Happy Autumn everyone in the northern hemisphere! And Happy Spring to those of you under the equator.

Author birthdays this week include:

Sept 26:
Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820; d.1891)
T. S. Eliot (1888; d.1965)
Jane Smiley (1949)
Andrea Dworkin (1946-2005)
Mark Haddon 1962
Minette Walters (1949)

Sept 27:
Grazia Deledda (1875; d.1935)
Louis Auchincloss (1917)
Josef Skvorecky (1924)

Sept 28:
Kate Douglas Wiggin, 1856 - 1923
Francis Turner Palgrave (1824; d.1897)
James Edwin Campbell (1867; d.1896)
Elmer Rice (1892; d.1967)

Sept 29:
Miguel de Cervantes. 1547 - 1616
William Beckford (1760; d.1844)
Stanley "Stan" Berenstain (1923 – 2005)
Elizabeth Gaskell (1810; d.1865), aka Mrs. Gaskell



Sept 30:
J I M Stewart (1906; d.1994), aka Michael Innes
Truman Capote, (1924; d.1984)
Elie Wiesel (1928 - )
WS Merwin (1927)
Ferdinand Ludwig Adam von Saar (1833 - 1906)

Oct 1:
Sergey Aksakov (1791; d. 1859)
Louis Untermeyer (1885; d.1977),
Faith Baldwin (1893; d.1978)
Daniel Boorstin (1914; d. 2004)
Tim O'Brien (1946)

Oct 2:
Wallace Stevens (1879; d.1955)
Graham Greene (1904; d.1991)

Trivia: Which of these authors worked as an insurance salesperson?

Enjoy your week of reading!

I finished The Graveyard Book last week, and this week I am reading Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks, the third/fourth Culture novel...

But, my birthday was yesterday, party today, and I am hoping for more books, so who knows what my reading will be like this week...

Good morning everybody! And a very happy birthday Sara! May there be many books to brighten your birthday weekend...

Last week I started reading Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, but three tales in I gave up and put it out on the shop shelves instead. Very amusing, but they were a bit much of a muchness.

So now I'm back to concentrating on Rupert Everett's Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins. It's not grabbing me that much so far, but I'm bypassing the Pearl Rule in favour of waiting to see if it gets more absorbing post-teenage years... If not I guess I'll be having a second crack at my ABC challenge 'E' read.

HAPPYBIRTHDAY divinenanny. Hope you have a nice day and enjoy your party

Didn,t det much reading done myslf last week. Bussy working around the house so only read Flashforward by Robert J. Sawyer because of the TV show statring last week.
So now it's back to "The Strange Case of Hellish Nell. The Story of Helen Duncan and The Witch Tail of WWII" by Nina Shandler. About a third of the way through it and it's very interesting.

Finished Dogs of God last night. It was a very readable look at Spain in the 15th C, particularly looking at the Spanish Inquisition, the reconquest of Spain by the Christians and Christopher Columbus' trip to the New World.

Now I'm going to read The Heretic's Feast: A History of Vegetarianism which I expect to enjoy.

divinenanny- Happy Birthday!!
I want to thank everyone for the info on BookTV. I was able to track it down especially the podcast links and I also tivo'ed the cable show. FYI, the latest show features an interview with Jon Krakauer. I have it my ipod!

I've just started The Behaviour of Moths by Poppy Adams and it looks like being a really good read - I'm already intrigued.

Edited to try and get Touchstones to work. And edited again to announce that I failed.

Message edited by its author, Sep 26, 2009, 7:24am.

I've just started Atticus by Ron Hansen this morning, but I doubt I'll get much read over the next couple of days due to football. :)

I'm taking the easy way out and am going to do a cut and paste from last night's WAYRTWO Thread...

Going to Bend by Diane Hammond. So far an amazing and surprising book. I was both blindsided AND hooked before 75 pages.

Diane Hammond is an excellent writer. Her characters live, breathe, eat, etc. etc. and I feel as though they pause while I go off and live my life. When I return to the book ... they pick up the story and continue on with their lives. Excellent writing.

Ruth/womansheart

PS - It, Going to Bend is becoming ever more riveting as pages are read and quickly turned.

After a busy week finally got some time and finished The Historian last night. It was alright, nothing memorable. To read my review you can go to,

http://www.librarything.com/work/5189/re...

or to my 50 Book Challenge thread,

http://www.librarything.com/topic/72408

After reading three books written in this millennium back to back I feel the urge to go back to my true love, classics. This one is not only a classic but also a mystery. My next book is The Mystery of the Yellow Room. Hope I find more time to read this week, though.

Are any of you going to the 2009 National Book Festival in Washington, DC today? Here's a link on things to do there or at home ...

http://www.loc.gov/blog/2009/09/a-dozen-...

Enjoy ... you lucky ones who will be there in person.

Ruthie

Started Hothouse Orchid last night. So far typical Stuart Woods - murder and sex abounding, but this time with just Holly Barker. I still find his books entertaining and easy and fast to read, so this one should be finished by the end of the weekend, even though I will be gone all day today.

Well into Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. It's quite a page turner.

>1 teelgee Wallace Stevens was an insurance company executive.

Finished The Lost Symbol - well done diversion, although a bit long on the philosophizing.

I'm reading Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, a YA title, and Partners in Crime by Dame Agatha.

Still reading The Elegant Universe. I'm now a hundred and something pages in, which is probably a good indication that it's going faster than The Fabric of the Cosmos (which took me several months) did last year.

I finished Mr. Timothy last week (which I found to be a great read) and now I'm on to Jane Eyre, which I've never read before.

#16 I read Jane Eyre way too young, I think. I was 12 or something like that and I really didn't think that much of the book. It was fairly o.k. But I found the story do be a little morbid. But then that was nearly a decade ago. Maybe it's time for a re-read. If only I could find some time that is!

Finishing The Cavalier of the Apocalypse by LT author Susanne Alleyn. Review to come.

Finally finished A Mad World, My Masters by BBC correspondent John Simpson, which was excellent! Now started Sheepwrecked by Jackie Moffat which is a very different and very light read but I'm enjoying it nonetheless. My home read is Harlan Coben's Tell No One but, with my husband away on business all week, I think I'll soon be through this one.

Message edited by its author, Sep 26, 2009, 9:50am.

Finished Sex and the Eighteenth-Century Man. It had some interesting tidbits but was way too repetitious. It gave an account of what a quote would illustrate, then the quote, and then a recount of what it said. Then every few quotes there'd be a summary paragraph of the point. I may be thick-headed but it was too much.

I'm on to A Philosophical Baby and Shimmering Images.

Sorry about two missing Touchstones.

I finished the disappointing That Old Cape Magic and have moved on to The Hummingbird's Daughter.

Still reading A Prayer for Owen Meany. So far so great. I am also reading Up the Koyukuk

I'm quite enjoying The Queen's Mistake by Diane Haeger. I've never read a book where Catherine Howard was treated so intelligently.

Donna 828: I'm sorry to hear about That Old Cape Magic. That book is next on my list because I am supposed to go see Richard Russo speak this week. My husband is listening to it, and he agrees with you that the book isn't very good.

I'm about 50% through The Adderall Diaries.. It's so, so. I was hoping for a true crime book, but so far, it more about the author's sad childhood.

