Author birthdays this week:

Oct 24:
*Moss Hart, American playwright and director of plays and musical theater (1904 -1961)
*Denise Levertov, British (naturalized U.S. citizen) poet (1923)
*Brenda Ueland, journalist, editor, freelance writer, and teacher of writing. She is best known for her book If You Want to Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit (1860 – 1985)

Oct 25:
*Benjamin Constant, French writer and statesman, whose Adolphe was important in the development of the psychological novel (1767; d.1830)
*Thomas Babbington Macaulay, English poet and historian (1800 - 1859)
*Eduardo Barrios, Chilean novelist (1884 - 1963)
*Henry Steele Commager, historian, constitutional scholar, and history writer (1902 - 1998)
*John Berryman, Minnesota poet (1914 - 1972) . He was a major figure in American poetry in the second half of the 20th century and often considered one of the founders of the Confessional school of poetry.
*Harold Brodkey, novelist, New Yorker writer (1930 - 1996)
*Anne Tyler, Pulitzer Prize winning novelist (1941),
*Zadie Smith, British novelist; her novel On Beauty was shortlisted for the 2005 Man Booker Prize and won the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2006. (born 1975)
*Leslie McFarlane, Canadian journalist, novelist, screenwriter and filmmaker. (1902 –1977)

Oct 26:
*Desiderius Erasmus, Dutch humanist and writer, the most influential writer of his time, publishing editions of Greek and Latin classics as well as the Church Fathers' writings and his original work (1466; d.1536)
*Charles Sprague, Boston banker and poet (1791 - 1875),
*Beryl Markham, British aviatrix and memoirist who (maybe) wrote West With the Night (1902 - 1986),
*John Arden, novelist and playwright; His works tend to expose social issues of personal concern.(1939 - )
*Pat Conroy, American writer (The Prince of Tides) (1945 - )
*Andrew Motion, London-born poet, Poet Laureate, and biographer (1952)

Oct 27:
*Enid Bagnold, author of National Velvet (1889 - 1981)
*Fran Lebowitz, humorist (1950)
*Dylan Thomas, Welsh poet, 1914 - 1953 Born in Swansea, Wales, and considered one of the best English-speaking poets of the 20th-century, Thomas worked as a journalist and a book reviewer until he established his reputation as a poet in the 1930s. He was a heavy drinker and a wonderful poetry reader.
*Sylvia Plath, American poet, (1932 - 1963) Plath sold her first poem while in high school, graduated from Smith College in 1955, married Ted Hughes (who later was Britain's poet laureate for many years), and moved to England, where she published The Colossus (1960), her first book of poetry. The Bell Jar, an autobiographical novel, was written soon after this and published (1963) under a pseudonym.
*Maxine Hong Kingston, Chinese American author and Professor Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, She has contributed to the feminist movement with such works as her novel The Woman Warrior, which discusses gender and ethnicity and how these concepts affect the lives women. (1940 - )



Oct 28 :
*Ivan Turgenev, Russian novelist, poet and playwright (1818 O.S., 9 Nov. N.S.; d.1883),
*Velimir Khlebnikov, pseudonym of Viktor Vladimirovich Khlebnikov (1885 O.S., 9 Nov. N.S.; d.1922), a central part of the Russian Futurist poetry movement
*Evelyn Waugh, British novelist who wrote Brideshead Revisited, among others (1903 - 1966),
*Ayi Kwei Armah, Ghanaian novelist and essayist (1939)

Oct 29:
*James Boswell, Scottish diarist, lawyer, and biographer who wrote The Life of Samuel Johnson (1740; d.1795),
*Guillermo Valencia, Colombian poet, translator, and statesman (1873 - 1943)
*Jean Giraudoux, French playwright and novelist who penned La Folle de Chaillot (1943; The Madwoman of Chaillot) (1882; d.1944),
*Henry Green, English novelist aka Henry Vincent Yorke (1905 - 1973)
*Dominick John Dunne, American writer and investigative journalist whose subjects frequently hinged on the ways high society interacts with the judicial system. (1925 – 2009)

Oct 30:
*Richard Brinsley Sheridan, British playwright (born Dublin) (1751 - 1816)
*André Marie de Chénier, French poet and political journalist (born Constantinople) (1762; d.1794, by guillotine)
*Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, Russian novelist whose novels include Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov (1821 O.S., 11 Nov. N.S.; d.1881)
*Paul Valery, French poet and essayist (1871 - 1945)
*Larry Woiwode, novelist and poet, North Dakota poet laureate (1941)
*Timothy Findley, Canadian novelist and playwright. (1930 - 2002)
*Rudolfo Anaya, American author best known for his 1972 novel Bless Me, Ultima, Anaya is considered one of the founders of the canon of contemporary Chicano literature (1937)
*Irma Starkloff Rombauer, author of The Joy of Cooking. It is one of the world's most-published cookbooks, having been in print continuously since 1936. (1877 – 1962)
*Ezra Pound, American expatriate poet, critic and intellectual who was a major figure of the Modernist movement in the first half of the 20th century. He is generally considered the poet most responsible for defining and promoting a modernist aesthetic in poetry. (1885 - 1972)



Trivia: Which author used the pseudonym Carolyn Keene and penned some of the Nancy Drew books?

Re-posted from last week's thread:

I spent a gloomy, chilly Friday in the company of a very fine fantasy novel: The Map of Moments, about the magical and unseen New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina. Loved it, and hope all of you will go read my review on the book's page to see why.

Trivia answer: Sylvia Plath! Right?

Oh so not a good guess! LOL!

Smiley

(From last week's thread) You said, "I read Bridge of Sighs a couple of weeks back and was, ultimately, disappointed. It was far superior, and less of a gimmick than Tears of Autumn, but when publishers push an author as the next Le Carre, I expect a certain level of quality that I don't even find in most of Le Carre's later novels."

I'm not far into The Bridge of Sighs -- I keep waiting for it to 'grab' me and it hasn't (a problem I never had with even the least of Le Carre's books). I'm always suspicious of pronouncements about a writer being the "next" anyone. Steinhauer's at a real disadvantage with me since I read The Constant Gardener a few weeks ago, and even though it's 'later' Le Carre, I was glad to be back in that world and I'm still feeling a bit under its spell.

Finished reading Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy. My review,

http://www.librarything.com/work/115985/...

Or on my 50 Book Challenge thread,

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

Right now I’m thinking of starting The Master and Margarita. I don’t know if that’s a good idea because right now I have a lot on my plate. A book like this will need a fair amount of attention and I don’t know if I can give it that. Let’s see how it goes.

Getting to the end of Company of Liars - I've really enjoyed this one.

Trivia guess: Anne Tyler?

I continue reading The Taker by Rubem Fonseca and listening to Peony in Love by Lisa See.

I just finished reading The Lamp at Noon and Other Stories by Sinclair Ross. This is a group of short stories based in the Canadian prairies - a rather dark series of stories. One of the stories, lets the reader surmise what is hidden in the locked stall. Only when you read the commentator's notes at the end of the book, do you realize the actual ending and wonder how you missed it. Great Canadian writer who died in the late 90s. It is unfortunate that we, as readers, often overlook the older writers in favor of new releases.

did that turn off the italics????

I am reading a Star Trek Destiny novel and can't remember the title but it is about Titan - the book is downstairs on my table and I am too lazy to go an get it and getting on in years so my memory is fading (58 next month)

Hooray for koalamom - thanks!

I finished The Education of a British-Protected Child: Essays by Chinua Achebe yesterday, and started Dance with Snakes by Horacio Castellanos Moya last night. I'm still reading Creole Folktales by Patrick Chamoiseau, and I'll start Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin Kelley today or tomorrow.

