash to grab Suzanne Collins'
Catching Fire, which I spent all of my lunch break reading. Can't wait to get home and keep it up!
Catching Fire arrived today. Like writemeg and DevourerOfBooks, I'm dying to read it and can't wait to get out of work and start.
Today's arrivals:
From Amazon:
Mothers of Invention by Drew Gilpin Faust (NF, Women's History, American Civil War)
The Color of Lightning by Paulette Jiles (Fiction, American West, 19th Century, Indian Conflicts in West Texas)
Shiloh by Shelby Foote (Fiction, American Civil War)
Company of Liars by Karen Maitland (Fiction, Historical, Middle Ages, 14th Century, Plague)
and from my local bookstore bought:
A Twisted Ladder by Rhodi Hawk (Fiction, Southern Gothic Debut novel) -- the cover attracted me and I'm a sucker for a good Southern Gothic, so I bought on impulse.
Message edited by its author, Sep 1, 2009, 6:33pm.
Just checking in , hehehe !
My copy of
Catching Fire probably won't be in until the end of the month because I preordered it along with the newest Bloody Jack book by L.A. Meyer. I did buy two Terry Pratchett books yesterday
Men at Arms and
Hogfather I've become addicted to Pratchett and think that I need a support group for it.
Just checking in... there are books coming in and out of my flat all the time at the moment so as soon as I sort them out I'll get them on here!
Received today from the author
The King's Rose. It is autographed and came with its own bookmark. Yippee!
Alphabetically today's purchases (For a total of £2.80 from the local charity shop):-
Hans Christian Andersen
Fairy TalesGael Baudino
Strands of Starlight (not realising it is the first in a series!)
Gillian Bradshaw
Down the Wind (an omnibus of her Arthurian trilogy)
Guy Gavriel Kay
Lord of Emperors (completing the Sarantine Mosaic)
Elizabeth Moon
Sheepfarmer's Daughterand Plato
The Republic (thought I had a copy and couldn't find it!)
Now all I need to do is find the time for reading!
You're clearly having an off day. Better sit down with something nice to drink and something nice to read.
oh i shall be sitting down with
Catching Fire shortly and not give a damn how late it gets ;)
I had a 'sod it' moment in my current state of poverty and FRIVOLOUSLY bought not only a delicious farm shop sausage roll for my day off (which, naturally, I accidentally left in the fridge at work) but also TWO books from the charity shop -
White Teeth by Zadie Smith (which strangely I've never much fancied, despite enjoying
The Autograph Man) and a rather lovely replacement copy of
I Capture the Castle. I get a nice new book, the old copy goes into our shop to be sold on, we're all winners... :-)
>14: Bridget- Nice haul! I've heard good things about the latest Russo and I picked up
Inherent Vice at Borders, glanced at the 27.95 price tag and gently set it back down. I will get this book, eventually!
From Borders:
The Hunger Games by
Suzanne Collins. I bowed to LT pressure and grabbed this. It looks to be very good and a nice one to pass around to friends!
The Shotgun Rule by Charlie Huston. He's easily one of the best crime writers working today and I've heard good things about this stand alone.
In town with a Borders' coupon again yesterday (and a new one arrived today). I saw
Bone on the buy one get one half off table but couldn't find another book, at all, on the table that approached $40, so I skipped it. From that table I got:
The Bilderberg Conspiracy by H. Paul Jeffers
Cults, Conspiracies, & Secret Societies; The Straight Scoop... by
Arthur GoldwagI don't believe in these things generally, but the books feed my cynicism in comforting ways and are more direct than novels.
With my coupon I got:
Soren Kierkegaard by
Joakim Garff. I have read that the book contains serious errors of fact, but it is still the go to biography. I have already read
The Cambridge Companion to Kierkegaard and am a little leery of going on to his fat works themselves.
I haven't yet checked the mailbox today, but I'm not expecting anything.
Robert
From PBS:
Bigfoot Dreams by Francine Prose.........metaphysical high comedy, anyone?
>22
Mark..i too must wait for
Inherent Vice..since no one i know here will ever buy it...damn!......and Charlie Huston(she slavered)....oh my!!!
Hi Jude- Have you had a chance to read anymore Huston? I still have 3 of his to knock out.
I need to catch up soon. :)
>26....hey Mark.....me...read?? nothing for too long...but Huston is up there on THE LIST....tried to request some titles from my Library System...but so many are "missing" that the waiting list is ridiculously looonnnggg...so i guess i'll have to find 'em used...
oh..today a small haul..but mighty:
from Amazon Marketplace:
The Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher...what to say about this book...visual perception meets literary/verbal acrobatics...it's my entire College Career in one big, fat, beautiful tome (i went to a Hippie School back in the Day)
Other People &
Night Train by Martin Amis.....verbal/literary acrobatics of a whole 'nother sort
now, if i could just start to read some of this stuff....
I bought at the bookstore:
Forever Flowing by Vasili Grossman--the story of a man returning from the Gulag
When I Whistle by Shusaku Endo, one of my favorite Japanese authors
Tzili by Aharon Appelfeld, a novel of a little girl surviving the Holocaust
The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor, a favorite Irish writer
Fado Alexandrino by
Antonio Lobo Antunes, a Portuguese novel I've seen recommended several times on LT
Faces and Masks by Eduardo Galeano, the second volum of the
Memory of Fire trilogy, a unified history of the Western Hemisphere, from pre-Columbian times to the present
The Maias by Eca de Queiros, a family chronicle of a late 19th century Portuguese family. I bought this for my "Q" author for the alphabet challenge, and though I'd never heard of it or this author, it looks very promising.
and, arriving in the mail from Daedalus
The Colonel's Dream by Charles W. Chesnutt--I've read two books of his this year, and really like his work
Terrestrial Intelligence Ed. New Directions a collection of fiction from 24 writers from 17 countries around the world
The Year One: Art of Ancient World, East and West published by the Metropolitan Museum of Art
In Praise of the Needlewoman: Embroiderers, Knitters, Lacemakers and Weavers in Art by
Gail Carolyn Sirna, a beautiful collection of paintings featuring "the needlewoman" from Vermeer to Cezanne
Coming home from a trip, I was happily greeted by 2 books in my mail :
Plum Wine by Angela Davis-Gardner and
Stain of the Berry by Anthony Bidulka
>32, hemlokgang: me too! was laying in the sun reading it today. :)
After waiting all day for the plumber to spend 5 minutes fixing our toilet , I decided to treat myself . Went to Border's and bought
McCarthy's Bar .
ooo is the old cape magic good? I was looking at that. I liked Bridge of Sighs, but it was a bit sad too and I'm not sure I'm in the mood for that melancholy-sweet-but-sad type of book right now.
