I read therefore I am- my list starts here

I loved last years 75 challenge- it really amped up my reading and my excitement for reading. I read an unprecedented 60 books last year and am aiming for at least one book a week for this year! Tomorrow I am 12 weeks pregnant and praying for a break from the morning sickness....hence the reduced target for this busy year ahead.

My first book is Nathaniel's Nutmeg by Giles Milton. I am motivated to read read read with this one and am nearly done. It is so so interesting and a saga and story as well. I dont want to finish it yet- its too good.

I have big reading plans so to get myself started up and committed, here's my thread.
*press submit, do it do it, press submit*
aaaagh, here I go!

Woot! Glad to see you joining us again, Megan.

I hope the morning sickness lets up for you soon!

Thanks Stasia! I haven't been a happy camper lately....knowing it's got to end soon is keeping me sane. Have you read my first choice? If you like historical novels this one is great because it's also true!

No, I have not read that one. Unfortunately, my local library does not have it. Maybe it will soon.

ETA: I went to add the book to the BlackHole only to discover it there already :)

Happy new year! Fingers crossed that the morning sickness is nearly gone.

I have Nathaniel's Nutmeg in a box in New Zealand, and will read it when we're home next year. I bought it aaaaages ago when it first came out - glad to hear it's really good.

Hi, Megan!

Congratulations with the baby :) looking forward to follow both your reading and the little one this year!

Welcome back!

Welcome back!

Nathaniel's Nutmeg is in my TBR pile. I'm looking forward to your review of it. I know I won't get to it this month, but it might get moved up a bit!

Hooray, Megan's back...with baby on board. Hope you get to feeling better soon. Congratulations!

Welcome back, Megan! Congrats on your pregnancy, and I hope the morning sickness lets up soon for you.

Lisa

>4 alcottacre:, ha ha Stasia, that'll teach you for having a black hole the size of a black hole!

>5 cushlareads: thanks Cushla, you'll have to dig it out when you get back, it's worth it

>6 Apolline: Hi, thanks for the warm wishes! I saw a tiny baby in a waiting room today and all of a sudden forgot how crappy I felt and realised I will get one of them at the end of this :-)

>7 London_StJ: Thanks Luxx, I only just found your thread, busy busy

>8 drneutron: thanks doc, see you around if I can find you!

>9 thornton37814: Hi Lori, nice to meet you....hope that cat isnt bossing you around too much (mine does too :-))

>10 Donna828: Hello again, I am now on some anti-nausea medication so am thrilled to report I dont feel as bad. That was a long 6 weeks I can tell you.

>11 bunkie68: Hi Lisa! Thanks, my 2 year old son calls his blanket "bunkie", I guess that's not what your user name means ;-)

Welcome back, Megan. I have not heard of Nathaniel Nutmeg so will definatly await you comments.

Hi Lynda- thanks for the welcome, see below for my comments. btw- I see you're a fan of Barbara Kingsolver, Im currently listening to the BBC world book club discussion on the radio where she discusses her novel The Poisonwood Bible - if you want to hear it you can get replays via www.radionz.co.nz (or probably from the BBC website too) She comes across as a very friendly intelligent and cool person!

Book 1
Nathaniel's Nutmeg by Giles Milton

This book is history written so well it's like a novel. It takes place in the early 1600's when The UK and other European powers were racing to get strong holds in the lucrative "Spice Islands". Boat loads of nutmeg and cloves were worth thousands and thousands of pounds- that is if you could get a boat and its crew there and back.

The distances, hardships and time taken for crews to travel were astounding, I found the descriptions of these voyages amazing and it was like there could have been a novel written about any of these on their own. Some were described in great detail, including the gruesome punishments sailors got for things like fighting or theft (not pleasant). Other journeys were mentioned almost in passing.

It looks like the Netherlands and Britain have quite a history of scrapping over territory- atrocities described as committed by the Dutch make harrowing reading and this might be the only fault I find with this book. I understand why the details would be included but if you are like me and cant seem to get the idea of so much suffering and cruelty out of your head....it can be distressing. They certainly were hard times. Great book, 4 stars.