I finished The Intelligence of Dogs yesterday. I liked the beginning of it but became irritated with it by half way through. The author had the prejudice that a dog's intelligence and personality should be judged by their obedience and trainability as though that were the definition of a dog. Upon the recommendations of LTer's I started Old Filth last night and am also reading The Girl Who Played with Fire.

kidzdoc, I'll be interested to hear how you like Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original. He's one of my favorite musicians and characters. I saw him live when I was a teenager.

Trivia guess: Brenda Ueland.

I disappoint myself. I think I read a book about the writing of Nancy Drew a couple of years ago. I should know this.

Started the week reading The Bloody Triangle but felt that I needed some lighter reading. So I picked up a copy of A Case of Conscience. I haven't read it since I was a teenager. I remembered it as being an intelligent, thought provoking novel. Thirty years later, I'm appalled to discover that it's a load of muddle-headed drivel. That's probably a bit harsh, but the older I get the less tolerance I have for religious delusions.

Last night, I started Make Room! Make Room, the novel on which the movie Soylent Green was based. So far, I'm delightfully surprised.

I finally got through The Eliade Guide to World Religions after a couple of weeks reading it. It's one of those that you read in spurts.

I am also reading Over a Torrent Sea, that Star Trek Titan novel I mentioned previously.

TIP: Just discovered that if you put the name of the book then two spaces and the name of the author between the brackets you get THAT book by THAT author and you then don't have to find THAT book and have to redo it if you update THAT post!!! This is especially important on the 100 (or whatever) Book challenges where you go in and add to categories and then have to "fix" a certain book when you do.

Message edited by its author, Oct 24, 2009, 10:37am.

Also dipping in and out of the Atheist's Guide to Christmas edited by Ariane Sherine. This one was recommended by my daighter and is a collection of very funny and occasionally thought-provoking articles and essays. Perfect for picking up when you have 10 minutes to spare.

I finished reading The Time Traveler's Wife, very pleased to have read it. I had been slightly put off by the "love story" aspect of the hype.

I decided I would like to read something familiar so I looked at the un-reviewed books in my catalogue. The result of that is that I am now going to re-read a book I first read in the eighties Skallagrigg by William Horwood. He is probably better known for his Duncton Wood series.

This week I'm reading The Life of Charlotte Bronte by Elizabeth Gaskell. The edition I have is interesting in that the notes at the back re-add some of the passages that EG edited out in the second and third editions. She really ripped into the Cowan Bridge School at first, only to take those paragraphs out when people complained. It must be hard to write a biography when so many of the people involved are still alive.

I'm also reading The Last Dickens for a real-life book group and hoping it gets better and that I finish it soon, because what I really want to be reading is Rebecca. Again.

Finally finished Uncrowned King: The Life of Prince Albert which I found a bit of a slog towards the end but glad I read it. Decided to try something very light-hearted so I'm going for Medicine Balls: Consultations with the World's Greatest TV Doctor by Phil Hammond. Having worked in healthcare for almost 30 years before opening a bookshop, it should be quite amusing in a familiar sort of way!
Terry Pratchett's Making Money is now my night-time read and I'm toying with trying to fit Eclipse somewhere into the week but I fear that family commitments might mean it has to be postponed. We'll see...

Still reading and enjoying The Lost Symbol. I now want to plan a vacation to DC and check out some of the things mentioned in the book.

>18 k-mom...brilliant! Will you marry me?

I am still reading Independent People. Fabulous, but not for the faint of heart.

> 7 and 16: Not Anne Tyler and not Brenda Ueland.

I've returned to Life and Fate and glad to be settling back into it. I'm also occasionally reading Your Inner Fish, a well written book about (gasp!) evolution.

Trivia guess, because I was just going to guess Brenda Ueland or my second choice guess, Leslie Macfarlane (based on when shed lived and that she's a woman).

I am reading a fascinating history of the cold war, A Fiery Peace in a Cold War by Neil Sheehan, who also wrote the equally well researched and written A Bright Shining Lie about the Vietnam war.

Continuing to read Cold Mountain which I am really enjoying. Also picked up And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, which has gotten some pretty good reviews and has been sitting on my bookshelf for years, so I thought I would give it a whirl.

Message edited by its author, Oct 24, 2009, 12:53pm.

>27 Actually Leslie Mcfarlane was a man. But you are correct - he was one of the many Carolyn Keenes writing Nancy Drew. I'm so disillusioned.

Message edited by its author, Oct 24, 2009, 1:21pm.

teelgee - I didn't know that there were so many writing as Carolyn Keene, and that one was a man. I'm trying to come to terms with this and am feeling very disgruntled ... bah

I'm going to tackle The Artist, the Philosopher and the Warrior by Paul Strathern .. it sounds interesting and I hope it will be well written. On the side for some light reading, I've also started Swallowing Darkness by Laurell Hamilton only because I've read the others in this series, and this is the last.

Message edited by its author, Oct 24, 2009, 2:13pm.

>30, I know. I may never recover from this revelation.

I'm making good progress reading American Lion.

Alice in Wonderland. I think, perhaps, one had to read this in childhood in order to appreciate it. I'm reading it because my daughter loves it but I honestly have never gotten what all the fuss is about this book. There are so many children's classics I love much, much more. I suppose I'm in the minority on that one...

#14> kidzdoc, I, too, am very interested in hearing about the Thelonious Monk book. Monk is more or less my favorite musician these days. Well, Monk and Bruce. Is that an odd pairing? Anyway, let us know about the bio. The movie Straight No Chaser is without doubt my favorite jazz documentary.

Just finished Tess Gerritsens "Never say Die" - one of her early ones but strangely affecting

Robert Parkers "Resolution" is next

Last night I finished World Series, the second in the Roy Tucker series written in the early 1940s by John R. Tunis. Tucker is a young player on the Brooklyn Dodgers, learning about baseball, life, and life's hard knocks during the course of his first two seasons, which we read about in the first book in the series, The Kid from Tomkinsville. In the second book, we read about the Dodgers' struggles against the powerful Cleveland Indians in a thrilling World Series.

These are YA books, and I read them originally in my junior high days, or maybe even earlier. But they are very well written, and I've had no trouble enjoying them as an adult. Fabulous books that harken back to an earlier era in baseball (although, sadly, the days of an all-white major leagues) but provide lots of inside information about how the game is played.

Sooner or later I'll read the third book in the series, The Kid Comes Back.

Message edited by its author, Oct 24, 2009, 5:11pm.

#33 I don't think you're in a minority exactly. There are bits of Alice that I absolutely love and other bits that just bore me to tears. A very uneven book IMO and (if we're talking about children's classics) not a patch on Peter Pan.

Thelonius Monk was Maynard G. Krebs's favorite musician also. When I finally turned to listening to jazz there were others I might prefer, but I played Monk records often enough, and he held my attention. I, too, am looking forward to kidzdoc's review.

I started the second volume of The House of Rothschild last night. I think the two volumes are likely to end up on my favorites for the last quarter of the year.

Robert

I'm getting to the climax of Something Wicked This Way Comes.

>36 rocketjk I remember enjoying those John R. Tunis books when I was young. I know I liked The Kid Comes Back as much as or more than the first two. All of them were exciting and well-written.

About halfway through Ghost Story by Peter Straub. Pretty enjoyable story. Straub makes good use of the Gothic rhythm and the stories within stories.

I am realy enjoying East of the Sun by Julia Gregson. It's set in the late 1920's and follows three young women as they head to India as part of the 'fishing fleet', searching for a husband where the odds are better than 3 to 1, but also hoping for adventure and independance.