>35 AquariusNat - I really enjoyed
McCarthy's Bar when I read it a few years ago. Not quite as re-readable as Bill Bryson perhaps, but very good nonetheless. Have you read
The Road to McCarthy yet? That was my favourite of the two!
Ellie~ I've only noticed
McCarthy's Bar in my local bookstores . After I read this , I'll look for his other book .
Ellie- Have you read
The Tender Bar? It is an amazing memoir!
From Bookmooch:
War Trash by
Ha Jin This one's been on my radar for awhile!
Whiskey Sour by
J.A. Konrath This is the 1st of a Chicago based mystery series, which I've heard good things about. Each book is named after a cocktail!
Enticing!
from various & sundry locales:
Falling Angel by William Hjorstberg...one of the best thrillers ever written..and the movie wasn't too shabby, either.
In the Cut by susanna moore...definitely not for the squeamish!
The Red of his shadow by Mayra Montero....Haiti/Voodoo/Voudun
The Woman in the Yard by Stephen E Miller.....Southern Cop Drama....
.......and, TaDa.....the last 3 seasons of the X-Files..i now own all 9...which is probably why i haven't been reading...i think Aliens are living in my bookshelves.*gulp*
;-}
My latest batch of books:
From Borders:
Strange Brew Edited by PN Elrod and
Mean Streets Edited by Jim Butcher, Anthologies
These are 2 anthologies that have short stories set in the specific series that each author is currently writing. They are Urban Fantasy, Dark Fantasy and Paranormal stories. I got them from the buy 1 get 1 at half price table.
Freakonomics by Steven Levitt, Economics
This finally went into paper. It is a look at economic trends and their genesis and consequences in modern society.
From Barnes & Noble
English as She is Spoke by Jose da Fonseca, Humor
This is a real phrasebook that was written in 1855 to translate Portuguese words and phrases into English. There was just one problem, the author didn't know any English. Saw it on LT and thought I would give it a try.
The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick, Historical Fiction
Sharon Kay Penman recommended her on the author chat. I am a fan of historical fiction, so I thought I would give it a try. This book is about William Marshall of England set during the time of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Harmony by C.F. Bentley, SF
A clash of civilizations and unrest within.
Bitter Angels by C.L. Anderson, SF
Terrorists threaten, a retired Special Forces agent sent in to investigate. SF thriller.
Real World by Natsuo Kirino, Mystery
Japanese, feminist, noir
The Shadow Walker by Michael Walters, Mystery
Mystery set in Mongolia, start of a series.
Yesterday I had two coupons.
From Borders I got
The Art of Harvey Kurtzman by
Denis Kitchen and
Paul Buhle with a 40% reduction. I am of the cohort of men whose elementary education was expanded by Mad Magazine. I cannot ignore this history.
From Barny Noble I got
The Way West by A. B. Guthrie, Jr., but the coupon was applied to the more expensive magazine I bought with it. I have just finished reading and being immensely moved by
The Big Sky; this is the sequel and the Pulitzer Prize winner from the series.
I had to get books from stores. Most of an order from Barny Noble got to the Post Office that delivers my mail Friday morning. They fiddled with it overnight and into Saturday morning. Now I hope to see it on Tuesday.
Merry Labor Day,
Robert
After yesterday's trip to the library I bought home:
John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth by Elizabeth Partridge
YA non-fiction won a Printz Honor Award 2006 which put it on my radar and it was available.
Already read it - highly recommend.
The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
YA Fiction Printz Award Winner 2008
Dreamland By Sarah Dessen
ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (2003.01 | I’ve Got a Secret, 2003)
A renowned teen author, I now have three of her books out - I better read one of them!
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Loads of people have been talking about this book! At the library I was #200 of about 400 people waiting for this book... how I got it i don't know (and I didn't ask! lol)
Anansi's Boys by Neil Gaiman
Was on the just returned shelf, I'm a new fan of Neil Gaiman so I had to get it
The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford
Also on the Just Returned shelf - was an impulse borrow.
Message edited by its author, Sep 7, 2009, 12:23am.
From my recent trips from the library I have checked out the following:
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
I'm approximately halfway through this and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Margaret Atwood's style is wonderful. I will definitely be checking out other books by her!
Willful Creatures by Aimee Bender
This was recommended by an online friend. I haven't opened it, yet, but the cover art is gorgeous and I did read an excerpt from another of her short story collections,
The Girl in the Flammable Skirt and it was wonderful.
Lost Souls by Poppy Z. Brite
I read
Drawing Blood rather recently, and, while it is not quite the sequel to
Lost Souls, it has a lot of characters from it so I wanted very much to get some more background on them.
Choke by Chuck Palahniuk
It is very rare for any Chuck Palahniuk book to be available at my library, and when I saw one that I hadn't read I simply couldn't stop myself from borrowing it out, even though I had already reached my goal of only have three books checked out at a time. Alas!
From Sam's Club, I have
The Blue Enchantress which is book two and here is a surprise, book one is not out in paperback until 2010. This book gets put aside for time being. Also from Sam's,
The Lace Reader heard so much here on LT that I had to snatch up a copy.
Saw
Wicked the musical Saturday night so naturally I had to pick up a copy of the book at Barns & Noble yesterday. I know they're supposed to be very different, but my curiosity has been piqued.
Nice haul dancingstarfish! Several of them are in my TBR pile.