Nice review, Megan!

I might read that later in the year for the Reading Globally theme read on Sea. Anyway I'm checking in to say hi, and hoping that the morning sickness disappears for you.

>15 LovingLit:: That was a great book. I picked it up not expecting very much and didn't want to put it down.

Nutmeg sounds like a winner and so is your review.
Thanks for the BBC link I'll scroll back to give it a listen.

Welcome back Megan - your first book of the year has made it on to my ever growing wishlist!

#15: Very good review, Megan! Adding that one to my wishlist! Thanks for the tip:)

Hello there! I started a baby thread if you were interested in popping in and saying hi.

Hi again Megan, I didn't realise you were pregnant - congratulations! And great review of the Nutmeg book.

>17 avatiakh: Thanks! morning sickness on its way out now (fingers crossed all the way out) A little bit sick is better than *cant get up feel like concrete* sick, so Im happy :-)

>18 TadAD: I agree, it was a good find I thought

>19 Carmenere: I'm worried you wont find the right bit, that link is generic and it could be hard to track it down amongst it all, but hey- I tried! Good luck

>20 souloftherose: hi to you too :-), the wishlist can be a problem cant it, I try to keep mine realistic and even take books off it if I lose interest in them (shock horror grimace)

>21 Apolline: glad you liked it, I hope you like the book too

>22 London_StJ: thanks Luxx for starting that, now we dont need to clog the BOOK threads with baby gabble :-)

>23 KiwiNyx: thanks and thanks!

I'm so glad you're starting to feel better! Hopefully completely relief is just a few days away.

Hi, Megan! how are you? Hope your day is good and that you are reading lots of good books:)

>25 London_StJ: Thanks Luxx- just a few days away still......getting there. At least ive got a bump to show off now!

>26 Apolline: Hi Bente, I am reading a few at the moment, trying my hardest to finish The Blind Assassin by last Saturday?! :-) (book club day). I only have 50 pages to go but think I might try finishing it with a recorded CD my dad has. I'm thinking lying in bed just listening will be a nice way to end the book!

I think I'll pass on Nathaniel's Nutmeg, but I liked the way you wrote the review. I'm starring your thread so I can see what else you read this year.

>28 pbadeer: Patrick, thanks for starring me! Ill check out your thread too

Book 2
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood

Finally I finished it! I think my progress was hindered by the weight and size of this big hardcover book.

I find it difficult to sum up because it was definitely a book of 2 parts for me, the first part where I felt frustrated at the multiple story lines and at not understanding their connectedness- and the second part where I had been told the ending so could all of a sudden see all the clues as glaringly obvious. It does make me wonder how soon I would have "got it" on my own.

I think I'll go with my initial feelings on the book, which were: I almost resent the way it is written to keep you in the dark. Personally I like to know at least a little of what is going on as the book goes on, otherwise I feel I'm just reading to get to the end and not enjoying the journey.

I found the second quarter of the book dragged on a bit with not enough spectacular writing to keep me interested- there were some amazing sentences but they almost appeared "dropped in" to the rest of the guff around it.

However- I loved the plot! I found it an amazing story and would just have loved to hear it told in a slightly different way. 3 stars.

I gave up after 300 pages! I wanted to start a new book for the new year and, try as I might, could not finish this last year. Good for you that you were able to finish.

Woohoo for a baby bump! Glad to see you back.

Interesting, I own that and I know I've read it but I remember nothing about it. Your review, despite being frustrated with the plot, has me very intrigued to re-read it.

I read The blind Assassin before I was on LT and really loved it, but all I remember is the different story lines and it slowly coming together. Have you read any of her other ones? I still haven't.

I have not read The Blind Assassin yet. I may wait on that one a while longer.

I know I've also got and read The Handmaids Tale and Alias Grace but I barely remember those either. I wonder if it was just too long ago (over 10 years) or a feature of her writing style.

Hi There

I'm compiling a list of birthdays of our group members. If you haven't done so already, would you mind stopping by this thread and posting yours.