In the car I'm about half way through The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny. At home I'm 2/3 of the way through Red Bones by Ann Cleeves. And even though I was a little concerned about reading two mysteries at once but really needed a carrying around book for marching band competition this afternoon, I'm reading my first Agatha Christie - The Witness for the Prosecution and Other Stories. All are absolutely wonderful.

My son's school came in 3rd in the state semi-finals! Yay! - finals are later tonight. (Brrr.)

Message edited by its author, Oct 24, 2009, 7:21pm.

Just bouncing in to report that I am currently reading and enjoying Once on a Moonless Night by Dai Sijie. Next up is People of the Book for the group read.

Well, of course I am reading The Scarpetta Factor and I'm still slogging my way through Green Darkness which is not to say I'm not enjoying it, I just don't seem to be quickly reading Green Darkness as opposted to The Scarpetta Factor. I wish I could hold both books up to my head and automatically absorb the stories as I just can't read fast enough!

Did a one night read of Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg.I always enjoy her books.

richard, I think my husband might object!

However, I did finish yet another book tonight - Over a Torrent Sea. And it still seems that no matter how many books I read, there are still the same number (or more) yet to read!

I finished Black Swan Green by David Mitchell which I absolutely loved and will write my review tomorrow sometime. I'm now on to the early favorite for this year's Pulitzer Prize Lark & Termite Jayne Ann Phillips.

Message edited by its author, Oct 24, 2009, 9:04pm.

Have chortled my was through the first three chapters of Barbara Pym's Crampton Hodnet and can't wait to get back to it. It's the first book she ever wrote - in 1939 - but she put it aside during the war and when she got back to it, thought it was too dated. It was found after her death in 1980 and published five years later.
Apparently some of the characters show up again in Pym's Jane and Prudence but I don't know which ones since I haven't read that one yet.
The book is sharp and funny and highly recommended.

>48: Oh, Brenda, I envy you. I too loved Black Swan Green when I read it several years ago. Lark & Termite is one of my favorite books read this year. Wish I could say the same about my current read, Lush Life. It is actually pretty good for crime fiction -- just not my favorite genre.

15: snash - I had the same experience with Stanley Coren's dog books. I learned a lot about how easy or difficult different breeds are to train, but not much about how a dogs mind works. I tried a couple other books and got frustrated because so many books imply they are really trying to understand how the dogs mind works; but what they really mean is that they want to show their method on how to train different dogs safely. But then I stopped looking several years ago.

38: Mr.Durick - That Rothschild book, I had no idea it existed.

Still re-reading Gilead, but I've stalled out with 50 pages to go. I've picked up two other books. First I picked up Across the Endless River by Thad Carhart, my September Early Reviewer book. I've read only ten pages, but they were awful. Hopefully it gets better. I've also picked up Barefoot Gen, Volume Four : Out of the Ashes - which is very hard to put down.

ETA a note on kids books - I just made a fantastic recent find for my 3 & 5-year-old, the series "A First Discovery Book", for roughly ages 3-5. See the series page here: http://www.librarything.com/series/First...

Message edited by its author, Oct 24, 2009, 11:08pm.

Alice in Wonderland = "meh" Give me Roald Dahl any day. Just started In Hovering Flight by Joyce Hinnefeld which I am already enjoying 20 pages in.

Finished A Bell for Adano. Liked it but some of the individual chapters soared over the book as a whole, if that makes any sense. I also may be judging too harshly. 1945 was a life time ago.

Wavering between what to start next: Either the unabridged, and very fat, three volume Penguin edition of Edward Gibbon's The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire or Peter Ackroyd's First Light. Probably Gibbon and I will try to read the entire history straight through, or until I drop.

#4-mollygrace,

Another John Le Carre' LT reader recommeded The Most Wanted Man, but I have Gibbon staring @ me from the 'shelf of unreads' more a book case really.

Message edited by its author, Oct 25, 2009, 12:44am.

I just finished Das Narrenschiff (engl. The Ship of Fools) by Sebastian Brant. It was pretty enjoyable, because it's from the Renaissance the most of he "fools" are still existing nowadays and I found myself in there as well.
Today I'm starting Das Lob der Torheit (engl. In Praise of Folly) by Erasmus of Rotterdam, it's also parody, written in Renaissance. That book is for my studies as well.
I'm currently still into The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters. That's just in my freetime and for my personal pleasure.

Message edited by its author, Oct 25, 2009, 5:52am.

My book for this week is The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. It is a reread from a couple of years back, and I hope I enjoy it as much this time as I did then. A bonus is that my memory is terrible, so other than that it was about Dracula, I remember nothing about the book.

I´m almost done with Drowning People by Richard Mason. I have also started The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

#51 dchaikin I read somewhere that a whole institute to study dogs was being set up so maybe in 10 or 15 years someone will write a book addressing how dog's minds work. Who knows. For now, I think I'll give up too

I started The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I know it's an LT favorite and I can see why. She has a nice crisp style, with a bit of an edge. I'm also tackling The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. There is nearly 50 of them, so it could take awhile.

I've started The Ambassadors by Henry James and am having a hard time getting into it. I think I need a bit more time to settle into James's inimitable style.

Message edited by its author, Oct 25, 2009, 9:56am.

>18 koalamom - I tried the title + author touchstone, but ended up with this: The Ambassadors Henry James. I must be missing something . . . .

After going through the Readathon yesterday I've transitioned through a bunch of books, but what I still have going are Swimming with Strangers by Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum and The Good Good Pig by Sy Montgomery.

I am reading The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood. Loving it!

>>60. Same thing for me got The Year of the Flood Margaret Atwood

Message edited by its author, Oct 25, 2009, 10:34am.

I finished Once on a Moonless Night by Dai Sijie late last night (well, actually early this morning) ... I found it to be an impressive feat of storytelling with vivid, descriptive prose written in a manner that lets you drift along with the story.

As there are still a few days before the group read of People of the Book starts, I have decided to pick up The Witness Tree, which is briefly described as "A political epic based on the early life of Eleanor Dulles–sister of John Foster Dulles, Secretary of State, and Allen Dulles, the first head of the CIA–and the secret beginnings of modern Israel."

I'm going through A Hell of A Woman quickly as it's a faced-paced pulp by one of my favorite authors. I've stalled a bit on The House of the Seven Gables. I like the story but it's moving like molasses. I need to get to my ARC right after I finish one of these.

AnneH- Thanks for the backstory about Barbara Pym and Crampton Hodnet. I've had that one on my TBR pile for 6 months and need to get to it soon.

#55: divinenanny - I thoroughly enjoyed The Historian when I read it. I almost didn't read it because I'd read a number of bad reviews about it. I'm glad I decided give it a chance.

I finished my first Louise Penny, Still Life, a couple of days ago, and you can count me among fans of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. I'll have to make a trip to the book store to pick up the next two installments soon.

Now I'm working on the first 50 or so pages of Dennis Lehane's The Given Day. It was highly recommended here on LT, although I can't recall the precise reasons why. I think I'm going to like it very much, once I shake off some distractions of my alternate life at work. (Soon to end, by the way, as I am retiring on February 26th! Yay!)

Half way through Alice Munro's new book, Too Much Happiness, in which she has surpassed even her own genius self. Also on the go with Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine...non-fiction horror story.

I've just started Orwell and the Left by Alex Zwerdling for my dissertation at uni.

Message edited by its author, Oct 25, 2009, 1:23pm.