#36 - dancingstarfish, I haven't read it yet, but will let you know when I do. I, too, like Richard Russo, but have to be in the right frame of mind.
I just received my order from Amazon:
World War Z by Max Brooks - Just love the idea of approaching this as an event in the past, writing an oral history.
The State of The Art and
Use of Weapons both by Iain M. Banks - These are the next books in the Culture series, so I had to have them...
The Lost City of Z by David Grann - Have been intrigued by this book ever since I saw David Grann on the Daily Show, sounds wonderful!
Oh and shhh, but I also got
Coast, the journey continues as a birthday gift for my bf, but as his birthday is not until October 26th, we won't officially have it until then...
>divinenanny- Excellent haul! I was a huge fan of
World War Z!
They should have been here Saturday, but my Post Office apparently can't tell the difference between Priority Mail and Media Rate Mail. Today, from Barny Noble:
Home by Marilynne Robinson. Her first two novels (I started with
Gilead) and her book of essays convinced me. I waited, however, for the paperback.
Loneliness by
John T. Cacioppo and
William Patrick. I am not a very sociable person, and I know it, so I've become interested in, I guess, the philosophy of solitude. I've made a little bit of a collection on the subject, and I should probably start in on it sometime soon, but first...
What Hath God Wrought by
Daniel Walker Howe. I also have a little project planned of coming to understand the American nineteenth century. I should probably start in on it sometime soon.
There's a Borders coupon that expires tomorrow that I'll have to go afield to use, and I have a Barnes and Noble on line coupon to use before the end of the weekend.
Robert
from various places:
Come Closer by Sara Gran.....truly scary!
Brown Girl in the Ring by Nalo Hopkinson....Sci-Fi with a Caribbean scent...
The Girl in the Glass......Jeffrey Ford....Spirtism gone awry..
Sex, Drugs & Gefilte Fish: The HEEB Storytelling Collection.....edited by Shana Liebman.......OY!
Message edited by its author, Sep 9, 2009, 10:57am.
Today, using my Barnes & Noble Gift Card, i bought
"The Poe Shadow" by Matthew Pearl for the 'Book in Common Project', details of which will be explained in a Visiting Professor Lecture I'm attending tomorrow afternoon.
Message edited by its author, Sep 9, 2009, 3:00pm.
Received for courses:
Three Genres: Writing Fiction/Literary Nonfiction, Poetry and Drama for a creative writing course.
The Complete Pelican Shakespeare for a course on Shakespeare. It's a really nice looking volume, and includes a blurb by
Patrick Stewart of Star Trek fame.
Paradise Lost (Norton Critical Edition) for a course on
Paradise Lost. This is apparently marked as being a different work from
Paradise Lost due to the extra notes and annotations, however this does mean that adding a touchstone for one work doesn't automatically link it to the other, which is a pretty big annoyance in my opinion.
I feel like i practically robbed the British Heart foundation today when i went into one of their shops and found 10
Sherlock Holmes books in mint condition for £10!!! I was properly amazed considering they were worth £64 in total and there i was getting them for so little! Honestly chuffed with that bargain - I think i'm only one book shy of having the whole set which is not bad for 5 minutes shopping.
From Sam's Club I brought home
Edgar Sawtelle. I am anxious to read this because of comments here on LT. It won't be soon because I started
Forever Amber. I am also reading a book for Bethany House and then an ARC for Century 1 The Ring of Fire came today as well. All this with my reviews to do and I'm full up.
Ooooh a new Kostova book! I am so jealous, I loved
The Historian so much, I didn't want to finish it...
I loved
The Historian too, although I know that not everyone did. This new one is coming out in January and I can't wait to read it. I'm using it as a carrot to get myself reading a review book I am not super excited about. Get through this, read that.
#66 DeltaQueen50 - Aaack!!! I want books by
Bartle Bull. I just read
A Cafe on the Nile and loved it. I looked for him today at the Library Sale and couldn't find any. Lucky you.
I am lucky! I just got my mail and another Bartle Bull arrived -
The Devil's Oasis, also,
Mountain Man by Vardis Fisher - this book was the inspiration for the Robert Redford movie, "Jeremiah Johnson".
# 67Karenmarie, your enthusiasm for Bartle Bull inspired me to order his books, both from the library and on-line!
Karenmarie - brilliant haul! We went to the charity shop I used to volunteer for this morning to get this fortnight's load of off-the-shelf books (2 donation sacks for £8!), so there might be a book or two in there for me to borrow/steal/beg before the rest hit our shelves. Plus, having heard such good things recently on LT, I bought
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, which was still ON the shelf, but the lovely manager Angela chucked it in for £1 for me!
#68 - I'm strapped for cash for new books right now, otherwise I'd just buy all of Bull's books and have done with it. But, it's a fun challenge and I'll find them all eventually, at the thrift store, Habitat for Humanity Home Store, or on Bookmooch.
#69 elliepotten - Thanks. I certainly had fun finding them. On Saturday I will go back just in case there are any more great ones that have been hiding. And, it will only cost $5 USD for a whole bag!
Don't you just love deals?
My recent books.
I picked up a 3 pack of comics from BJs Warehouse
Calvin and Hobbes,
Something Under the Bed is Drooling,
Yukon Ho ! by Bill Watterson
I had a bunch of these and they never made it to my new apartment (8 years ago). A really good price to restock my library.
I picked up 5 Urban Fantasies:
Retribution by Jeanne Stein
Book 5 in the
Anna Strong series
Living With the Dead by Kelley Armstrong
Book 9 in the
Women of the Underworld series
Underground by Kat Richardson
Book 3 in the
Greywalker series
The Path of Razors by Chris Marie Green
Book 5 in the
Vampire Babylon series
Many Bloody Returns Edited by Charlaine Harris
Urban Fantasy Anthology
SF/Fantasy
All The Windwracked Stars by Elizabeth Bear
A blend of SF, Fantasy and Viking Myths.
The People of the Whale by Linda Hogan
A Native American Vietnam Vet comes home and is caught up in the tribe's struggle over killing a whale.