Thanks.

http://www.librarything.com/topic/105833

Book 3
The Cost of Living by Arundhati Roy

This is a book small in stature.... 2 essays presented in miniature book form. I have read them a few times but was drawn to it again now for some reason (maybe because it is small and easy to read in bed!). It is by and large depressing. Especially the first essay about the displacement of large amounts of Indian people for the construction of a series of huge dams. I saw a great (but equally depressing) film at a human rights film festival on the same topic.

I know the issues are all real and thats why the injustice of it all makes me feel upset. I still think it is good to know about things like this that happen though so dont regret reading it again. As a postscript (not included in the essay)....the dams all went ahead and the protesters were silenced through being ignored or in some cases gotten rid of so not a happy ending at all. But perhaps lessons learnt in how to stop future plans like this going ahead without proper care of the people involved.

Oh, I've got that one plus her The Chequebook and the Cruise Missile book. She is a very intelligent woman although the not so happy ending of the Indian people wasn't what I wanted to read but that is real life unfortunately.

>31 mamzel: thanks for that Mamzel, at least you got over half way!

>39 KiwiNyx: I know Kiwi, thats the reality unfortunately.

>34 cushlareads: Others of Atwood's I have read include only Oryx and Crake which I actively disliked! One of the few books I can say that about :-( I have got one of her earlier ones but haven't read it yet

Book 4
The Sweet By and By by Todd Johnson

My sister told me this book made her think differently about the elderly, so I read it. I used to work in a rest home which is where the book is set, so it was interesting to compare experiences.

The book is written from the perspective of 4 people, a nurse, her daughter, a patient/resident of the rest home and the rest home hairdresser. It is primarily about friendships and it gives you history of the characters as well as the storyline. I loved the nurses character, she reminded me of the few people I met in that field who were loving, caring and respectful of the people they were there for.

It was an easy rambling read and a very enjoyable one as it went a little deeper than I had thought it would. 3.5 stars.

#41: I already have that one in the BlackHole. I need to bump it up a notch or two. Thanks for the reminder, Megan!

Book 5
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The title was familiar to me from LT so when a friend offered to lend it to me I grabbed it. I enjoyed it straight away and never stopped. This book made me neglect my family just a little bit!

The story is told through 3 women from the same town and who have connections to each other. 2 Black maids and a White trust-fund society girl. When the narrative briefly switched to third person I realised how much I missed the way the rest of the book is written from the perspectives of the 3 women alternately.

I expected few surprises from the plot and was really blown away by the story that was revealed within the stories of the 3 women. And I found it so bizarre and interesting how some maids were basically left to raise the small children yet at the same time were actively despised by their employers.

The ending is satisfying without being sugary sweet or traumatising, which to me was very realistic. 4.5 stars.

#43: I brought that one home from the library the other day. I hope I enjoy it as much as you did, Megan!

I hope you do too!
Funny....I was just "talking" to you on Nancys thread just then.....we always seem to be on at the same time :-)

Hi Megan, how ya doing?

The Help is one book that I really need to find the time to read. I've heard and seen so many good comments about it that it's ridiculous to wait any longer. Your comments just reinforce what I've heard. I'll try to reserve from my library but I know it will be a long wait list.

#45: That is because I am always up in the middle of the night here in Texas :)

Megan, good luck with your baby. Make their life heaven on earth!

>45 LovingLit: Ha ha, Im usually on just after the little one goes to bed....but lately that time has been getting later and later as he likes to wander out and see me a few tiimes before going to sleep :-)

>46 Carmenere: Hi Lynda, Im great now thanks. I recommend just getting on the waiting list and waiting it out, its worth it!

>48 atwoosie000: Thanks and welcome to LT, hope you like it here, its heaps of fun

Book 6
Our Favourite Poems: New Zealanders choose their best-loved poems by Iain Sharp

I started this book last year and have been chipping away at it when Ive felt like a short burst of reading at a time. It is a compilation of what was voted by "the New Zealand Public" (whoever they are- I didnt get a vote!). Consequently I get the feeling a lot of the votes are for the one poem people know/remember. All the big names and popular NZ poets are there. From the second category are: Denis Glover, James K Baxter, Hone Tuwhare, Margaret Mahy, and Sam Hunt.