#60 Talbin

I put in left bracket title name 2 spaces author name right bracket, for example:

Home for Christmas Andrew Greeley

there's no plus sign needed

The Ambassadors Henry James brings up what you noted in your post

what had you tried?

#62 I noticed that you only put one space between title and author - you need two - #60 that may be your problem as well

Message edited by its author, Oct 25, 2009, 2:42pm.

hey! My vacations were rich in walks and sleeping, unfortunately not in reading. So I'm making up for it trying to finish The Girl Who Played With Fire Stieg Larsson in time to start People of the Book Geraldine Brooks for the group read.

Continuing "The Age of Innocence" (chap. 10-18), read the short story "The Peach Pit" by Paul Horgan, and started "The Birth of Venus" by Sarah Dunant.

I'm about 3/4 the way through Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper. It's quite a touching and inspirational book, and the author is a very sweet person. Also reading Confession of a Shopoholic by Sophie Kinsella. It's okay, but not my favorite book. It's funny, though.

Cheerful Money: Me, My Family, and the Last Days of Wasp Splendor by Tad Friend

#73 the koolaidmam - I received Homer's Odyssey from the ER program and loved it. I'm sorry that it hasn't received more attention. I thought it was a lot more interesting and better written than the other recent cat book, Dewey.

Message edited by its author, Oct 25, 2009, 7:18pm.

I've started an ARC The Artist, the Philosopher and the Warrior by Paul Strathern which is about how Leonardo da Vinci, Machiavelli and Borgia met and how their intersection changed the world. It's certainly holding my attention thus far

I finished Something Wicked This Way Comes today and started The Witches of Eastwick. Only one week of Halloween-inspired reading left.

I just finished The Portrait by Willem Jan Otten and haven't quite figured out yet what happened! Has anyone read it who would like to enlighten me? It's quite fascinating but confusing and there are some disturbing sexual themes. I'm not sure if I would recommend it.

Where is the group read of People of the Book?

#79 jhedlund, the group read posts for People of the Book are located in the 50 Book Challenge.

Just finished The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan, a memoir.....I found it very touching, honest, well written, and humorous in a not-so-funny story about a young woman facing breast cancer & also the prostate cancer of her father. A best seller... and I, who am a slow poke of a reader, got through this one in three days. Hard to put down, a wonderful book.

I have chosen Michael Connelly's The Scarecrow for my next read.

Gah i think i've read several books since i last had enough time to sit at a computer.
Read the bookmooch book that i finally got brought from home which was The Wind Singer by William Nicholson.
Finished off The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo which was excellent and I shall be doing my best to find a copy of The Girl who played with Fire cheap if i can.
Also read the first Vampire Diaries book The Awakening last night and will probably get through the second book in my omnibus tonight which will leave me kicking my heels until my sister has finished the second omnibus (which with her reading speed may take a while) but i've got enough books to occupy me until then.

I finished Company of Liars (loved it!) and I've now started The Black Spider. Only one problem with this book so far - it has a picture on the cover of . . . . . you guessed it . . . . .a black spider, and I am moderately arachnophobic. Not so much so that I couldn't buy the book or even that I can't look at the picture - I just can't touch it. I've had to fashion a paper cover for it so that I don't inadvertently brush my fingers against it while reading. The lengths we will go to to accommodate our habit, eh?

#83, Maybe this is an option? A reusable, strechable book cover: http://www.dresz.com/Default.aspx?t=rekb...
I have one and use it for my hardcovers :D

#83 Wow! Must admit that, between leaving school and now, I've never felt the need to cover a book with anything but that is just what I need right now (except that this particular book is a paperback and a very slight one at that, so there's a chance it may not fit). It appears they aren't available in the UK but, just in case I ever get the urge to read another book with a spider in the cover I've made a note of the Athens address and plan to make a special trip to get one when I'm there next!

The main group read thread for the People of the Book can be found here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/73347
It will kick-off this Sunday!!

Trivia guess: Mildred Wirt Benson, Harriet Adams?

This week I am reading The Shakespeare Secret by J. L. Carrell. I have only just started, and haven't quite made up my mind if I like it or not yet...

Message edited by its author, Oct 27, 2009, 2:08am.

I listened to part of Finger Lickin' Fifteen but came to the conclusion that the series has been done to death. Stephanie & co. just seemed to be going through the motions.

Oh boy.. went to a reader's advisory workshop on Friday for work. It covered such topics as historical fiction, mysteries, what's hot in YA (focusing on dark themes and the undead / fairies / cyborgs) and new nonfiction particularly what's hot for YA / children's. And so the reading list grew.. considerably. It didn't help that I was editing my LT reading lists last week too.

So since Thursday I've read Seedfolks, Love that Dog, The trouble begins at 8 : a life of Mark Twain in the wild, wild West and started Ten Cents a Dance. And brought home a stack of 10 YA novels and added to my own reading list considerably.

LOVED Seedfolks it is an older children's book about a neighborhood that comes together over a community garden. It tells the story of the people as character sketches telling about why they come to the garden.

Loved that Dog didn't love.. it was okay. It is about a boy who doesn't write poetry because girls write poetry, but who discovers he loves Walter Dean Myers and his dog and he can write poetry about his dog and Mr. Myers.

The Trouble Begins at 8 is a YA title about Mark Twain that focuses more on the tall tales / myths about the man and his travels and his lectures, rather than a full biography.

>70 koalamom - Sorry, I wasn't clear. I didn't put a plus sign in, I just used it to try to describe what I was doing. I note in your post #70 that I see both the title and the author's name as a touchstone - is that how it's supposed to look, or is it supposed to be just the title?

As far as reading goes, I may give up on James's The Ambassadors soon - I can't seem to get into the language right now. I'll give it maybe 50 more pages.

#36.. since you're on a YA baseball kick have you checked out We are the Ship. It's a children's / YA book that has some great pictures (Coretta Scott King Award winning and maybe Caldecott honor?)
Also, there's another series that's been on my radar at the library from helping boys the Baseball Card Adventures series by Dan Gutman. Happy reading.

#43-I just finished The Cruelest Month this morning, and it is incredible! I look forward to hearing what you think of it. I'm also a huge Agatha Christie fan-she's my favorite author as well-so I definitely look forward to hearing what you think about your first one.

I just started The Tenderness of Wolves-so far I'm really enjoying it.

>87 see messages 27 & 29; and I wasn't clear, the question refers to the listed authors for the week. So you may be right as well!

For this week I have Atonement by Ian McEwan on the nightstand, as well as The Tennis Partner by Abraham Verghese. A friend just lent that one to me. I also just finished Mr. Maybe by Jane Green last night--I needed something that was way at the other end of the spectrum after finishing The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood.

I finished The Spirit of the Place yesterday. I had won this as an ER selection in March of last year but never received it until earlier this year which is why it has taken me so long to read it. I am still mulling over my review. I actually can't decide if I liked the book or not.

I am currently reading The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio. It is a very easy but interesting read and just what I need after Spirit. After that, I have another ER book to read and review. I can't remember the title but it was a September selection. Amish in a Black Dress or something like that, I think.

#83 BookSloth...........I understand your phobia completely. I have the same phobia. I doubt that I would be able to pick up the book, look at the cover or read it. Gives me the willies just to think about a book with a big spider on the front. eeeeeeeek. Even covering it, I would know it was there. LOL

#93: I really liked The Tenderness of Wolves. Great sense of place, and wonderful characters.

I'm reading The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, The Comfort of Strangers, and keeping up with Les Miserables for the group read. I'm really enjoying them all!