The Heretic queen by Michelle Moran
Historical Fiction set in Egypt. Follows the Queen Nefertari, true timeline be damned.
2 Non-Fictions:
Alex and Me by Irene Pepperberg
About her relationship with Alex the Grey Parrot who was also her research subject into animal cognition.
According to the Rolling Stones by the Rolling Stones
Their stories about the band, and life. Also has essays from people outside the band.
Three books were waiting for me on my return home, all from Archipelago Books as part of my 2009 subscription. I've included descriptions of each book from the publisher's web site:
Intimate Stranger by
Breyten Breytenbach:
Addressed to a young writer, Intimate Stranger is an eclectic and generous work flowing with insight and wit. Breytenbach's candid and provocative reflections on reading and writing guide without guiding, open mental channels, surprise, and inspire. A stirring glimpse into the mind of an artist, Intimate Stranger is a river of experience and visions, brimming with sleights of tongue and overshifting in mood. This genre-defying gem makes manifest Einstein's assertion: "Example isn't another way to teach, it is the only way to teach."A River Dies of Thirst by
Mahmoud Darwish:
This remarkable collection of poems, meditations, fragments, and journal entries was Mahmoud Darwish’s last volume to come out in Arabic. This River is at once lyrical and philosophical, questioning and wise, full of irony, resistance, and play. Darwish’s musings on unrest and loss dwell on love and humanity; myth and dream are inseparable from truth. Throughout this personal collection, Darwish returns frequently to his ongoing and often lighthearted conversation with death. A River Dies of Thirst is a collection of quiet revelations, embracing poetry, life, death, love, and the human condition.The Salt Smugglers by Gérard
de Nerval:
First published as a sprawling feuilleton in the newspaper Le National in 1850, Les Faux Saulniers was political and topical. With nods to Diderot and Sterne, this protean digressive satire deals less with contraband salt smugglers and more with questions of subversion, transgression, censorship, and marginality. The Salt Smugglers is an unearthed pre-postmodern gem. By writing a first-person narrative detailing his dizzying quest for a elusive book holding the history of the Abbé de Bucquoy, Nerval was able dance with the censors of the day who forbid fiction to appear in newspaper serials while questioning and opening the borders between fact and fiction.Message edited by its author, Sep 10, 2009, 8:30pm.
ooooohh the new Kostova book!!
>75,
I'm 150 pages in (out of 500ish) and it is faaabulous.
you're mean I'll have too wait till January!!
January 12, sorry! I'm really surprised the ARCs are out already, actually.
An Early Reviewer
The Coral Thief by Rebecca Stott
and
from BookMooch
Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett
They were patiently waiting in my mail box when I got home last night.
I received an Early Reviewer copy of The Book of Samuel in the mail yesterday..I thumbed through the first chapter and it looks delightful
ha ha ha
This message has been deleted by its author.
i put the wrong message here...earlier...
today, from PBS, i finally found a copy of one of my Best Books
Mariette in Ecstasy by the inimitable
Ron Hansen'nuff said
very good haul,Mark
Jude (as she is)
Nice haul, sisaruus!
From Half.com:
Nixonland by Ron Perlstein My cousin is reading the 1st book,
Before the Storm,the Goldwater years, so I'll swap with him when he's done. I've heard great things about these books.
From Bookmooch:
Ship Fever by Andrea Barrett I loved
Voyage of the Narwhal, so I always wanted to read something else by her.
The Skull Mantra by Eliot Pattison Crime fiction with an LT nod!
I picked these up in B&N and Borders:
Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane, Thriller
Police visit an island with hospital for the criminally insane. An inmate has escaped. There is a hurricane coming, and they find that there may have been experiments conducted in the name of national security.
The Fourth Queen by Debbie Taylor, Historical Fiction
Story of a Scottish woman who is shipwrecked and ends up in the harem of the ruler of Morocco. She becomes a favorite and is made one of the 4 Queens. There can only be 4, and they are targets for plots and murder by the other women. Saw this on LT.
The Death of Attila by Cecelia Holland, Historical Fiction
Two boys becomes friends in the dying Roman Empire. Can their friendship survive the changes in their lives ?
Then Belichick Said to Brady... by Jim Donaldson, Non-fiction, Sports
Stories of the New England Patriots, - NFL Football.
Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, Volume One by Steve Erikson, Dark Fantasy
A collection of 3 short novels set in the world of Malaz, and side stories to the main series. I already have 2 of them, but not
The Lees of Laughter's End which is also published alone as a hardcover by a small press. It is cheaper just to get the omnibus.
The Chalk Circle Man by Fred Vargas, Mystery
First book in the
Commissaire Adamsberg mystery series set in France.
Ice Song by Kirsten Imani Kasai, Fantasy
Story of a woman who is part of a race that can change genders as needed. She is trapped on an ice drilling submarine, while people go after her children who also have the same ability, to use them in a plot.
Stalking Ivory by Suzanne Arruda, Historical MYstery
Set in Colonial Africa in the 1920s, this is book 2 of the
Jade del Cameron series.
Ice Land by Betsy Robin, Historical Fiction
Set in 1000 AD in Iceland, the story of Viking settlers, using their myths.
Thank you Jude. :)
Ficus..that's what friends are for..especially here...like DUH
I placed a mail-order for some used books a while ago, and they have been coming in one by one. Today I received
The Singapore Grip by J.G. Farrell, and
Sugar Skull by Denise Hamilton.
#93FicusFan. Just finished The Chalk Circle man what a book with a lot of twists. Read it in one day. It is one of her shorter books.
#100 cindysprocket, Thanks for the heads up. I have #3 in the series, and saw #1 at the store and scooped it up. Don't know when I will get to it though.
Intriging reading! Can't wait for the 3rd book in the series. If possible, perhaps it was even better than the first book - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
From a special fellow-Lter:
The Shack by
Wm. Paul Young I guess I need to find out which camp I fall into!
From Bookmooch:
Wahoo by Richard H O'Kane Since reading
Shadow Divers, I'm very interested in World War II submarines!