Donna828 I'm guessing you'll find The Hummingbird's Daughter enjoyable.

I finished Off Season by Anne Rivers Siddons last night. It was exactly the kind of light, yet absorbing, read I was looking for. However, I did not like the ending, at all, so be warned.

Now I'm starting The Widows of Eastwick by John Updike for a RL book club. I never read The Witches of Eastwick so I hope it doesn't matter.

I finished two books this week. Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, which was original and well-written and Trick or Treat Murder which was the opposite (see my posted review for a frustrated rant). I'm continuing with Dracula, another classic that I should have read long ago.
I'm squeezing in as many October reads as I can as I'll be in NYC for over a week so I'll be losing some precious reading time.

Happy Birthday divinenanny! Hope you enjoyed your day.

I am reading The Devil's Queen. So far, so good.

Wow the last week of September already. Where did the summer go? So far this week I am reading Frederica by Georgette Heyer and The Killer's Wife by Bill Floyd. Both are good, but very different.

I am about halfway through A Mercy by Toni Morrison. Although I'm enjoying it, I'm still not sure what the plot is.

Donna

Sorry you did not enjoy That Old Cape Magic. I love Russo, so perhaps there was bias in my praise of the book.

Anyways, to coin an old phrase, that's what this thread is all about. Wouldn't do for us all to like the same thing...Hm...

Ouch, just missed a touchdown...

Message edited by its author, Sep 26, 2009, 3:26pm.

>31: Morfam, I am also a Richard Russo fan; I think that is why I was disappointed. This one was just not up to par...in my opinion.

Am a few chapters into Wolf Hall and couldn't agree more with theaelizabet (#13). I was hooked after about 2 pages.

Has anyone here read the book That Summer by Sarah Dessen? I need some help for a school project. 6 household objects to symbolize the book. Please help me!

Thanks

I am making excellent progress through Volume 3 of Foote's A Civil War: A Narrative -- ~ 800 pages out of 1000+ read. At this point I want the dang war to be over as much as the combatants ever did. I am hoping to be done over the next several days. It is good, though.

I received An Echo in the Bone in the mail today - highly anticipated so I suspect I'll read that next.

Even though this morning I said I'm reading The Elegant Universe, I'm going to have to put it aside for a few days: I had a hold on Mansfield Park at the library (by way of the family retired librarian), and it came home today.

Yeah! Its my birthday week (turning 24), I share a birthday with Graham Green (and Sting;)) who wrote one of my favourite books The End of the Affair. God I read it almost 10 years ago...

by the way I'm still reading Sacred Hearts, still being the operative word as I've been working more than sleeping or doing anything else...

I finished Blood of Elves this morning. I enjoyed it. Fans of the game and the prequel will enjoy it, though may be slightly disappointed as the book doesn't feature Geralt as much as you wish it would.

Now I'm starting on Wicked by Gregory Maguire. I saw the musical a few weeks ago which prompted me to buy the book. It'll be interesting to see just how much they differ.

>17 Porua - It's definitely time for a re-read of Jane Eyre. I read it the first time when I was very young and although I didn't understand everything, I understood the love Jane felt for Rochester and really enjoyed it - BUT it creeped me out something terrible and even now the familiar smell of that particular old book gives me the chills.

Nevertheless, a re-read and a new copy later and it's very firmly one of my favourite books of all time...

P.S. Happy birthday week, Viviane! :-)

Message edited by its author, Sep 26, 2009, 7:06pm.

I'm very much fascinated by my current read, Under the Iron Heel by Lars Moen. Moen was an American chemist and ex-journalist who was doing research in Belgium when the Germans invaded at the beginning of WWII. Moen lived in Antwerp under the German occupation for six months, then was allowed to return to the U.S. (not yet in the war).

This intriguing book was written in 1941, still before Pearl Harbor Day, and so is particularly interesting to me in that it is full of observations about issues we no longer think about (the morale of the average German soldier in the occupying force, for example), plus conjecture about events to come (events we now look back on as history).

I have started The Peabody Sisters, and I expect I will finish it. I suppose I am still reading Home as well.

Robert

At the moment I'm about 100 pages (of 800) into An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon, a book release I've been looking forward to for the whole year!

#2 divinenanny - Happy b'day! I hope you got loads of books or book vouchers :)

#14: jnwelch - I've heard lots about Dairy Queen and it's on my wishlist - I hope it's as good as it sounds.

#35: jhowell - I got my book on Friday and I've just got to part two. It's so good reading another outlander book her cast of characters is sooo impressive!

#36: AnnaClaire: I hope you like Mansfield Park It was the first Jane Austen book I read while on holiday as a teenager and it was the only book available to me. I didn't know then that Jane Austen was a famous author but I sped through Mansfield Park and loved it.

>41 I loved The Peabody Sisters. Went on to read the new biography of Alcott.

I finished Adderall Diaries which wasn't great. I started That Old Cape Magic.

I'm about 3/4 the way through Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace. Very good book overall. It has an excellent explanation of elective dispensation.

Reading The Passionate Journey by Irving Stone

I reviewed The Cavalier of the Apocalypse on my thread http://www.librarything.com/topic/73753 and on the book's reviews page.

Short version: Read this one first.

I'm almost done reading The Lost I, by Choghig Kazandjian. It's an incredible book. I love books that are fictional but based on actual events. Totally recommend it to anyone looking for a new book to read, but tired of these new books that all sound the same. This one's a unique story - that's what I thought, at least...

Happy birthday divinenanny and Viviane!

I'm approaching the last ~50 pages of Rebecca. It's been un-putdownable today. Fortunately, I'm lounging at the beach with lots of time to read.

Still working my way through Wolf Hall, and savouring every moment.

Thanks for the birthday wishes! And a happy birthday to Viviane too!

Happy birthday to both of you!

>kiwiflowa I finished Dairy Queen and liked it a lot. I think you'll particularly enjoy getting to know the main character, D.J.

Next up is The Girl Who Played with Fire.

I'm reading The Hedgehog's Dilemma, which I picked up while shelving New Arrivals at the library. I chose it chiefly because I had recently been talking to someone about hedgehogs.
It's a rather interesting book so far, though. People sure do like hedgehogs.

If I manage to finish reading it before it's due back (another of those "help-I-checked-out-four-months'-worth-of-books-and-can-only-keep-them-three-weeks" incidents), then I'll be starting on How We Decide.
I seem to have run out of fiction books at the moment.

"The Strange Case of Hellish Nell. The Story of Helen Duncan and The Witch Trial of World War II} , by Nina Shandler

This book might be a good read for those looking for something to read for Halloween. (even if it's history)
Helen Duncan was a median and Spiritualist born in 1898. Who at a young age could see sprits, and see the future events.

What makes this book good is that the author does a good job of going back and forth though Helen's life, to keep your interest up. It seems that she had the "Gift" as they call it to deliver messages for the beyond.
She got it right on many occasions. Example;

1. She predicted in early 1940 that Germany would not invade England. (this was just after Dunkirk)
2. That England and Russia would be allies (after Germany and Russia signed the non-aggression treaty)
3. That the United States would enter the war (we were officially neutral at that time)
4. that the War would last 6 years and involve the world from the U.S. to Japan (this is before Pearl Harbor)
5 And would end with two large bangs (atomic bombs?)