Karen

#33 & 37 I have always quite liked Alice in Wonderland myself, but I can understand your opinion, it's been put on a pedestal and it seems almost like swearing if you say anything bad about it. There is a poem by W.H. Auden that alludes to Alice however, that has always been one of my favourite poems: The Door (first part of The Quest).

I have just finished reading The end of the alphabet by C.S. Richardson, a good read and very poetic in it's descriptions and metaphors.

I finished The Bridge of Sighs by Olen Steinhauer and now I'm reading The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws by Margaret Drabble.

teelgee - So wait, you mean there was never actually a real person named Carolyn Keene or one person who used that name as a pseudonym? I think that has definitely ruined some childhood memories for me and since Nancy Drew basically got me through my childhood, that may have some serious repercussions.

I finally gave up on John Banville The Sea. It was so slow and depressing that I laid it aside for awhile. I picked up A Great and Terrible Beauty and am finding it a fast start.

I finished Into a Paris Quartier by Diane Johnson. I enjoyed this nice light travel book. There was lots of history and architecture in the writing. Knowing that I will never live there or visit there it still made me want to get out and walk around that neighborhood.

#101.. same for Francine Pascal too I'm afraid.
I met an author at a book talk who wrote under both of those names Susan Wittig Albert.. now she writes adult mysteries.
There's a book Girl Slueth you may want to check out. It's the history of the Nancy Drew series.

Message edited by its author, Oct 26, 2009, 5:57pm.

in the post after you hit submit it will say both title and author but if you look to your right you will see that it brings up just that title and only by that author

and it does the same when you go to Add Books and that is a time saver

101: Yes, I'm sorry to break it to you. Extra years of therapy now.

I have to read The Glass Castle for my book group next week, so will be taking another break from Life and Fate.

Finished Ghost Story. Entertaining with some effectively creepy moments. What's up with Straub's sexual politics?

Now on to Creepers. The setting, an abandoned hotel which was built along the lines of a Mayan temple, is awesome.

I finished Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper yesterday. It was an absolutely beautifully written and inspirational story full of drama, love, comedy and romance. There's even suspense and crime-fighting when fearless Homer chases a burgler from their apartment! Is there nothing that blind wonder-cat can't do? Definitely a 5-star book and I'll be re-reading it again and again. :-)

I'm going to try to finish Confessions of a Shopoholic (no TS for this one? really?) today. Being down with the flu is allowing me to finish a few books, at least.

I just finished The Take and Other Stories, a staggering collection of short stories by Rubem Fonseca. I continue listening to Peony in Love, and I am starting Fugitive Pieces by Anne Michaels.

Wow I really need to take some time and read. I have been having some unexpected fun and I am quite enjoying it. I am still reading The Outlander Gil Adamson and I am also reading Living Dead in Dallas Charlaine Harris. Not getting too far along in my reading I am going to try and read when I go to the gym tonight. Maybe get in 30 minutes or more while I ride the bike.

Wow, you can read and bike at the same time? I gave that a shot but found I am unable to read at one speed and pedal at another.

I'm reading Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis. It's the pick for my book club (meeting on Wednesday) and I am having a really difficult time getting into it. It won the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour, so I feel like I *should* like it, but so far, not so much.

Throwing a wrench in this is the fact that Fallis is coming to our book club meeting, so I won't even be comfortable saying I hate it!

Just finished Peony in Love, an interesting piece of historical fiction set in China, and I am about to start listening to Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen.

Message edited by its author, Oct 27, 2009, 11:06am.

>104 Thanks for the clarification, koalamom!

I just finished The Ambassadors by Henry James. I must admit that even though James said it was his favorite amongst his novels, it wasn't mine.

I think Wuthering Heights is up next. I can't believe I'm in my mid-40's and have never read it! It's time to set that straight.

I'm reading (deep breath)...

The Paris Review Interviews Volume 1, edited by Philip Gourevitch - a collection of author interviews including Dorothy Parker, Kurt Vonnegut, Truman Capote, and many more. At first, I thought I would read it (or start and drop it) quickly because I hadn't read many books by the featured authors (and what I had read, I didn't love), but I was pleasantly surprised. The interviews have been fascinating, and I'm only reading one or two a day because it didn't seem fair to each author to blaze through the rest.

Made in America by Bill Bryson - a fascinating history of the English language in America that I keep (unfairly) putting aside to read other books because it's from the library where I work and I can renew it as many times as I like.

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins - I'm only about a third of the way through, and I think the pace will start picking up soon. I loved The Moonstone when I read it for school, so I have high hopes for it. This one I really feel like I need a chunk of time to sit down and read and sink into the Victorian language a bit.

13 Things That Don't Make Sense by Michael Brooks - an audiobook I've been listening to before I go to sleep. Interesting but kind of basic pop science, at least in comparison to some of the similar books I've read this year. I keep wanting more info, and I'm afraid that I'll get to the end and not have the Bibliography that would be in the print book.

I finished the first volume of The Vampire Diaries last night and I have to say that I can't really see a huge similarity with the Twilight books that some people have said there is. I will now have to wait a few weeks before I can read the next two books as my sister is currently reading them and I'm not going home until the 20th November now.
May start A walk to Remember later or one of my Library book or I may even pick up Company of Liars again after I've ignored it for 2 months.

Ooh Talbin, reading Wuthering Heights and bell7, reading The Woman in White for the first time! You guys, these are some of my favorite books! How I envy you!

#110 jennieg: I usually just pedal at one speed and if the book has my interest and gets good I notice I pedal harder and faster.

#114 Talbin: Don't worry I haven't read Wuthering Heights either. I have it in my pile of books to read sometime soon.

I literally just finished Sarah Strohmeyer's Sweet Love on my lunch break -- enjoyable, but not my favorite of her novels (that would go to The Sleeping Beauty Proposal... but that could be based on where I am, personally, in my life!).

I'm about 30 pages into In A Perfect World by Laura Kasischke and I can tell you -- this one is going to freak me out! It deals with a national pandemic -- in this case, the "Phoenix Flu" -- and needless to say, it's already hitting a little close to home. I'm reviewing it for a blog tour so have to push through and finish... but I know I'm going to have nightmares! Still, can already tell it's remarkably well-written and serious. Looking forward to finishing it soon!

I finished All Around the Town and will probably just read Log Three now.

Well I received a new book today and I am going to start reading it tonight. The book is Sylvia, Rachel, Meredith, Anna by Robert Slentz-Kesler. So I am now reading 3 books at once so I hope I don't get them confused while reading them.

Like I said I'm on a YA kick, and picked up You Know Where to Find Me. I'm only a chapter or so in and it feels a lot like Wintergirls. Teen with a friend who dies, then all hell breaks loose(with help from drugs) for the friend left behind.

On audio this week, I've got God Bless John Wayne going on. Kinky Friedman is making another attempt at running for governor in Texas. Rumor has it he is promoting his books and running a minibook tour in the guise of running for office. He'll be at the Texas Book Festival this weekend.

Any other LTers at the Book Festival this weekend?

Message edited by its author, Oct 27, 2009, 4:38pm.

>119: Isn't it creepy when what you are reading parallels something in the news like a flu pandemic? Lots of schools closed around here in Missouri.

I finished Lush Life a few days ago and have been dithering back and forth between two books for my Halloween read. The Master and Margarita won out by a slim margin over The Moonstone. M&M has Satan, a frightening black cat, and magic. Oh, and I hear there's a pretty serious story about Russia somewhere in there!

Just started Wallace Stegner's Angle of Repose. So far I'm really enjoying it. His prose is quite lush!