One of the poems I liked follows....

Leisure, by William Henry Davies

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

I like that poem. Thanks for sharing it. How did you like the book?

I like that poem too, Megan.

That is a great poem, and so true for the day. I've never heard of William Henry Davis before.

>51 VioletBramble: I did quite like the book because all the poetry in it had appeal, it was a great overview.

>52 alcottacre:, 53 Im a sucker for rhymes too, thats another reason I like the poem I shared. I havent heard of him before either Kiwi.

According to a book quiz (found on Kiwinyx's thread....), I am:

You're Siddhartha!

by Hermann Hesse

You simply don't know what to believe, but you're willing to try
anything once. Western values, Eastern values, hedonism and minimalism, you've spent
some time in every camp. But you still don't have any idea what camp you belong in.
This makes you an individualist of the highest order, but also really lonely. It's
time to chill out under a tree. And realize that at least you believe in
ferries.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

#55: I am Siddharta too. I know that both Jude and Tui ended up being him as well.

Great, I'm in good company then :-)

Megan, I can only hope that you and family are safe.

Thanks. Me and family are luckily fine. Very scary to see the footpath breaking up in front of my eyes. Here we go again with the aftershocks, terrifying for so many right now.

#59: Glad to see you and yours are safe, Megan!

Best wishes to you - stay safe.

Also just checking in, it is so scary. Glad to hear you and the family are ok.

Just checking in, glad to hear you're all ok.

{{Megan}} Just saw pics of the destruction in your city. Good to see that you and your family are ok. Hoping the aftershocks won't be terribly bad.

Just saying hi and so glad you're ok. I can't believe it's happened again. Hope you are asleep. Do you have power or water?

Safe wishes for you and your family!

So glad to hear you are ok... looks terrible.
I can only imagine the state of nerves you are all dealing with in NZ.
Now for the recovery and rebuilding.
Sure hope these aftershocks are ending! :{

Thanks everyone, its so nice to have you all thinking of us here. We very lucky having power and water (that we need to boil)....80% of city didnt have either earlier. We only go 2-3 hours sleep last night with all the aftershocks and a scared little boy as well- looks like the city is way worse off this time, and so many people have died I cant believe it. :-(

So glad to hear that you are okay! That must have been so scary!

I'm glad to hear you are ok--please stay safe. The devastation there looks horrible, and I'm sorry for all those who died.

Book 6
First and Last by Truman Capote

This is a cheat book really because its really just 2 short stories, but as I havent had the brain space to read anything long lately, Ill include it as one for my attempt at 75!

I havent read anything by Capote before and found his style quite bizarre - or is that his stories....once I got into them they were great though. The last one was (I believe) the start or a section of a book he was writing at the time of his death. It was mostly dialogue so lacked the usual scene setting you see in novels, and once used to the chatter it was great to feel the characters forming before your eyes.

Thanks Aruba and Jolerie and others for your thoughts above, I have been off-line for a while just because I feel consumed by what is going on here. People with no power, water, sewage or homes, people living in sports stadiums, people suffering through the grief of losing someone or not knowing where they are still. Seeing army helicopters flying over daily (my house lies in the flight path of the city, and the army camp where the makeshift morgue has been set up). All the footage of our beautiful city in ruins and people in tears. It is a very emotional time for me and so many others. I cant wait until we can start feeling solid ground beneath our feet, and the central city opens up and we begin rebuilding again. It has to happen :-)

Good to see you posting again. After watching all the media coverage I can only say I wish you all the best, it must be a nightmare to be there. It's going to be a cold wet miserable winter for a lot of people who've lost their homes.

I can't imagine how tough it must be for you guys down there. Just know we're all thinking of you.

Book 7
REM: Talk About The Passion- An Oral History, by Denise Sullivan

I started this months ago and picked it up to finish it 2 days ago. I had put it down because it was so bitsy to read. It is basically a collection of anecdotes organised into chapters about each period of REMs career. At first it seemed too disjointed to read and I found each persons comments too separate from each others to make a smooth read.