But this is not what got her into trouble!.
She told of the loss of the HMS Hood on May 24, 1941, and the sinking of the HMS Barham this is when the war department was keeping these reports secret. They went to the extreme of sending fake holiday greeting to the families of the diseased Seamen from these ships so the general public would not know.

Then the plans for D-Day start and Helen's problems begin to grow. till in n 1944 Helen Duncan and her four co-defendants listened to the court clerk read the following charges;

(from the back cover)
"...You four conspired together, and with persons unknown, to pretend to exercise some kind of conjuration, though the agency of the said Helen Duncan, spirits of deceased persons should appear, and were communicating with living persons contrary to the Witchcraft Act of 1735"

There is a lot more to the story. I don't want to ruin it for any who wish to read it. I give it about 3/5 stars.

Reading a couple of Nicholson Baker books: Just finished Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, the End of Civilization, an indictment of the sufferings and death administered to innocents by all sides in the first year of the war.

And have now started Double Fold: Libraries and the Assault on Paper, a book on the folly of microfilm and the criminal destruction of original copies of historic newspaper runs.

I'm new to LibraryThing, and wanted to begin with a discussion about a book I just started reading, The Wild Trees. I hope I'm entering this discussion correctly?

I just started this book by Richard Preston. It starts out very suspenseful, especially for a wannabe tree climber like me. I do have a question however, Preston says the book is factual, and in the beginning two College students free hand climb a 300 ft. redwood tree (using no ropes). Is this really possible?

I find this hard to believe. Is anyone aware of the possibility or impossibility of climbing such a large tree free-handily?

#50 Teresa40 - There are a lot of good comments on LT about Wolf Hall ... I have added it to my TBR list!

#56 landmime - Welcome to LT! I hope you enjoy the site and the book discussions.

I finished The Last Bridge by Teri Coyne - it grabbed my attention early in and held it throughout the quick riveting read it turned out to be. Next up is The Fate of Katherine Carr by Tomas H. Cook.

I stayed up into the wee hours last night finishing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Murder mysteries are not my usual fare, but this was very entertaining. I have also The Girl who Played with Fire, but I think I'll hold off for a while. I'm going to stay in Sweden though and try again with Out Stealing Horses. I began it a while back but my life got in the way and I set it aside. I also am going to start this week Zeitoun. Four years later there are still quite a few people here in the Dallas area who relocated after Hurricane Katrina. Hopefully I won't upset any students watching me read this.

Message edited by its author, Sep 27, 2009, 2:21pm.

I finished listening to Anansi Boys last night in the car. It was very entertaining. The book, like most Neil Gaiman, books was great fun. I have to say that the reader of this one probably added to the high level of enjoyment I found in this story. He did different voices and different accents and they were all believable. Usually when a reader tries to do that I find it distracting, but not this time. It was a bonus to this story. Gaiman is a great storyteller and this book was all about the value of story telling. I find Gaiman a very pointed commentator on the state of learning in the modern world, but he veils his commentary in wonderful fun stories. I got this recorded book from the library and am going to go back there to get the recorded version of Stardust. In the meantime, since I had it in the car, and wasn't close to the library I started listening to The Amateur Marriage. I had that cassette recording in the car because I had just purchased it yesterday afternoon at a used book shop. How fortuitous.

Finished Hothouse Orchid -easy read and all though I got the killer before the last page, it was still a surprise.

Have picked The List of 7 and A Christmas Secret off my shelves. I will probably make short work of the latter.

>54, that sounds so interesting! In 1944 they were citing the Witchcraft Act of 1735??? Holy broomstick, Batman!

Welcome, landmime. I can't answer your question definitively about redwoods, but my recollection is that branches begin quite high up the tree, so free climbing would seem improbable.


Where would you start?

Here's an interesting review of Wild Trees.

Meantime, I'm still on the ground with Rebecca, but nearing the end!

Love the picture of the tree.

Finished People of the Book. The last two sections were excellent.

Started King of the Confessors by Thomas Hoving and a re-read of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy from my new Folio Society edition.

Picked up a Catholic school book sale copy of John Hersey's A Bell for Adano over the weekend.

I am currently still reading Brideshead Revisited which has been slow going so far. I am still a bit under the weather and super busy since the kids are now back in school which accounts for some of it. We spent the entire day yesterday at a cross country meet for the oldest and it was a two hour drive each way so no reading done yesterday at all. I am enjoying most of the book although parts of it are a bit slodgy to me. I hope to finish it by Friday so I can start The Poisonwood Bible for my RL book club which meets at the end of October.

62: Smiley

I read A Bell for Adano last year and enjoyed it immensely. Hope you do also. It won a Pulitzer Prize in 1945

I finished Geisha by Liza Dalby. It was an interesting look at Geishas in the 1970s. She is an anthropologist with a history of living in Japan. She went and interviewed, lived, and even worked with the Geisha in Kyoto, Tokyo, and a mineral springs resort. She talks about her experiences, the history, culture and tradition of the Japanese and Geisha. Very interesting, smoothly written, if a bit scattered.

I am now reading The Parrot Who Thought She Was a Dog by Nancy Ellis-Bell.

I just finished Twilight and am continuning to read my ER copy of Gertruda's Oath. Hopefully it is time to start a new book at bedtime tonight.

Finished At Large and At Small by Anne Fadiman and took a ride over to a local library book sale. I got a full canvas bag for only $5 even though I haven't finished logging in the books from 3 bags purchased at another local library book sale last weekend. Nevertheless, I pulled Wife of the Chef by Courtney Febbroriello out of today's bag and am now half way through it. My son is in the restaurant business (on the other coast) and I'm getting a greater appreciation of his life. And the restaurant of this book is about 2 miles from my house.

# 61: teelgee: Love the picture of the tree and the man attempting to climb it .. or maybe he was just trying to hug it. Wild Trees sounds interesting. I hope you post a review of it when you're done, landmine ... I'm interested in what you have to say about the book.

I'm reading Plum Wine by Angela Davis-Gardner and so far, it's started out very promisingly.

I've read about 3/4ths of "The Clan of the Cave Bear"...continues to be interesting (I've put the sequels on my Find/TBR list). Should have "The Clan..." finished well before my Historical Fiction discussion class begins in October (when I'll be re-reading sections of it as we talk about the book).

Reading JCO's new novel, Little Bird of Heaven.

#69 I've been meaning to read that book for years even managed to have it at home, but I never got around to it. Tell us what you think of it.

#68 cameling - I've had Plum Wine on my shelves for a while now and I'm not sure why I never started it. I'll be waiting for your thoughts!

I am reading Rise to Rebellion by Jeff Shaara; so far very interesting historical fiction of the beginning of the American Revolution. Told alternately from the point of view of B. Franklin, General Gage, and John Adams. I haven't read a historical fiction in a long time, and am enjoying it-- a nice change from the mysteries, sci fi, and fantasy I've mostly been reading the last year or so.

Maybe when I finish it, I'll pick up 1776 again, which I've started/put down 3 times over the last 2 years. I asked for it for Christmas 2 years ago, and it sits on the shelf by the bed making me feel guilty, b/c my husband actually bought me something I asked for, and then I haven't read it. :( Fortunately, I don't think he realizes this, and has probably even forgotten about it.