#124-cindyp,

Wallace Stegner is one of my favorite writers. If you like Angle of Repose you might want to check into The Big Rock Candy Mountain, Beyond the Hundreth Meridian and The Gathering of Zion. The last two are nonfiction.

thekoolaidmom: Thanks for the short review on Homer's Odyssey I was going to get it from the library. It sounds more like a keeper.

119/123: I've also read a couple books recently about viral outbreaks, not because of the current events but by complete accident. For me it was Doomsday Book, where after some one time-travles to the middle ages there is a sudden outbreak similar to the black death (also read In the Wake of the Plague and The Demon in the Freezer)

Anyways, tomorrow I plan to start Unnatural Selection by Aaron Elkins.

Message edited by its author, Oct 27, 2009, 8:06pm.

i just finished doomsday book by Connie Willis. the narrator, jenny sterlin, is so associated in my mind with Laurie King's Russell and Holmes series that it took me about 13 of the 26+ hours to get her associated with Willis' characters, but i ended up enthralled.

i have one tape to go in murder gets a life by Anne George, about my 3rd time listening to it.

am about halfway through night crew by john sanford with a very indifferent narrator, Richard Ferrone.

lingering lovingly over the first cassette of Penelope Lively's heat wave, well-narrated by Davina Porter.

i've also started sad cypress by Agatha Christie, superbly narrated by David Suchet. this is the first Christie i've actually been able to stick with for more than half an hour. dunno why.

am halfway through brideshead revisited by Evelyn Waugh narrated brilliantly by Jeremy Irons. every time i listen to a tape or two i get absolutely swathed in melancholy and languor.

i'm moseying through a fine narration of barchester towers by Anthony Trollope. i've been toying with it for months as it's a book i don't want to finish and i can read it in small bits without losing the thread.

oh, and i just started she walks these hills by Sharyn McCrumb and am ensorcelled. Sally Darling is an exceptional narrator and, although the accent she uses is southern rather than east Tennesseean, it does just fine. her work is beautifully nuanced.

i think that's it. :)

Message edited by its author, Oct 27, 2009, 8:14pm.

What?? No Carolyn Keene? Omg. I'm calling my therapist right now.

>124 and 125 Don't forget Stegner's Crossing to Safety but Angle of Repose is one of my desert isle books. Absolutely divine.

Finished Gilead on Sunday, and Barefoot Gen, Volume Four : Out of the Ashes yesterday. I'm reading Across the Endless River and enjoying it.

Message edited by its author, Oct 28, 2009, 12:00am.

#109 - I don't know why, but I glossed over your mention of the gym, and thought you were *really* biking and reading. I love reading, but not enough to get in traffic accidents. ;)

I just finished Alligator by Lisa Moore. Love. Every line she writes is poetry. This puts me in a difficult position now, because whatever I read next will pale in comparison. Hmm, suggestions?

Thomas Kyd, "The Spanish Tragedy".

Thomas Pynchon, "Inherent Vice".

Mark Duginske, "Mastering Your Bandsaw".

Ruby Dee, "My Name Is Zora"; drama for theater; also a great video of this play, based on the life of Zora Neal Hurston. Ruby Dee also starred as Hurston in her play, on Broadway and in the film.

Hillel Halkin, "Across the Sabbath River: In Search of a Lost Tribe of Israel".

#103 - Girl Sleuth sounds interesting. If I think my psyche can take it, I will have to look for it.

#105 - At this rate, I will NEVER be finished! Sometimes, ignorance really is bliss.

Carilyn Keene - now that takes me back - maybe it's time to hit the children's wing at the library again.

Does anyone remember Cherry Ames?

Just finished Terrorist Hunter - scary book btw - and Salamander Fire Tome Trilogy Book 1 and currently I am reading Utopia.

>135: Was Cherry Ames the student nurse? And there was a series about girls and West Point cadets.

>135: Was Cherry Ames the student nurse? And there was a series about girls dating West Point cadets.

(Sorry if this is a double post. I don't know what happened to the first one.)

Well, thank heavens, The Black Spider was a quick read and soon went the way of all books with spiders on the cover (as far away from me as possible). I'm now 3/4 of the way through Kazuo Ishiguro's Nocturnes - a book I've anticipated the paperback of for a long, long time and I'm not a bit disappointed: the man's writing drips like honey. I'm also dipping in and out of The Atheist's Guide to Christmas, a funny and thought-provoking book of essays and articles about having a non-religious cool Yule by many well-known and lesser-known atheists - very enjoyable.

>128 Thanks for the audiobook summaries, mirrordrum. I'll have to see if my library runs to Doomsday Book. I like Jenny Sterlin a lot.

A spoof Nancy Drew autobiography came out a few years ago. Cherry Ames is her nemesis.

Confessions of a Teen Sleuth by Chelsea Cain

Right now I'm working on Children of Dust by Ali Eteraz. I was a bit worried because some of the memoirs that deal with extremism are just terribly, horribly bad (I'm looking at you, Storm Over Morocco), but this is quite well written and a very interesting look at the life of a boy growing up in Pakistan whose family is neither extremely poor nor extremely wealthy, I definitely want to read more and find out what happens in his life.

I finished Independent People last night. I still have no idea what to say about this novel. Wrenching is definitely one word and hysterical is another. I am looking forward to book club on Tuesday so that I can hear what my friends have to say. Picked up The Tender Bar last night.

My wife has collected all the old Cherry Ames Student Nurse books. I noticed they've been reprinted;
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search...

She swears by them - happy childhood memories.

I am reading Her Fearful Symmetry. Have not read The Time Traveler's Wife but I like her new book so far.

Alas, gave up on You Know Where to Find Me. Picked up After last night. It is a page turner that has left me not wanting to go to bed. It is a YA novel about a girl who left her baby in a dumpster. She claims that she didn't know she was pregnant.

I finished A Hell of a Woman, which I really liked. Thompson wrote such gritty, angry novels with lots of sucker-punching and depressed daytime drinking. They're a joy. This one had an ending that no one could have seen coming and I've left a review (surprisingly, the only review on this book).
I started Shutter Island last night and I'll try to finish it by Halloween.

Loving Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.

#135 koalamom - baseball, apple pie and Cherry Ames. I LOVED those books. I seem to recall there was also a series about a student flight attendant (called Stewardesses back then), but I can never remember the name of that one. If they've been reprinted, I may have to go back and re-read some of those.

I finished In Hovering Flight last night. A very impressive debut novel addressing the line between activism and fanaticism and the choices we make that impact those closest to us. I'm looking forward to more from Joyce Hinnefeld. Today I'm started People of the Book to get a jump start on the group read that starts Sunday.

I just finished Old Filth. What a wonderful book! It was very well written and a perfection of a portrait. I was so into his mindset that I was as shocked and appalled with priests in jeans, and partnered couples as he was. The portrait was consistent and "true" for the particular man and for life in general.

I just read a fantastic graphic memoir, Stitches by David Small. My very brief review is here. The more I read graphic memoirs and novels - but especially memoirs -- the more I love them. So much conveyed in so little space.

Just reread The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and loved it even more this time around. Now I started on Jane Eyre, my first 'classic' novel.

I just finished reading Wutering Heights, and now I'm reading The last lecture, by Randy Pausch. Amazing book!

>149: The series about flight attendants featured Vicki Barr and started out with Silver Wings for Vicki. I found it while poking around on Wikipedia looking for Cherry Ames. I think I read every series that was published around that time. I wish I could remember the one about West Point cadets and their families and girlfriends.

Another nurse series that I read because my mother had loved them was Sue Barton, Student Nurse. There were seven books total.

And of course Betsy-Tacy.

I have a vague recollection of another mystery series featuring sisters--sort of Nancy Drew & the Hardy Boys combined. Does this ring a bell with anyone?