#103--The best part of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is that after it ended it kept going.
Arrived Yesterday from BookMooch
A Walk to remember by the tear-inducing but wonderful Nicholas Sparks
I am rather looking forward to reading this even if it will make me cry ;)
Oh, it will... I'd seen the movie a few times before I read it and it STILL made me sob like a baby!
Today I received a special little parcel from a special lady we all know - thanks Belva, for sending me the sweetest little copy of Longfellow's
Evangeline even though I'm all the way over in England! It's put the biggest smile on my face!
>Molly- Incredible haul! That should keep you busy for awhile!
Blood Meridian is amazing!
I received
Seeing Things by Patti Hill through the LT Early Reviewer program yesterday. Looking forward to starting it soon!
Received four today in the mail:
Dear Irene by Jan Burke - An Irene Kelly mystery
The Arsenic Labyrinth by Martin Edwards - A crime novel set in the Lake District of England
Lie In the Dark by Dan Fesperman - A political thriller set in war-torn Sarajevo
Down the Common by Ann Baer - follows the daily life of a carpenter's wife in medieval England
Two from QPB:
Fool by Christopher Moore....my favorite satirist..
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry...got this for a friend but she seems to have left town...guess her ex-husband has been sighted in the area....welcome to Mayberry!
two from PBS:
All Over But the Shoutin' by Rick Bragg...i owned a copy of this, for about 2 minutes..a few years ago..i'm going to keep this copy
Down By The River by Edna O'Brien......
and two "loaners" from a very dear LT Friend:
No Dominion and
Half the Blood of Brooklyn...both by the inimitable Charlie Huston..i tip my Fedora...take a drag off my Lucky...and keep my fangs to myself....
;-}
>Jude- perfect words for Mr. Huston! You are a poet my friend!
>118
yeah..just don't tell anybody.........
Am going to learn and incorporate a new skill in my jewelry making, so I bought
Silver Wire Fusing, which is very basic, but I'm hoping I won't burn the house down with my new torch.
Also got
The Stuff of Thought by Steven Pinker and
20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill. Not sure which will turn out the scarier.
>124
unfortunately, i never had a chance to read either title...i finally own
All Over But The Shoutin'....and won't let this copy loose..until i read it...and i have heard that
Ava's Man is "better"...i have a lot of reading in my future, no?
Message edited by its author, Sep 15, 2009, 7:55pm.
Self-induced misfortune took me to town yesterday. Lunch and antique watches took me to the Barny Noble shopping center:
The Experience of Samadhi by
Richard Shankman. I aim at being a religious person, but just as I am beginning to think I am getting there I realize I have left something critical out. The regular practice of meditation is the current big omission.
The Coming Fury by Bruce Catton. I had this on my Barny Noble not available list, and it was still not available when I checked today. Just for kicks I searched for 'Bruce Catton' and found it and its mates are available. Anyway, I was happy to find it in the store yesterday. I'll put it on a stack that I hope to turn into a project soon.
A couple of coupons took me to the Borders nearby to wait out rush hour traffic:
Life and Fate by Vasili Grossman. My avoidance of World War II and totalitarianism was overcome by
Europe Central. This book went on my wishlist after being mentioned on LibraryThing favorably repeatedly. I didn't have a list with me so I was just reading all the titles in Literature at the store, something I haven't done for a long time anyway, and I came across this. Scooped it up.
Little, Big by
John Crowley. Comments on LibraryThing put this on my wishlist, too. I had already picked up
Childhood's End for my science fiction coupon. I was surprised to find this in Science Fiction, so I confirmed that it was science fiction and put back the Clarke.
I felt pretty good about my book haul for the day. I didn't force myself to buy anything just to use a coupon. I discovered this morning that I could have had my science fiction for a lot less if I had ordered the Crowley from Barny and bought the Clarke at Borders.
Oh well.
Robert
Message edited by its author, Sep 15, 2009, 8:15pm.
117 and 124: I love
All Over But the Shoutin'. In fact, I had a difficult time getting past the Prologue, "Redbirds" -- which I still think is one of the finest pieces of writing I've ever encountered. I wanted to move on to the rest of the book, but I also wanted to study that Prologue -- how did he do that?
#117 and #128: I'm a huge Rick Bragg fan, but one of my favorites is
Somebody Told Me, which is a compilaton of some of his newspaper articles over a 10-year period. Several of them are absolutely haunting. Unfortunately, IMO, neither of his most recent books have lived up to the excellence of the others.
I complain enough about local Post Office performance that I think I'd better recognize efficiency when efficiency happens upon me. Barny Noble mailed this package Monday morning. It cleared the main Post Office a little after 2 this (Wednesday) morning. It got to my delivery Post Office thence my mailbox before noon. Hurray!
How to Take Over teh Wurld by Professor Happycat and
ICANHASCHEEZBURGER.COM. I lifted the books as one out of the box, culled this one out of the bunch, and read it beginning to end before I at all got to the others. Now I don't have this one to look forward to.
The Peabody Sisters by
Megan Marshall. New England as the origin of American civilization, Yankee cultural history, this book may have it all. I am hoping, having read the cover and the table of contents, that it will tie into the transcendentalists, a particular interest of mine.
Fair Land, Fair Land by A.B. Guthrie, Jr.. Another compelling part of early America. I read
The Big Sky somewhat by accident and was enamored. I turned as fast as I could to the second volume, and now I have the third. I started
Home last night. I think I owe Marilynne Robinson the courtesy of finishing that, but I sure wish I could dive into this.
Wittgenstein's Mistress by
David Markson. A description on Librarything made this sound interesting. I read around about it and decided I should probably have it.
2666 by Roberto Bolano. Enthusiasm must be contagious. I probably should have bought it in Spanish so that I'd have an excuse not to read it. Now I may just have to take it on, whenever.