I'm reading Home by Marilynne Robinson and as I do I am also rereading parts of Gilead. I keep wishing someone had created a -- I know this is the wrong term but since I'm reading about two ministers it's the word that keeps coming to mind -- 'concordance' for the two books.

I loved Gilead and I imagine I'll say the same for Home when I'm done. Robinson's writing challenges me -- I'm especially fond of Housekeeping and some of her essays -- and I''ll probably find myself rereading Home and Gilead again in the next few years, just as I do with her other work.

There's all that Robinson prose - sometimes I don't know what to make of it. On the one hand it's simple and commonplace and spare -- finely crafted -- yet it can wrap itself around you and shake you, too. There's something sinuous about it -- something that slips out of your grasp just as you think you have it. More going on than you can know. Troubling . . . worrisome . . . haunting.

I know a lot of people don't care for her books, and I can see why -- but, as I say, they challenge me and at the same time comfort me in some way that I don't always understand, so I keep reading them.

I've just finished People of the Book which was riveting to a point. I loved all the tales concerning the history of the book but the contemporary narrator and her story put me off. I'll still read anything Geraldine Brooks writes.

I'm about 100 pages into Pillars of the Earth which is surprisingly easy to read - I had been a bit intimidated by the 900+ page length, but so far so good!

#75 I read The Pillars of the Earth earlier this month. Finished it in just 4 days. Not because it was just that good, but because I had to get through it quickly so that I can move on to other things. It was an 'Eh so what' kind of an experience for me. I wrote my full reactions here,

http://www.librarything.com/topic/72408

or the review,

http://www.librarything.com/work/1051327...

Check it out, if you want to.

> mollygrace- Some excellent thoughts on Marilynne Robinson. She's amazing and I'm surprised she's not adored by everyone!

This is the first weekend I haven't finished at least one book for a while. I've kind of stalled out on the books I'm reading, Dreamfever, Magic Burns and Bio of an Ogre.

75--AnneH re: People of the Book "I loved all the tales concerning the history of the book but the contemporary narrator and her story put me off."

That was exactly my take, too. I was "so-so" about March, but will eventually read Year of Wonders because I'm intrigued by the subject matter.

#54 usnmm2 - very interesting about Helen Duncan. I've put the book on my wishlist. I'm intrigued by them using the Witchcraft Act of 1735 against her.

#63 bookalcoholicgirl - I, too, spent one full day this weekend supporting a child at a school event - in my case it was my daughter at their first Marching Band Competition. They received a Superior rating and were ecstatic. But, we were gone from 11 am to 10:30 pm. Looooong day.

#73 theexiledlibrarian - I listened to 1776 and loved it. It was read by the author, David McCullough, which made it especially good. I have since mooched the book, but haven't cracked it. I'm still slogging through his John Adams.

I'm re-reading A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie and will continue with Nemesis by the same author. After that I might read Keith Donohue's new one, Angels of Destruction.

Message edited by its author, Sep 28, 2009, 10:27am.

#80 karenmarie - Ok, you win! Your day was way longer than ours. We were home by about 6:30 or so but after driving two hours both ways and standing out in the chilly, damp air, I was exhausted and fell asleep by 8:30! Glad to hear that your daughter did so well. My son's team didn't win but he came in 29th out of about 150. He was only 9 spots out of getting a medal for the event so we were pretty proud of him.

#81 - it wasn't a contest.... 4 hours driving and standing out in chilly damp air takes its toll.

I think all parents should try to go all their kids events... of course I only have one so it's pretty easy. One of the women who has 2 sons in band this year also has 2 other kids - she and her husband split kid activities. And, one of her sons is also in track, so he ran at 10:15 Saturday 45 minutes away from the school, they got him back in time for the band's practice at noon. Our band didn't perform til 5:30. I think they win the tired thing hands down.

Good for your son! I'd be proud too.

Message edited by its author, Sep 28, 2009, 11:15am.

#80 Oh you are reading books by my favorite author featuring my favorite detective! I have read absolutely every Miss Marple Agatha Christie ever wrote. I loved reading A Caribbean Mystery but Nemesis is not one of my favorites (although it is in a way a sequel to A Caribbean Mystery).

#82 - I agree that parents should try to go to all of their kids events - we were the only parents there on Saturday from both the boys AND the girls cross country team. I was very surprised as there are usually a lot of parents but I guess they all had other commitments that day. Our oldest is the busiest since he does a sport every season and we try to make sure that at least one of us is at everything. He really appreciates it and I am sure that your daughter does too. My husband and I just figure that it is such a short time out of our lives that they are with us and we want to enjoy as much of it as we can.

I am currently re-reading, "Three Kisses," by Heath Daniels. I want the sequel NOW, but while I wait I have decided to just re-read this amazing Thriller/Espionage/Fiction book about International intrigue and adventure. I especially like long books with somewhat complex plots that hold my attention.

I just finished Down Under by Bill Bryson (excellent for anyone who likes to read travel memoirs!) and I am now moving on to: When You are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris. Really looking forward to this one!

>75 and 79 - I much prefer historical fiction that stays in period. Year of Wonders does and I liked it much better than People of the Book.

ETA: I finished Rebecca and am now swiftly moving through Elizabeth Berg's newest, Home Safe. It's an ok read so far, not blowing me away.

Message edited by its author, Sep 28, 2009, 12:32pm.

#38 - Wicked the book is VERY different from the musical. Be prepared. It's one of my all-time favorite books, but I've noticed that people who've seen the musical first seem to like the book less than the musical.

Yes, Wicked, the book is very different from "Wicked" the musical. I read the book first and kept complaining to myself as I watched the musical (which I love, too) about leaving things out or changing them!

As for me, today I finished A Christmas Secret, which I started last night and knew would only take a short time to read. I now have The List of 7 on my table. This may take longer, but it looked interesting.

Message edited by its author, Sep 28, 2009, 1:59pm.

I finished Untangling My Chopsticks an OK book about an interesting topic this morning while at the laundromat. I then read Stitches, a graphic novel memoir that I'd seen several people here raving about - it was really good.

Now I'm reading Fahrenheit 451, sort of for Banned Books Week (as far as I can tell, it hasn't been banned or challenged, but it's topically appropriate).

I'm reading Canterbury Tales, Death of a Salesman, and Ulysses for banned Book Week. Going back to 999 next week.

Reading The Bronze Horseman and really enjoyed the first 48 pages. I hope the rest of the book is just as good. I was thinking it would get bogged down by the war and politics but so far so good.

>11 womansheart--I was at the Book Fest on Saturday, I highly recommend it if you're ever in the area! This year I met Judy Blume, John Grisham, and I saw John Irving, last year I met Philippa Gregory and Geraldine Brooks, and Salman Rushdie walked past me on the street! Always a good time at the Book Fest. :)

This week I'm reading The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings for my TBR Challenge and Go Review That Book! groups, and The October Country by Ray Bradbury because I thought it would be a fun read for October.

#93 It sounds like you had a good time. I have only ever met on author, Elizabeth Berg. it would be great to see so many authors in one spot let alone having a chance to meet some of them.

Reading 44 Scotland Street by Alexander Mccall Smith.