>155: Ah, Sue Barton, that's what I was trying to remember! I loved those books! I was thinking Clara Barton, but she was a real nurse!

Yes

#143 libraryrobin - I think I had a similar reaction when I finished Independent People. I, too, read it for a bookclub. I'll be interested in hearing how your group liked/disliked it.

I'm about 60 pages away from finishing the marathon read World Without End by Ken Follett. I was going to read at lunch today, but some friends invited me out instead.... a combination of Hooray! lunch with friends and Drat! can't finish my book.

In the last 3 days I read and finished The Duchess of Bloomsbury and Apple of My Eye by Helene Hanff. I hope I some day I can find the rest of her books. I have read 84 Charing Cross Road. Has anyone seen the movie ?

>160, cindysprocket: I've seen the film "84 Charing Cross Road" but haven't read the book! Loved the movie intensely. I wonder if I would still feel that way had I read Hanff's story first?

#160 I noticed somewhere that there was a movie but have never been able to find it.

I finished Ann Cleeves' Red Bones and highly recommend it. It's the 3rd book in the Shetland Island series and an great mystery! I hope the author decides to make the series more than just a quartet.

I started The Wet Nurse's Tale by Erica Eisdorfer and was immediately drawn in to the story. I'm home from work (snow afternoon!!) so should have more time to read.

>160 I saw the movie and I read the book -- I thought both were wonderful and I think the movie does the book justice.

143, libraryrobin, I'm with karenmarie (159) in hoping that you will post your group's take on Independent People.

I've read it twice, for two interrelated book groups. My church used to have two groups: a pretty serious group and a lighter group. The serious group read the book and all loved it; one woman was especially taken by the ending. Those of us who were in both groups talked about it enough that the others became curious, and we reckoned we could do it again, now a few years later. Those who hadn't read it were taken by it; those who had read it were confirmed in their admiration.

Have fun,

Robert

#160 Ditto. Great book; great film.

#162 : coppers - I've got Red Bones in my TBR and have heard of other good reviews for it. I'm glad you enjoyed it .. and I'm moving it up my TBR pile so i get to it sooner rather than later.

Have just finished The Artist, The Philosopher and The Warrior by Paul Strathern. It's an amazing historical read about the intersecting lives of Leonardo Da Vinci, Machiavelli and Cesare Borgia.

I think I'll start on The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato tonight.

Hey, gang!

With the completion of An Inn Near Kyoto: Writing by American Women Abroad, I reached my 50-book challenge with 2 months to spare! Info here if you're interested: http://www.librarything.com/topic/54150

Started reading The Wild Hunt this morning and I'm liking it immensely so far. Not least of all because of the fact that it's pretty much set in Wales and considering that's where I am for Uni I thought it amusingly appropriate. Should get it finished tonight and maybe I'll go on the search for more Chadwick books.

I finished Skallagrigg which I still think (on my fourth re-read) is brilliant and have started a SF which so far (in some ways) is reading like fantasy (I am only a few pages in) India's Story by Kathlyn S. Starbuck.

I finished The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio and really, really enjoyed it. I couldn't help thinking while I was reading it that there doesn't seem to be the same sort of opportunities today for people who need money. I remember my husband's aunt telling me that when her daughter was little, she couldn't afford to pay for her dance lessons so the dance studio let her build and paint the sets for their recitals in exchange for lessons. I don't think you find that as much today.

I started The Little Stranger today. I am only about 10 pages or so into it but feel that I am going to like this one as well.

137/138 - yes, the first book with Cherry Ames was about her as a student nurse - there was a whole series of them after that - but I never got past the first - not sure why - maybe my folks couldn't afford to buy all of them or something

I do remember reading a few more Nancy Drew books, bit the Cherry Ames ones you can't find - except at books ales (and that's a surprise if they turn up) or maybe used bookstores

144 - thanks - I'll gave to copy that website and peruse it longer - maybe I'll add some to my wishlist

#171 Several Cherry Ames titles have been reissued recently. A nurse took it upon herself to find the author's heir and obtained permission to publish them. She felt there were no role models in literature for young girls today who might want to go into the nursing profession. Apparently she had drawn her inspiration from Cherry Ames books.
I'm not sure how many young girls today could identify. The books read like old movies - completely charming and nostalgiac but not relevant to today's world at all. The language alone would be hard to relate to but for those of us re-visiting the books, they can be delightful.

#170: What a lovely story The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio was! The quirky subtitle("How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less") drew me into the story and it didn't disappoint. Such a plucky woman and what a wonderful tribute to her it was!
I'm pretty sure that I listened to this one in the car and was thoroughly entertained. The author tells the story of a child's anxiety about poverty very well and although many themes were very serious, the overall impression I got was of a charming tale well told.

#154 - Silver Wings for Vicki - yes! That was it. I also loved The Happy Hollisters. Not as popular as the Bobsey Twins, but I preferred them. Ah, the good old days.

I would love to go back and read a few of the Cherry Ames books. I'm sure they are not of the sensibility for young girls today (after all, my mother read them before I did), but it sure would be fun for me!

I just finished Das Lob der Torheit today. it was quite good, even the beginning was better then the end. The last 70 pages or so he (or better folly) just speaks about the church and its dignitaries to show all there negative sides... kind of seemed that erasmus wanted to show what's annoying him about them...
i'm still into the Glassbooks, don't have the time to read it, but I'm confident to finish it the weekend... *sigh*
Today I'm going to start Die Wahlverwandschaften or Canterbury Tales , haven't decided yet, but I think Goethe will make the run.

I finished her Fearful Symmetry and now reading The Sweet By and By by Todd Johnson.

173 - I found a couple of them at my library's book sale a few years a go and read them quickly, I might add and they were very 50s, but I was glad to have found them anyway. (I donated them right back, by the way.)

And I finished Log Three last night.

I finished World Without End Ken Follett last night. I thought it was excellent. The special part is that I've been discussing it with my daughter and she has such interesting thoughts and insights.

Carrying on the plague theme, I picked up a non-fiction book for my 999 Challenge Epidemiology category called Viruses, Plagues & History by Michael B. A. Oldstone. The beginning is pretty scientific and I admit that I'm skimming a bit over the CTLs, CD4Ts, CD4s and 8s..... but am close to starting the chapter on smallpox.

>160 The film version of 84 Charing Cross Road is one of my all-time favorite movies. Very rewatchable. And integrates very nicely with the book, which I've also read.

I finished Creepers, which was a fun and suspenseful read. Now, I'm pitting two zombie books against each other by alternating chapters of Brian Keene's The Rising with those of Joe McKinney's Dead City.

I have just finished Susan Hill's Howards End is on the Landing which I thoroughly recommend as it's a book, about books, for book lovers!! It's one of those books you wish that you could read for the first time all over again. I loved her passion for books and be warned, you will need a piece of paper and a pen at the ready while reading this one as you will discover many new books and authors you may not have heard of before!

I am now reading Lesley Glaister As Far as You Can Go which is very good so far.

Message edited by its author, Oct 29, 2009, 10:41am.

#160 and 180 - I found the movie version of 84, Charing Cross Road at one of our libraries and hope to have it by the weekend. Thanks for the reminder - I can't wait!!

Well, everyone that gave a thumbs up on the movie 84 Caring Cross Road, thank you. I went on line and it seems my library just acquired it this last Sep tember. I'm headed down there today.

>183 I find that anything with Anthony Hopkins is usually a winner.

Just finished Permutation City, which I enjoyed (but it really should be sold with a can of aspirin), even though it's really hard science, with a lot of concepts that left me puzzled.