Nabokov: Novels 1955-1962 (comprising
Lolita,
Pnin,
Pale Fire, and
Lolita: A Screenplay by
Vladimir Nabokov. My duty among novels, as I have set it for myself, is to read substantially in
Henry James and
George Eliot and to do my '
Ulysses Project.' After that I have
Joseph Conrad,
Thomas Hardy, and
Vladimir Nabokov to take on. The trouble is, I may not want to do all that entirely in order or to the exclusion of certain others.
I have enough books now. I probably don't need to get any more.
Robert
>130 aliay I really liked
Slim's Table - quite a slice of life in Chicago. Hope you enjoy it.
133--rdurick--The transcendentalists and their era are a particular interest of mine, too. I think you'll be pleased with The Peabody Sisters. I'm midway through Charles Capper's second volume on Margaret Fuller, also well worth a look.
Two books arrived from Amazon this morning and I had to throw myself out of bed to sign for the darn parcel and since they're only books for Uni then it wasn't as exciting as it is when books you really want to read arrive at the front door.
I also may have snuck into the BHF store in town again and found a rather nice copy of
Castle Dor to add to the other Du Maurier books I have to read. Hopefully once i have to pick a set number of books to take with me to Uni i will start to lessen my 80+ TBR pile
>128
How did Rick Bragg write "Redbirds"? Well, he has a "gift" and a huge heart? "Nuff said.
two recent acquisitions:
Wild Decembers by Edna O'Brien
What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn
..........a lot of "O's" here
>133 I found
The Peabody Sisters fascinating. It was well researched and well written, and discussed people I didn't know much about.
I am a Happy Bunny™ today because the postman has just delivered a package from Amazon containing
six Terry Pratchett books.
Five are books I've yet to read at all -
Guards! Guards!,
Men at Arms,
Monstrous Regiment,
The Truth and
Moving Pictures - and one is a replacement copy of
Feet of Clay, which I had to buy because the people at the library very unreasonably expected me to return their copy after I'd read it.
Message edited by its author, Sep 17, 2009, 12:07pm.
I dug through the 3 for a $1 table outside the used bookstore and came out with Venus on a Half Shell by Kilgore Trout (apparently a pen name),
Sword-Dancer by
Jennifer Roberson and
Owlflight by Mercedes Lackey.
I try to stay away from that table but today it sucked me in.
Message edited by its author, Sep 17, 2009, 2:44pm.
> 132: hemlokgang- Excellent haul!
Olive is outstanding! Please hurry up and read the latest Doctorow & Conroy, so you can let us know how they are!
Just downloaded the first Repairman Jack novel
The Tomb. Now that it's underway, I recognize it and think I read it back in the 80s when it came out. Funny thing is it's been updated with references to DVD players and cell phones, stuff only dreamed of back then.
Received
Little Face by Sophie Hannah in the mail today.
Bought
"The Clan of the Cave Bear" earlier this week. I've read the first 60 pages, so far.
Will be discussing this book, plus two other titles,
in a Historical Fiction reading/discussion group starting Oct. 20.
I went into one of my favourite bookshops today and came home with
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel and
The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. I was #22 on the waiting list at the library for
Wolf Hall and couldn't help buying it.
A rather uninspiring trip to the library... my heart wasn't in it. I got:
How Do I Love Thee? by Nancy Moser - fiction about Elizabeth Barret Browning
Are We There Yet? by David Levithan - Y/A fiction which is an ALA best book
cmt
My local library is in the process of purchasing
Wolf Hall. I'm #1 on the list as soon as they receive the book. I'm excited.
Kiwiflowa
I read a lot of Y/A ficition. I'll be curious regarding your impressions of Are We there Yet.
From Bookmooch:
Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde The 2nd book in the Thursday Next series. I just finished the 1st and enjoyed it.
From a special LT friend:
Falling Angel by
William Hjortsberg This comes highly recommended from above person.
Night Train by Martin Amis I have never read Amis. Good place to start?
bell so what if you are naked and no clothes---at least you have great books to read!! (LOL)
lol...I have clothes, just no new ones. ;-) I was talking to my younger sister today, who was telling me I needed more purses. I told her if I bought books before clothes, I would definitely buy bookshelves before purses.
Whisper, that's so great that you're first on the list for
Wolf Hall.
#159 bell7 I have one handbag (purse)... I would never spend my spare time handbag shopping!
On Saturday nights I often like to be on the other side of town, but it's the other side of town so I usually feel I have to justify the travel. Well my shirt shop is over there, and they had called to say that a shirt that I might want had come in. There are places to eat. The art house movies play there. And that's where Barny Noble has a shop. So I made a list of Barny Noble wishlist books, available there and not cheaper on line:
These Thousand Hills by
A. B. Guthrie, Jr. This is the last readily available book in
The Big Sky series. I have read the first two; I have two in hand to read, and I have two to ferret out of the bookosphere.
Pandora in the Congo by Albert Sanchez Pinol. This novel was mentioned favorably on LibraryThing and descriptions of it were interesting enough to me to put it on the wishlist even though I have enough noteworthy novels to read for the rest of my life. I suppose I could have looked for a Catalan version in order not to be able to read it.
Terrible Swift Sword and Never Call Retreat by Bruce Catton. I have the first in the series which recently showed up at Barny's and decided I'd better have the rest. I hope these are the last civil war books I ever buy, although I can see that someday I'll be sitting about idle and just know that I need a book or two of photographs.
Childhood's End by
Arthur C. Clarke. I read this as a kid; I should read it again. It was cheap. I wonder why
The City and the Stars is not readily available.
Life: A Natural History of the First Four Billion Years of Life on Earth by
Richard Fortey. Big History. I was iffy about this, so I cracked it open, and my eye alit on the importance of slime. I put it in my basket.
I also got a three DVD rendition of
War and Peace.
I had supper, but I didn't get to see a movie. They sold the shirt to me at a discount, so it cost less than the books.
Robert
Message edited by its author, Sep 20, 2009, 7:50pm.