Just finished The Fiction Class by Susan Breen, and my review is on the book page. So-so. Worth finishing but if I had to do it over again, I'd pass it by in favor of other, better books. I seem to be in a rut of "good but not great" books lately. Next up is Olive Kitteridge. After all the praise it's gotten here on LT, I have high hopes. I really need a book that will knock it out of the park. Here's hoping Olive is it.

I finished Real Life and Liars by Kristina Riggle, so I'm done with 4 and 1/2 of the 5 2009 Debutante Ball books (currently listening to The Little Giant of Aberdeen County). I've been working on Right of Thirst for a couple of days, but now I also have to squeeze in whatever this new Dan Brown book is called because my dad dropped it off for me to have until he and my mom come back this weekend.

I finished My Sergei: A Love Story by Ekaterina Gordeeva with E. M. Swift over the weekend, and am currently reading Cry to Heaven by Anne Rice. Loving it so far!

I finished The Shack and I'll keep it brief, it wasn't for me, although I did admire some of it's creative ideas. I'm still reading The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House which has been very good and I will be starting The Likeness by Tana French, a book I've bumped a few times recently, a dirty shame.

Wow...An Echo in the Bone. That's all I can say...wow.

Message 101: MDLady
Wow...An Echo in the Bone. That's all I can say...wow.

I agree! I really want to take a day off from work and just hide with my copy. :)

anne
sebago, me

I just finished re-reading A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie and am re-reading it's sequel, sort of - Nemesis. The two are tied because in the first one Miss Marple meets a rich man named Mr. Rafiel who helps her prevent a murder, and in the second one she endeavors to solve a mystery for Mr. Rafiel.

Good, lightweight stuff. I always need the good, but right now need the lightweight too.

After my brief sojourn with the classic mystery The Mystery of the Yellow Room I’m back to reading contemporary books. My review of The Mystery of the Yellow Room is here,

http://www.librarything.com/work/247690/...

And a more extended version of my thoughts on the book is here,

http://www.librarything.com/topic/72408

The bad translation of The Mystery of the Yellow Room got me thinking, how has translation of foreign books in to English changed in all these intervening years? Has it gotten better or is it still the same awkward affair it was? To find out I thought I’ll read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Not only is it a contemporary book and a translation it also seems to be one of the most widely talked about books here in LT (along with its sequel The Girl who Played with Fire). I must say I’m venturing in to this with great trepidation as I’ve had bad experiences before with widely discussed books. Let’s see how it goes.

Message edited by its author, Sep 29, 2009, 11:20am.

I finally finished Perdido Street Station which was very, very good but also very, very long.

I'm about to begin the third Three Pines mystery The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny. I love this series thus far.

I just started Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk.

Its been way too long since I've read an Agatha Christie, so I'm just about to start Crooked House.

>105 nancywhite Always glad to see someone enjoying Louise Penny's Three Pines series. Go Inspector Gamache!

I will need to dip back into Agatha Christie next year.

This week I am reading the G. K. Chesterton biography of St. Thomas Aquinas. I read his bio of St. Francis of Assisi a few weeks back.

I also started The Trial by Kafka and need to get back to it.

I really enjoyed The Cruelest Month and look forward to reading the next Louise Penny in a few weeks. I'm trying to space them out, but I just discovered her this year and I'm really enjoying them.

I'm working on The Magicians, I 've been working on that one for a month now.
I'm almost done with Circle at Center and because I can't ever just read one book at a time, I'm 1/4 of the way done with Pride and Prejudice, again.

I'm working on The Magicians, I 've been working on that one for a month now.
I'm almost done with Circle at Center and because I can't ever just read one book at a time, I'm 1/4 of the way done with Pride and Prejudice, again.

#106 What do you think of Snuff? I read Rant and I got so confused sometimes. I think I need to go back and read it again. That's the first and only book I've read by Palahniuk. I'm kind of scared to read another :)

I just finished The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson and I've started The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.

I'm just finishing The Elegance of the Hedgehog and loving it. Next up: The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Reading many books at the same time, but am trying to focus on Entering the Diamond Way Tibetan Buddhism Meets The West by Ole Nydahl.

Finished The Behaviour of Moths which was great! Now on to A Mercy.

I'm about halfway through Foucault's Pendulum, which is a lot of fun, even if I don't get every last reference. (Sort of a given with Eco.) I also started Mr. X by Peter Straub last night. The opening didn't grab me, but it looks like it could get spooky. Still too early to tell.

I finished Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha and loved it. I finished Beowulf and basically feel pleased to have finally read it. I finished Olive Kitteridge and enjoyed getting to know a new memorable character. I am almost finished listening to Mercy by Jodi Picoult, and I am reading Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson.

Message edited by its author, Sep 29, 2009, 6:04pm.

117: CarlosMcRey
I just started Foucault's Pendulum, I'm glad I'm not alone with the references. But It seems like it going to be a good one.

I just finished Mercy....feel lukewarm about this one. I will begin listening to A Slight Trick of the Mind by Mitch Cullin.

Picked up March by Geraldine Brooks today at the library which I will get to when I finish The List of 7.

Finished Dracula by Bram Stoker today, fantastic novel. Now I get to start Frankenstein by Mary Shelley in my effort to find out which horror novel reigns supreme!

Or at least, is the best to me. I have a feeling it'll be a draw.

I finished The Hummingbird's Daughter. Loved it! Now I can start South of Broad, although Ken Burns' National Parks series on PBS is seriously cutting into reading time for me.

Donna- Great to hear you loved Hummingbird! Hope South of Broad is a winner. I've also been enjoying the Ken Burn's doc'!

Last night I finished A Mercy. Now I see a few other LTers are picking it up this week. Now I'm on to Fahrenheit 451.

I have just started Sea Runners by Ivan Doig, and then will take Bone by Bone by Carol O'Connell and The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell away with me over the weekend.

I'm reading and just love The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started it but it's absolutely wonderful.

I'm also almost finished with the fantastic audio of A Fatal Grace.

And I agree, Ken Burns' National Parks is a wonderful distraction. They're talking about Rocky Mtn Nat'l Park at the moment! Yellowstone's my favorite though - I adore the Lake Hotel.

#88 & 89 - I'm not too far into Wicked yet and I'm noticing the differences already. Even though the musical was based on the book, I'm going to try to treat them as two separate works. I was worried I may not like the book as much since I'd seen other people say that in reviews when they saw the musical first. So far I'm enjoying it though, so hopefully I can keep them separate enough.

I finished Marilynne Robinson's Home tonight -- lovely book, wonderful ending. A book I'll be thinking about for a long time.

Next: The Summer Book by Tove Jansson.

I finished The Fate of Katherine Carr by Thomas H. Cook which I found to be .... well.... *meh*

As they say, thankfully, there is always another unread book in the wings so I will now pick up East Fortune by James Runcie. The book premise intrigues me and it satisfies the "E" category for my Alphabet book title Challenge.

I finished Use of Weapons by Iain M. Banks yesterday, and even though people are saying that Consider Phlebas and The Player of Games are the best Culture novels, I must say I really enjoyed Use of Weapons too.

I am now reading one of my birthday presents, The Library at Night. Although Alberto Manguel's writing style is lovely, reading it in the train at 6 in the morning makes it a bit more difficult, but I am loving it so far!