But.....as with my last little book, at present I'm very into snippet reading, so for the second half of the book it suited me very well. And I found that the more I read it and the bigger the chunks I read at a time, it flowed a lot better. A good book, even if not my usual style. 3.5 stars.

So it's like overlapping biographies in the one book? Sounds interesting.

Kiwi, it was quite interesting. There were probably 30 or so contributors, all people who knew the band. Old IRS staff, friends, associates, recording and video artists and people in the scene. The anecdotes were only a couple of sentences long, and when grouped together well made good reading. It must have been really hard to collate all those bits into a timeline!

Stopping in to star you ~

Hi, Megan!

How are you? I hope everything is starting to get better "down" there:) Have a wonderful day!

>78 Apolline: Hey :-)
Things are getting back to normal for me in that I have started back at my part time job, and my boy is back at preschool. So long as I dont need to go into the city (which is only 10kms away) I hardly notice much difference! Crazy. Ive been a home-body lately but people have been telling me how screwed the inner city is :-(
We'll come right, thanks for asking.

Difficult times... good to be getting back to as normal as you can :)

Hi Kath, it does feel good to get back to semi-normal again! Trying not to watch too much TV coverage of Japan tho, too sad for my hormone riddled body to deal with (and earthquake footage too reminiscent!).

Book 8
Of the Dawn of Freedom by W. E. B. Du Bois

I found 3 of these little Penguin Great Ideas books for a crazily cheap price so bought them all. I have to admit I love the covers and the "cuteness" of these little books!

I love the language in this book, it is formal but succinct and understandable. The topic of the book, 3 essays in actuality, though was fascinating.....I had never thought of the practical implications of what emancipation meant. I would have loved to read more on it. (Any ideas anyone?). Being the naive sop that I am I just saw emancipation all as a great tale of the gaining freedom.....of course it was many decades until segregation even ended so clearly there was more to the tale.

Just started One Day yesterday and am over half way through- and that's including work and a 2.5 year old and a big old baby-belly. (believe me that's fast for me!). I hope I can get it finished by the weekend and impress my fellow book-clubbers :-)

Hey Megan, it was good to see Prince William in NZ and bringing your story back into the spotlight again. Other news stories and the sheer distance of NZ tends to overshadow your plight but know that you are in my thoughts and pray for better days ahead for you and your city.

Hi Megan

I'm adding the DuBois book to the tbr pile. Hello and all good wishes to you!

>84 Carmenere: thanks Lynda, as usual there is a lot of suffering in the world. I attended the memorial that Prince William spoke at, it was very moving and nice to see so many people there.

>85 Whisper1: Hi Whisper :-) calling it a book might be a little like wishful thinking, more a large short story!

Book 9
One Day by David Nicholls

Book club book.....this was a tough one to get hold of. When we last met ages ago (before the libraries all shut because of the earthquake) we all tried to get it out and there were 6 copies or so, but for each copy there was a 13 or more people waiting list! Apparently its a popular one. And bizarrely all the copies were in large print... Anyway....a few of us bought the book and we shared it around the end.

So I finished it in a few days because I decided it was more important than the dishes. Each chapter was the goings on of two people over one day, the same day each year. So as the chapters progress, each person is a year older. It is a very clever way to present a persons life. Back stories are revealed during the descriptions of the day in question so you dont feel that you are missing out on information.

The writing is simple and unpretentious. The characters and their relationships are very human. I loved reading it. 4.5 stars.

Hi there, Megan! Definitely adding One Day to my pile! I think I have seen it around, but never checked it out. Well, might be in my personal library soon:)

I hope your next book is just as good, and that your day is lovely!

>88 Apolline: thanks Bente, I wouldnt have regretted buying it I dont think. I hope you love it too :-)

At present Im on holiday near Queenstown (some of you may have heard of the area because of the TV shows The Bachelor and Americas Next Top Model who have filmed episodes here). It is such a beautiful region and Im lucky that my brother lives here. It's his 40th birthday party tomorrow so its quite an occasion. We have my bro and sis and our families plus our mum and dad and step mother. 5 kiddies under 5 has been BUSY! But it's so cool to see them all running around together causing havoc. Talk about full on :-) The rest of the party goers arrive tomorrow....