I like bag shopping, but not purses, bigger bags like messengers and backpacks. Big enough for a couple of books for sure. That's my only complaint about my current bag, it only hold one book ;)
>160, 163 - I have two pocketbooks I use, and one that I usually forget about because it's a clutch purse too small to carry anything (the originator of this comment, my sister, has at least 15; while I'm buying books, this is what she buys at garage sales). If I buy another bag in the near future, it will definitely be one that's big enough to carry a book. :-)
I'm taking a trip to the library today, & will edit this message later to add the books I get - there should be at least one book on hold for me when I get there. :-)
ETA: Oh darn, only one book came in after all (tho it's not like I'm hurting for reading material or anything). But it should be fun:
Book Club by Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes, continuing my read through the collections of the comic about libraries.
Message edited by its author, Sep 21, 2009, 3:05pm.
After seeing Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - which was delightful- I went to the Strand and picked up That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo and Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Stout... and I have two books on order from Amazon which should come this week
#165, did nearly the same thing yesterday... took the kiddos to see the movie (in 3D) and, of course, we couldn't pass up stopping at our local B&N next to the theatre complex. I brought home:
Two Caitlin Kiernan books:
Murder of Angels and
Low Red Moon(because I just finished and loved her very creepy new novel,
The Red Tree)
The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing
The Grass Is Singing by Doris Lessing
Ghost Story by Peter Straub
Spider by Patrick McGrath
I suppose one can easily guess my reading mood this week.
Message edited by its author, Sep 21, 2009, 12:46pm.
The wonderful folks from Amazon were just here and left- Say You're One of Them- the new Oprah selection- by Uwem Akpan and Dexter by Design by J
sorry - the computer went a little loony there- Dexter by Design by Jeff Lindsay
cdyankeefan--I heard Meatballs was just wonderful--can't wait to see it. Will be interested in your thoughts on
Say You're One of Them. I just started it yesterday. Disturbing so far.....
The last book I ordered,
The Seven Stairs by Stuart Brent, arrived today - yet another case of a sudden spate of LibraryThing reading and reviewing FORCING me to order on a whim... Now all I need is for that blasted DVD of
Running with Scissors to arrive, and I'm all set for a great day off this week!
#170 elliepotten. I hope you enjoy
Seven Stairs. It is going to be one of my best reads for this quarter.
two from PBS:
Hanta Yo by
Ruth Beebe Hill...for a reading thingie on SHELFARI...i think i read this one dog years ago..
A Prayer for the Dying by Stewart O'Nan...i've been meaning to read his work for a long time now...
.......>157.....IMHO there is no "good" place to start reading Amis..you will either love his work or hate it...
Night Train is such a different take on the detective novel...is why i like it....and i do LIKE Amis' work...everything of his that i have read
............later that same day, she received
A Separate Country by
Robert Hicks........a PRIZE i won on an LT group..........
Message edited by its author, Sep 22, 2009, 5:48pm.
My latest batch of books.
By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolano
Short book set during the dictatorship of Pinochet. It is the deathbed confession of a half-hearted, disillusioned priest. It recounts his life and how he let the regime use him in exchange for a more sensual life. It is translated.
The Anglo Files by Sarah Lyall
It is a non-fiction, humorous field guide to the British. It is written by an American who lives there with her English husband.
Evening is the Whole Day by Preeta Samarasan
Fiction about a Malaysian family. It looks at class and race there.
Chariot of the Gods by Erich von Daniken
I have heard about this, but have not ever read it. There was a copy on a main table at my bookstore, so I picked it up.
Of Parrots and People by Mira Tweti
Non-Fiction about the history and present interaction of people and parrots - both as pets and in the wild.
The Girl in the Glass by Jeffrey Ford
Set in the depression era, about con men who run a fake seance, and get more than they bargain for. Its for my RL Mystery group.
Citizen Vince by Jess Walter
Blackly humorous book about a small time crook in the witness protection program, and everything goes wrong. Its for my RL Mystery group.
Then I had 4 books by Karin Fossum in the
Inspector Sejer Mystery series for my RL Mystery Book Group
Don't Look BackHe Who Fears the WolfWhen the Devil Holds the CandleThe Indian BrideSome old SF - from a Used Book store:
Crygender by Thomas T. Thomas
Genetic Engineering, with created hermaphrodites. Also a murder and a mystery.
Fossil by Hal Clement
Humans and 6 other alien species are investigating fossils on a planet, looking for the lost 7th alien race.
3 Short Stories on-Line by Jordan Castillo Price, set in the
Psycop series
Normal 100 word flash fiction
Psycop: Mind Reader Short Story
Psycop: ThawThose interlibrary loans I was expecting came in:
Geek Magnet by Kieran Scott
Shelf Discovery by Lizzie Skurnick et al. and
Stitches: a memoir by David Small - I'm especially looking forward to this one, having heard good things about it lately
I went to a cool little bookstore in St. Louis called Left Bank Books. They sell new and used books there. I picked one up because I liked the title.
Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by
Amanda GrangeFun, Fun!
I received from Bookins
The Book Of Scandal. From Barnes and Noble I brought home
Meridon to complete my trilogy and
The Bronze Horseman.
The Bronze Horseman better be worth it because I was fully intending to buy
Dragonwyck and put it back on the shelf. Somebody tell me I did the right thing, Please! I'm out of money but I saw books at Sam's Club I wouldn't mind owning. Boo-Hoo.
>182 Scarpetta - I can guarantee you that it is sooo worth reading
The Bronze horseman I read it back in august and LOVED it!! I still haven't got round to reading the third book yet but as soon as i find a copy that matches my other two books I will be jumping on it.
*sigh* On my last excursion into town before I leave I just happened to "fall" into my favourite charity shop and guess what? I fell out again with another book that i really wanted. A near perfect copy of
The Princess Bride which I'd been wanting to find cheap for a while now - only £2.50 a cracking bargain! Now i'll have to get used to borrowing books from the library instead of buying them all the time... darn.
If you're reading
A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore, this is just a
reminder that the Twitter Book Club discussion will take place on Monday, Sept. 28 at 9:00 PM ET with the hashtag #tbc. If you want to ask Lorrie some questions about the book, leave them
here and be entered to win a copy of November's Twitter Book Club Pick,
Alive in Necropolis by Doug Dorst.