After all this computer talk, I decided to read the lighter Father Brown omnibus that I borrowed from the library. I like it, but I suspect that 1000+ pages of Father Brown will be too much for me. He's delightful, but he's no Hercule Poirot, for sure.

#186 That sounds very like the Father Brown omnibus I just finished after about 2 years of reading. Great for dipping into between novels but not really something I think anyone would want to read all in one go (I just kept wishing for him to stove in the villain's head with a cosh now and then).

Message edited by its author, Oct 29, 2009, 1:09pm.

#187 : Well, my thoughts exactly (about the dipping). Unfortunately, it's a library book, so I'll probably read the first one or two novels, get fed up, and bring it back.
I may, however, look for Father Brown novels in used bookstores - plus my mother may enjoy them.

LOL about the cosh - sure :)

Message edited by its author, Oct 29, 2009, 1:04pm.

125 and 130, thanks for the validation...I am loving Stegner! I just talked to a friend who said Crossing to Safety was one of his all time favorites.

#147....mstrust.....I LOVED Shutter Island. It is my favorite Dennis Lehane book, except for The Given Day. You will enjoy the book, and be blown away by the ending, I hope!! ;)

edited for a funky touchstone

Message edited by its author, Oct 29, 2009, 1:17pm.

Somebody on this thread, or perhaps last week's thread, mentioned Johnny Tremain, and I thought, "Hmmm, I wonder what that would be like to read again?" Then as I was perusing my fiction shelves looking for my next book, I saw my copy and heard it calling to me! OK, maybe it didn't actually call to me. Nevertheless, I took it down off the shelf and started it last night. Such, clear, descriptive writing. Six pages in and I am wholly absorbed in the characters and the time and place. I don't know what's gotten into me. Including the two John R. Tunis books I've read recently, this is the third reread from my child/teen years for me in the past few months! Anyway, I'm looking forward to this a lot, now.

Porchsitter-#190. Shutter Island has grabbed me right away. It's my first from Lehane and I'm liking it.

I'm reading The history of mr. Polly. A different H.G. Wells then his scifi, but I like this as well.

I started reading Dewey earlier this afternoon and I'm already in love with that gorgeous little kitten!! this will definitely be a keeper :D

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins has been an LT favorite and I can see why! It's a fast-paced, crisply written futuristic thriller. I recommend it and I look forward to reading the sequel.
I'm still plugging away at The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. It's a bit slow going and not as engaging as I would have thought.
I will be starting Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell and of course will be launching the People of the Book group read on Sunday!

Hmmm, I have Shutter Island sitting on my bookshelf in the living room. I just may have to take a look at it soon.

At the moment I am reading My Name is Legion: A Novel by A N Wilson and Out of Eden: The Peopling of the World by Stephen Oppenheimer.

Also looking forward to the group read of People of the Book!

I've just finished The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato, which I really enjoyed.

Change of pace now, I'm starting Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason ... although reading while watching Game 2 of the World Series is going to be somewhat of a challenge. Still, I have to do something during the commercials

I just finished Devil Jazz by Craig Forgrave. It was great--a crazy story of good vs. evil preceding the Apocalypse. Such a funny read, and it probably only took me a few days to finish. I highly recommend it.

I am reading two very different books, but both are excellent. Set in Ghana, Africa, Wife of the Gods is everything a crime novel should be, and, Wildwood Dancing a fantasy based on the fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses is just fantastic.

#189 cindyp

There was a great deal about Stegner in the recent PBS series about the National Parks. I had always thought of him as a nature writer and didn't really know that he had been such a respected author of novels as well. Funny what you can learn about something when you thought you were going to learn about something else.

#159 jennieg

I am not sure if this is the series you wanted but Trixie Belden comes to mind. I believe that Trixie was the heroine in this series but that her brother and a friends brother were in the books. I didn't take the time to look it up, and could be wrong, but I seem to remember the stories that way.

I am currently reading The Sharpshooter Blues by Lewis Nordan. This is my introduction to Nordan's work. I did not feel that I would like the book very much, because I have heard him compared to Faulkner quite often, but I have been presently surprised.

I definitely will be picking up a few more Nordan books, I think Wolf Whistle will be my next one. Any suggestions about some other great Nordan books I should look at?

#189 cindyp

Stegner also taught writing at Stanford for many years. His students included Ken Kesey, Larry McMurtry, Wendell Berry, Robert Stone, and Thomas McGuane.

Message edited by its author, Oct 30, 2009, 12:27am.

#196 ~ bookaholicgirl.....Oh yes!! You should check out Shutter Island. Dennis Lehane is a master at telling a great story. In my opinion, he's never written a bad book. This one would be a good choice for the Halloween season!! I can still remember my spine tingling as I read that book....and the ending!!! Wow!

I just finished a book by another one of my favorite thriller authors. The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly was very, very good. It was smooth writing, a good story and great characters.

Now I'm going to try two at once.....I'm in the mood for a Jodi Picoult book, so I'm going to read Change of Heart. And then, in keeping with the Halloween season, I will start Classic Ghost Stories edited by Bill Bowers, a small book with several short stories (if I don't get scared and chicken out). :o)

#205 I don't want to discourage you but I have to say that, although on the whole I really enjoy Picoult's books, I thought Change of Heart was terrible. I'll be interested to hear what you think of it.

205, Porchsitter: I just won a book by Michael Connelly in the Members Giveaway section, called The Overlook. :)

I'm in the middle of The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton, and I'm surprized by how much I like it. I've also got Graceling by Kristin Cashore on CD in my car, and I'm ready to start The Handmaid's Tale as soon as I can! Handmaid's comes to me on recommendation because of my love for dystopia, so I can't wait to start it...I'll probably pick it up during my lunch break today.

This isn't really book related, but I've been following this very interesting set of blogs that feature original 19thC diaries and letters. They're great. I wanted to share:

http://www.voyageofthevampire.org.uk/?pa...

http://www.voyageofthevampire.org.uk/mys...

Charlotte's diary reads just like a Jane Austen novel.

I'm reading a Debbie Macomber book about three women who decide to leave the convent. The book is downstairs, again, and I can't recall the title - will record that when I finish it.

I also have a book to pick up at the library Bluestar's Prophecy and will probably alternate - we'll see.

Finished Lark & Termite and 84, Charing Cross Road. Now I'm on to The Housekeeper and the Professor.

Message edited by its author, Oct 30, 2009, 10:38am.

#201 and #204,
Thanks for the additional info on Stegner - I had no idea! Must do some homework on him!

>211 Wow, three winners in a row! Great choices!

Finished the Debbie Macomber book Changing Habits. It was delightful as are all her books and it took me back to Catholic school days and how things were back in the 60s. I find it incredible how things have changed.

Now I'll get into my library book Bluestar's Prophecy.

BookSloth....oh no!!! I hope I can get through it. I'll see how it goes. If my mind starts to wander or if I find it too tedious, I'll put it down. Thanks for the tip!

Ape....lucky you! I hope you enjoy it. I love Connelly. I read that one awhile back.

#212. You might be interested in The Selected letters of Wallace Stegner edited by Page Stegner his son.

I am reading Sheep, Wenny has wings, and The Garden Of Eve. I just finished The City Of Ember. Now I have to read The People Of The Sparks!

>217 I love the Ember series! Prophet of Yonwood was a little weird, but it's a great little series and one of my favorites to recommend to students.

Devil Jazz sounds pretty good, SarahRae03; thanks for the rec. I just finished rereading Good Omens and I'm in the mood for more good vs. evil pre-Apocalypse fiction.