BTW, so funny, the automatic touchstone for The Library at Night is Last Night at the Lobster. Now how did it get to that?

mollygrace, I just picked up Home today; I won't have a chance to read it for a few weeks, but want to read it soon as I read Gilead about a month ago. Look forward to it.

I finished Home Safe by Elizabeth Berg tonight; my review is here. Now picking up Telex from Cuba for my F to F book group read. Would rather be reading something else (like Home!) but need to get this one read. Hopefully it will surprise me!

eta divinenanny - Touchstones here have a great sense of humor.

Message edited by its author, Sep 30, 2009, 1:41am.

#131 divinenanny -- touchstones can be serendipitous, too. Last Night at the Lobster is a wonderful book -- there's not much in the way of plot but Stewart O'Nan's novel about the last workday for the employees at a Red Lobster is very affecting.

#77 msf59 -- I agree -- I was in tears at the end of the book -- tears because the ending pleased me so much, tears because I was leaving Glory and that grand old house. Tears, tears, as Jack would say.

#132 teelgee -- I envy you reading Home and Gilead so close together. I'll be interested to read what you have to say when you're done with both.

Message edited by its author, Sep 30, 2009, 2:24am.

It took me two attempts to read and appreciate Gilead. I didn't get far the first time, several years ago. But this time I was in the right place and time for it. Amazing book.

#122 I've read both and it's Dracula for me ALL the way!

Message edited by its author, Sep 30, 2009, 3:15am.

#135 I'd better stick in a vote for Frankenstein then! (Weird, because in the films I always preferred vampires.)

I've finally given up on Rupert Everett's Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins. I gave him the benefit of the Pearl Rule, then an extra fifty pages after THAT in case it got better once he got closer to Hollywood, but nope... Don't get me wrong, he writes beautifully and has a vicious wit, but the gratuitous name-dropping, confusing skipping around, and the (dare I say it) rather dull cycle of sex and artistic pursuits are stopping me from really immersing myself in it. When I feel like doing anything BUT reading, I know it's time to move on.

So, to continue my Alphabet Challenge with a different 'E' read, I've started Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. I've heard very good things, and since it's my day off I hope to be able to really sink into it for the day and get my reading back on track!

Haven't read Dracula yet, but I did really like Frankenstein.

128 -I find that separating the book from whatever it is based on makes for better enjoyment of both. Take Harry Potter or even Kathy Reichs "Bones" series - the Harry moves are closer to the books than the TV series "Bones" is to those books, but there are differences, but both are enjoyable - but only, really, if you take them as two different entities. (How's that for a convoluted run-on sentence?)

>137 Ellie, good choice on both counts. Like Water for Chocolate is flat-out fabulous!

What's the Pearl rule again? Fifty pages plus what?

Finishing up From Doon with Death, Ruth Rendell's first Inspector Wexford mystery. Moving on to The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman. Also reading (off and on) The Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker, for the R.I.P. IV Challenge.

I grabbed Google Books' scan of some old edition of Trollope's The Way We Live Now, which, despite the .pdf nearly driving me blind, is so, so, sooooo good. I love Trollope. Other wicked pens have nothing on him...

I am reading Grace by Richard Paul Evans

Nancy Pearl's Rule of Fifty: Pearl's approach to enjoying reading is the Rule of 50 which states "If you still don't like a book after slogging through the first 50 pages, set it aside. If you're more than 50 years old, subtract your age from 100 and only grant it that many pages."

Found it on Wikipedia.

I may have to Pearl Rule The Widows of Eastwick, in spite of reading it for my RL book club. Should I give it another chance? What say you? (if you have read it)

I don't know if my tastes have just changed that much in the last few years or if Dan Brown is slipping, but I didn't particularly enjoy The Lost Symbol. I really resented his attempts to manipulate me with at LEAST one cliffhanger per chapter, particularly when chapters were only 3 or 4 pages long.

Luckily I'm enjoying Right of Thirst by Frank Huyler - I think something big is about to happen - and The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker.

#145 devourerofbooks

I have had that same problem with Dan Brown books. All of them. Angels and Demons was good but it had about three too many endings. The first one would have been enough. He must fall into the bigger bang and then bigger bang and then bigger bigger bang school of writing. Frankly for me it got boring. After Angels and Demons I opted to listen to an abridged version of Da Vinci Code. I wasn't even moved by the prospect of the new book, so didn't even add it to by TBR list.

What I did like about his books was the art history angel. He inspired me to go get some books and take another look at Bernini and I ended up reading Brunelleschi's Dome and The Feud That Sparked the Renaissance so I guess Brown's books were good for something. However, for me his thrillers fell flat.

I know it isn't reading but I too have been watching the Ken Burn's National Parks program on TV and loving it. It has really cut into my reading time this week. But I think it is worth it. Then there is also the reading I have to do for the class I am taking. That reading is hard and demands concentration. Guess that is why they call it studying. Can't wait to be able to do recreational reading full time again. But that won't be until December!

Of course, I am cheating and reading a few pages at a time of The Virginian and Oil on the Brain. However, it is going to take a long time to get through those books at the rate I am going.

Being in the middle of Fresher's Week at uni is not conducive to my reading in the slightest - i did re-read Audrey, Wait! over saturday and sunday night when i couldn't sleep but it doesn't count in my challenges so I need to get something else read.
Was thinking about starting one of the shorter books I have with me possibly either The Picture of Dorian Gray or The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society.
Hopefully once my lectures start i can find some time to fit in some non-academic reading on a regular basis - i have a spiffy idea to take a book with me when i do my laundry so i have something to do while i wait. :)

I took a day off from reading Dracula to read Tales of the Old Dutch Burying Ground as we'll be spending the day in Sleepy Hollow for a Legends Night in a couple of weeks.

Last week i read Origin in Death and Survivor in Death by J.D. Robb AKA Nora Roberts. Aswell as The Boleyn Inheritance. Enjoyed all of them, and am currently deciding on what to read next. Perhaps some more crime novels

It's Banned Books Week in the U.S. Be a rebel, read a banned book!

Change of plans. Got my hands on Don't Look Now and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier and The Hollow Man or as it is known in the U.S.A The Three Coffins by John Dickson Carr. Got to finish reading these two first. So, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo will have to wait.

Message edited by its author, Sep 30, 2009, 1:14pm.

I just finished Madeleine L'Engle's A Wind in the Door and have started Geraldine Brooks' March.

And now I've finished A Mercy and am on to True Murder by Yaba Badoe.

I just started The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens. It is very good.

Just for kicks, I went to the banned book week website. I couldn't believe I saw Bridge to Terabithia on several of the lists due to occult/Satanism. Satanism?? Satanism??? Seriously, do the people who ban these books actually READ these books? BtT has been one of my favorite books since I was 11. I've read it many times and can say with 100% certainty that there is no instance of Satanism in the book. I guess the presumption is because one of the main characters is not Christian, that makes her a Satanist. GRRRRRRRR.

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that seems appropriate here. It said, "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance."

I've finished Atticus but Ron Hansen, which I really enjoyed. Will definitely look for more of his books in the future.

Later I'm going to start Detective Story by Imre Kertész.

#144 (jbleil): I recently reread Witches of Eastwick, and then read the new Widows of Eastwick.