Message edited by its author, Sep 25, 2009, 1:34pm.
I had a Borders coupon. I had a trip to town. I had seen a book about Goldman Sachs that looked good to me at Barny Noble's; I remembered it as a paperback. I found it in hardcover at Borders; I almost went for it, but it was a little more than I wanted to spend. Just now looking to put it in my Waiting for the Paperback list, I found it at Barny Noble's online with an additional discount.
Near it at Borders was
Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy by
Joseph A. Schumpeter. I have been attracted to Schumpeter in the past including reading a good bit of his survey on analytical economics (I think), and this looked good. Now I have it.
Robert
Got a copy of
The Woman in White from the library today for appropriate October reading (this is my version of horror, because I'm a wimp; I might also read
Frankenstein).
This week I actually bought two books:
New York: the novel by Edward Rutherfurd
His last epic tome. I'm not as big a fan of his writing as I used to be, but I'm a sucker for historical novels about New York especially it's founding as a dutch trading post called New Amsterdam.
An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon
The 7th Outlander book which I've been anticipating all year!
At the library I got:
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Never read it and thought I better. Took a look at the first page and it seemed readable and interesting (can never be sure with books from that era). I also thought it would be a good idea to read it as I also have
Your Own, Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill to read,
A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson
An ALA and Printz award winner. My Library didn't have it so I requested the book to be bought and they did - 3 copies :)
The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck
I have never read any books by Steinbeck and one of my projects is to start reading his books. This is the only one my library had to hand (others would be out or at different branches). However I'm glad I'm reading this one first as it's quite short and about a subject that's familiar and interesting to me (German occupation in WW2).
The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte by Syrie James
I read The Secret Diaries of Jane Austen earlier this year and it was really good. This author researches and writes really well, a lot of Austen spin offs can be disappointing - this one was fantastic. So I was keen to read her latest publication about Charlotte Bronte. My library didn't have it so I requested it and they bought it (5 copies actually!).
Jane Austen Ruined my Life by Beth Pattillo
Another Jane Austen spin off. I'm not actually expecting this one to be any good judging by the average rating on LT - we'll see.
The Lost I, by Choghig Kazandjian
I picked up some books for me, and I got some books in series that my RL book group will be reading into 2010.
My stuff:
Borkmann's Point and Mind's Eye by Hakan Nesse, Mystery
These are from another Swedish mystery series,
Inspector Van Veeteren . I picked up the 3rd book a while ago because it looked interesting. My B&N was featuring this series in a book case at the registers, so I got the first 2 so I can read them in order.
Doubleblind by Ann Aguirre, SF
The 3rd book in the
Sirantha Jax series about a jump navigator who gets sucked into helping birth and nurse a new government. A light and fluffy space opera.
Departing at Dawn by Gloria Lise, World Fiction
Story set in Argentina during their dictatorship and dirty war. A woman goes into hiding when the authorities attack her boyfriend and are looking for her. They are student activists. She spends time in the country with peasants.
Lucinda Dangerously by Sunny, Dark Fantasy
Book 2 in the
Demon Princess Chronicles . Demons, vampires, werewolves. Closely tied to her other series
The Monere series.
Soulless by Gail Carriger, Victorian Vampire
The start of a series called
The Parasol Protectorate that is steampunk and vampires, set in Victorian England.
Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott, YA
About a young girl growing up with the pedophile who kidnapped her. She comes to realize she is getting too old for him, and will soon be 'replaced'. And it doesn't mean going home or freedom. Can't believe this is YA.
The Parrot Who Thought She Was a Dog by Nancy Ellis-Bell, Non-Fiction, pets, birds
Story of a woman who rescues a wild-caught, disabled, Blue and Gold Macaw. I liked the title, I once had a Scarlet Macaw, and love macaws. It seemed funny and the reading flowed (I am now reading it).
Unfortunately, while it may be heartwarming at the start - it supposedly ends in tragedy due to the stupidity and ignorance of the owner/author ( I read some of the reviews on Amazon). While the parts I am reading are funny as a story, they are absolutely the wrong way to try to live with a macaw.
Books for my Mystery Book Group:
Lincoln Perry series by Michael Koryta, PI, former Police Officer
Tonight I said Goodbye Sorrow's AnthemA Welcome Grave Deborah Knott series by Margaret Maron, Southern Lawyer/Judge
Bootlegger's DaughterSlow DollarHigh Country Fall Charlotte Adams series by Mary Jane Maffini, Professional Organizer who becomes a sleuth
Organize Your Corpses Cluttered CorpseDeath Loves a Messy Desk Aurora Teagarden series by Charlaine Harris, Southern Librarian Sleuth
Real Murders A Bone to PickThree Bedrooms, One CorpseThe Julius HouseEven though I'm now supposed to be "poor student" as my mum likes to put it I still managed to swindle her into letting me buy three books from a cheap bookstore. My argument was that 3 books for £5 was a bloody bargain and soo worth it :P
Got my own copy of
Jamaica Inn, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo because i've been meaning to read it with all the raving about it on here and
The wild hunt since I've decided I'd rather like to grow a collection of Chadwick books.
I very nearly cracked again today to buy a book i spotted in the Uni bookstore that i thought wasn't actually out yet but since it's waay cheaper to amazon it I resisted (that and my wallet was empty lol)
Recieved copy of
Wolf Hall in the mail today from the publisher, looking forward to reading it, such rave reviews!
From Barnes & Noble (with a beloved gift card!!):
Where Men Win Glory by Jon Krakauer. I've been waiting for this baby! I've heard a couple interviews by him and I am pumped!
From Bookmooch:
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith I've had this highly regarded book on my wishlist forever!
Ok, now that I'm excited, how do I fit these in, in an already crowded reading schedule? Sheeesh...
Thanks Jude, the Atwood collection is growing!
I have not been disappointed by anything she has written - I still have a few more to find:)
>calm
see, that's why we are friends...great minds and all
;-))
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