I find myself still liking the first (Witches) but not too excited about "Widows." I finished the book, mainly because I have a hard time quitting a book--as if there's always a chance for redemption!

I really like the Pearl Rule--I hadn't heard of it before. I will have to learn to practice tough love in my reading, I guess.

So, I'd say, if you set it aside once, maybe go with your first hunch.

Karen

#151 (teelgee): Thank you very much for the Banned Books link! It's just amazing what some folks think we should be protected from!

Karen

Just finished The Philosophical Baby. I found this an extremely interesting and enlightening book. Theories of development, neuroscience, genetics, psychology, evolution, ethics, and philosophy were all there. The book presented, in understandable terms, the latest studies on how the minds of children 6 and younger work. Those observations are then used to draw conclusions in the various realms listed above. Although some of those theories were presented more emphatically than seems appropriate and I may not agree with every conclusion, the journey and the thought the book provoked were fascinating.

I finished The Peabody Sisters by Megan Marshall last night. I am sorry that it didn't talk more about the works and creative development of the sisters, but I found myself thinking about it when away from the book anyway. The book also lights up some of the other transcendentalists from angles I hadn't seen before. I would've married Elizabeth if she wanted, and I would've done the cooking.

That done, I picked up AntiMatter by Frank Close. He will tell me why there is so much matter and little antimatter, I guess. So far at 40 some odd pages I know that charge distinguishes matter from antimatter; I hope to learn why that leads to their mutual annihilation on contact.

I still have Home on my reading pile and will not pick up another novel until it is done.

Robert

It's Banned Books Week in the U.S. Be a rebel, read a banned book!
(http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/ba...)

"The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien: Burned in Alamagordo, N. Mex. (2001) outside Christ Community Church along with other Tolkien novels as satanic. Source: 2007 Banned Books Resource Guide by Robert P. Doyle. "

Frodo? Say it ain't soooooooooooo!!!

All that Roman Catholic stuff is a danger to the true believer.

Robert

PS I don't mean just to be sarcastic here but to be cruelly sarcastic.

R

Message edited by its author, Sep 30, 2009, 5:41pm.

It's been a lng time since I posted, but that doesn't mean I havent been reading right along.

Right now I'm half-way through Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson. Hard to say I love it because of the subject, but I can't wait to pick it up every night. The two seperate stories are weaving together now. I'm especially fascinated by the CIA agent being sheltered by his uncle, the Colonel. He's in Viet Nam now, but really has no conception of what's going on as he relaxes in safe houses and acts as a glorified librarian cataloging endless useless notes that no one will ever read.

I also read a story every night from the Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories. Halloween's coming. So far, the older stories are more stock and mysterious than frightening. Very interesting to see the history of the genre in progress. One notable story so far is "The Clock" by W. F. Harvey. Very short and left me with chills.

Finished Fahrenheit 451 and felt like I had to read it again to take it all in. It was really good, though.

For a lighter read, I blew through Geek Magnet yesterday.

Now I'm listening to The Little Book by Selden Edwards (why is The Poky Little Puppy the first touchstone on that?) and thinking of what book to start next. Perhaps a reread of Blackbringer before diving into the newly-published sequel.

Just perusing the list, I find I have already read quite a number of them and I have no idea what's wrong with them to get them banned. Do some people have no other life than to tell us what to read - and how did they kow that they should be banned in the first place - wouldn't they have to have read the books?

137: elliepotten

I loved Like Water for Chocolate, (the movie was nice also!)

p.s. be sure to check out Swift as Desire by her as well

Just finished Cold Spring Harbour by Richard Yates. Now i'll continue reading The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann.

Message edited by its author, Sep 30, 2009, 7:17pm.

Here is a map of the instances of banned books as reported to the ALA from 2007-now (in the U.S.). Seems as though folks west of the Mississippi are more tolerant - either that or there are just fewer people!

http://bannedbooksweek.org/Mapofbookcens...

#151 Thanks for the link. I've passed that around to friends and family.

Yup, just call me a rebel.
I am reading Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.
Also War and Peace and Dracula.
belva

Message edited by its author, Sep 30, 2009, 9:03pm.

137: elliepotten - thanks for your comment on Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins. Librarything had it high up on its recommend list for me for some reason but I had never heard of it so it was half heartedly on my list to get from the library.

I have read Like Water for Chocolate and have given it to three people as gifts. All of them really liked it too.

>137 elliepotten, I hope your cupboards are full of food. I wanted to binge when I read that marvelous book!

I finished Mansfield Park (already). Aparently there's another book I have a holr on that's "in transit", but until I have it in hand, I'll get back to string theory (gasp!) with The Elegant Universe.

I finished The Library at Night and loved it. It is a must-read for all LT members, because it has really insightful thoughts about libraries (both institutional and personal) and why it is okay to not read everything, and why reading isn't what it used to be, etc etc.

On my journey back from work I will start in 13 things that don't make sense...

I've been reading some really good books lately, including When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson, Escape by Carolyn Jessop, Pretty Is What Changes by Jessica Queller, and the one I'm currently reading, Cold Eye by Giles Blunt. It makes me so happy to have had so many good ones in a row!! All of these were nearly impossible to put down.

Big wave to Porchy!! Great to see you here! I have not yet read When Will There Be Good News but it's sitting in my tbr. I just started The Likeness and it's terrific! Don't be a stranger!

A Thousand Days in Tuscany by Marlena de Blasi, started last night, and kept me up way past my bedtime with its sumptious, beautiful phrases, and making notes in bed!

Just finished An Echo in the Bone. Bravo Diana!!!

Starting today on Megan's Way by Melissa Foster. Got it from early reviewers!

I thoroughly enjoyed my re-read of Nemesis by Agatha Christie.

I just started The Secret of Lost Things by Sheridan Hay and think it's great so far.

#161: Mr.Durick - The book I'm reading gives a math-free three paragraph explanation of why "there is so much matter and little antimatter." I'd quote it for you but I don't have time right now...and I don't want to spoil the book for you. ;) Actually I might quote it later on my reading-log thread, because it is absolutely fascinating; I'll let you know.

The book I'm reading is Atoms, Einstein and the Universe by Robert L. Piccioni. It's a math-free look at post-Einstein physics and is accessible, nicely written, and quite fascinating.

Last week I also finished Barefoot Gen, Volume Three : Life After the Bomb by Keiji Nakazawa.

Message edited by its author, Oct 1, 2009, 1:17pm.

Finished Shoplifting from American Apparel by Tao Lin this morning on the subway. Admittedly, it's "light" but I thought it pretty amusing and a decent super-fast read.

Additionally, last night I could not stop the itch to start This Side of Jordan by Monte Schulz since it had just come in the mail. The generally awesome Fantagraphics doesn't publish non-graphics fiction very often so I was especially intrigued and eager to get my hands on this.

#163-Mr. Durick,

Roman Catholic stuff?

On a related topic, "Satanism" also includes the simple act of following a false god, not necessarily promoting Satan.

I can see an argument being made against Tolkien's work based on this first definition. Not that I agree with that argument, but as a devil's advocate, when someone accepts a God centered universe as sincerely true. the justifications of moral relativism used to defend the status quo can look pretty cowardly.

I think Dante, for all his humor, humanity and intellectual power, would have banned some books because he truly believed.

Message edited by its author, Oct 1, 2009, 2:53pm.

This week I am reading two books that could not be more different - Kristin Lavransdatter (historical fiction set in Medieval Norway) and World War Z (sci-fi set in the future after the zombie apocalypse). Both quite good, but switching between the two is very confusing!

#185-Sarahbird,

Kristin Lavransdatter is one of my favorites.

This morning I started Daughter of Kura by Debra Austin. It is a bit disconcerting because I'm fairly certain I've never before read a book where the characters were all homo erectus. We'll see how it goes when I get further in.

#185 and #186 - I just got all three Kristin Lavransdatter books via bookmooch! Glad to hear they're so good.

Right now I am reading anything I can get my hot little hands on, (from within my house) that is on the "Banned Books" list as this is "Banned Books Week". Thus far I have only read one: Their Eyes Were Watching God and it was a dandy. Next up: The Awakening. I can only hope it is as good!~!
hugs all round,
belva

Message edited by its author, Oct 1, 2009, 5:07pm.

I just read The List of 7. It was good, interesting, but nothing special - for me, at least.

Now I am going to peruse March by Geraldine Brooks.

I'm finishing The Picture of Dorian Gray. I never thought of the Drones Club as having a dark side.

Next up: An Echo in the Bone!

Just finished A Slight Trick of the Mind by Mitch Cullin, with a lukewarm response. I am about to start listening to Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami and I'm really looking forward to it. I continue reading Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson and it is absolutely wonderful!

182 dchaikin, I finished that little book last night. The author has the credentials, but he is not careful enough writing lightly to write correctly. Nevertheless he makes it pretty clear, and I've seen this elsewhere, that why there is so much matter and so little antimatter is still an open question.

I would be quite happy to read the three paragraphs you have. If the answer is not out there yet, there is still information.

184 Smiley, I remember, probably inexactly, a quotation from Mr. Tolkien in which he said that Catholicism was throughout The Lord of the Rings. Catholicism was religion for a long time, and its being brought to life in fiction can be important.

Robert

#193-Mr. Durick,

Thanks for the clarification. I got lost on one of the curves.

#188-karenmarie,

The Tina Nunnally translation is excellent. Penguin published a deluxe, single volume paperback. (You can also stop bullets with it.)

I finished Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf. I really enjoyed this. I thought it was well written.

I am now reading House of Smoke by J. F. Freedman. I have had this on my shelf over 5 years. I like it, but it is going very slowly.

Just finished Beach Music by Pat Conroy, am enjoying The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, will begin Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler for book club....

I am enjoying The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff. An interesting take on witches. I devoured in one sitting The Phantom of Walkaway Hill for the tenth time in four decades, wonderful for a rainy day like today or a winter fireside. That book really stands up to re-reading. I am also starting Truth by Terry Pratchett as bedside reading. He makes me laugh every time.

I'm reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. I read the others so long ago and was wondering if I'd be disappointed (judging from the less-than-stellar reviews) -- Maybe my expectations were low, but I'm enjoying it as a rollicking-along sort of tale.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith. It is rocking my Jane Austen vocab!

I just finished the fantastic The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan and recommend it highly.

Now I've started Benny and Shrimp by Katarina Mazetti which so far seems to be quirky and fun.

Message edited by its author, Oct 1, 2009, 10:11pm.

#193: Mr.Durick - I posted the excerpt on my thread here - it was actually five paragraphs: http://www.librarything.com/topic/68641#... (Post #83)

ETA - I'd like to know your thoughts on Antimatter and how accessible it is too a "layperson" like me.

Message edited by its author, Oct 1, 2009, 11:07pm.

201 dchaikin, thank you for the reference. I think the last paragraph is a little more conclusive than the scientists generally are, although it is a fairly conventional statement.

Antimatter by Frank Close is absolutely accessible and will fill in a lot of what is missing from those five paragraphs if that book didn't do the filling in itself. Please bear in mind, however, my warning that he sometimes, in simplifying, oversimplifies.

We know that antimatter and matter annihilate when they crash into each other, but that is descriptive rather than explanatory. Maybe someday we lay people will know, but it doesn't look like we can yet.

Robert

#202 - Yes, this conventional explanation is just a starting point, and that is the purpose of that book. I'll add Antimatter to my wishlist.

Almost finished reading Dog On It by Spencer Quinn.

It is so much fun to read that I don't want it to end. I LOVE the voice of Chet, the dog, who is the sidekick/partner of Bernie Little, founder and part owner of the Little Detective Agency.

This is a mystery, detective novel ... with a light touch, and a dog that creates as many laughs and tugs at your heart as a really good sitcom.

womansheart

I reviewed one of my favorite ER/ARC books, finally. Saints In Limbo. The review is on the book's main page.

Link here: http://www.librarything.com/work/8005222

Message edited by its author, Oct 2, 2009, 9:17am.

I started The Book of Samuel- my Early Reviewer book- and am about halfway through- it's delightful, well written and brings back a lot of childhood experiences

I finished Tove Jansson's The Summer Book which was such a breath of fresh air I may decide to read it again soon. A lovely, quirky, funny, profound, magical little book.

Next up: Chandra Prasad's On Borrowed Wings

I've finished The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and started The Girl Who Played With Fire, both by Stieg Larsson.

Just finished True Murder, a gem of a creepy little story, and have started The Kindly Ones.

#196 ~ netoll........ I LOVED Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler. Totally quirky, I laughed out loud many times. There's no one that writes like A. Tyler, this was my favorite by her. I hope you enjoy it!!

The decision last night was whether to resume Home knowing that I have several novels lined up behind it that demand reasonally prompt attention or to pick up some new non-fiction. I went for Particle or Wave by Charis Anastopoulus. I got from Thales of Miletus to the beginnings of general relativity before I turned out the light.

Robert

>206 mollygrace My daughter and I loved Tove Jansson's Moomin books when she was growing up. I had never heard of The Summer Book, but it looks great! It's on my TBR list now.

Message edited by its author, Oct 2, 2009, 4:33pm.

#204 womansheart - I also loved Dog On It so I'm glad you like it too! Chet is too cute. Book 2 comes out in January - Thereby Hangs a Tail. I'm looking forward to it!

>212 - Joanne -

Thanks for the heads up. My DH and I will watch for its release.

Chet IS too cute!

Love, Ruth/WH

#211 jnwelch

When The Summer Book was re-issued in 2005, author Ali Smith reviewed it for The Guardian (the review is somewhere on the internet -- a lovely tribute to both the book and its author). She considered the publication of Jansson's book in comparison to all the other hyper-publicized books in the stores, and said it was like a "butterfly released into a room full of elephants".

I have the NYRB Classics paperback which has an introduction by Kathryn Davis (author of another favorite of mine The Thin Place) in which she writes of the book's "exposed quality, the way every event, every paragraph, every sentence, every word emerges clear and unembellished, north-lit, lucid." Jansson wrote this book when she was in her late fifties, after the death of her beloved mother.

A brand new thread for the tail end of Banned Books Week.

Thanks, mollygrace. I'll try to find the review and I look forward to reading the book. The Thin Place also looks very interesting, and is another one I hadn't heard of before. Thanks for the tips!