Its Autumn so all the trees are turning and the days are sunny and warm (although last night it was down to -1 deg C). If I knew how to post photos I wold because it is amazing, but instead Ill just recommend that you google "arrowtown new zealand" and select images only and see them all yourself!

Just checking in, Megan. I will catch up from the point forward, I promise.

I think that book would make my eyes cross.. I think I will just say that I am glad that you enjoyed it!

#89: I took your word and googled it, Megan. Beautiful pictures:) I've heard that some parts of New Zealand (not the warmest parts) looks very much like the part of Norway where I am from. With mountains and fjords:) I like that type of scenery!

It so weird that you have autumn now. We are waiting for spring after a long, cold and dark winter:)

Have a fantastic time in Arrowtown. I grew up in Dunedin but haven't been over there since I was about 6! Definitely time for a visit when we're home.

I've been avoiding One Day (lots of hype, even here) but might have to buy it soon now!

I love Arrowtown, doesn't it have one of the best pie shops in the country? Don't think I could eat any of them but they were well rated by my husband.

#90 Hi Stasia, I was wondering where you were lately, nice to see you again, I hope all is well

#91 Hello Kath, would your eyes be cross crossed or cross angry? So you didnt like the book ......?

#92 Bente, I have heard similar similarities about our countries, I love the rugged stuff too :-)

#93 hello! I didnt even know there was hype over One Day - obviously didnt check it out on LT then did i!

#94 I didnt know about the pie shop either :-( but Provisions Cafe does great cheese rolls and everything else they make looks amazing! Yum-o. Ive missed my cafe treats since the Chch earthquake closed the city centre off

#95: Everything is fine. Just taking a break for a bit.

I think my eyes would cross trying to keep up with it all!

#95: Do you go skiing in the winter?:) I'm almost ashamed to say I have not touched my skis this season. The weather has been crap in the weekends (at least those I have not been busy), but hopefully I'll be able to go at Easter. It' only two weeks off:) Lovely!

Everything shuts down up here from the afternoon at Wednesday 21th and reopens at the next Tuesday. Well, the shops are open half day at Saturday, but we'll have plenty of time to spend outdoors or read or something:) Or watching crime series at TV! That's tradition. When I come to think of it, I need to find my Agatha Christie books. There's no Easter without Poirot or Ms. Marple:)

Well...that was me rambling again! Hope your day is good and that you had a wonderful weekend!

#98 Hi Bente, I used to ski a lot (back when we used to get free passes cos my dad took photos for the ski-fields!) But now it's too expensive and time consuming too. We just got our first big dump of snow on the mountains for the winter, great news for skiers but not so good in the city here as we had 24 hours or so of solid rain downpours! Freezing :-(
Nice to go to bed early and read though....

Book 10
Orchid Fever by Eric Hansen

I am not even into flowers really....but the guy who wrote had me enthralled with his book Stranger in the Forest so I took a look at this one and decided to dive in. That was a few years ago so this is a rare re-read for me.

It is a look into the bizarre and specialised world of the orchid grower/collector/enthusiast. Apparently there are many! The title does hint at the type of passions and manic behaviour that the orchid can induce in its followers, even still I had no idea until I started reading.

Each chapter follows a person or event in the orchid world and throughout the book we hear about the crazy regulations on the transport of plant material that actually hinders the preservation of the breeds. It is the case that plants can legally be destroyed by bulldozers rather than be transplanted 50 metres away. Scientists find it difficult transport plants across borders for research without fear of SWAT teams raiding their labs. Fascinating book. 4 stars.

When I was living in the Caribbean I became aware of orchids and loved watching for the local varieties. For a while I was a member of the local Orchid Society and grew some. They really are very fascinating in that they are so varied and wide spread growing everywhere from the tops of trees to the soil in the floor. The local ones I was talking about actually grew on top of rocks.

#101, you should track this book down then, it's really entertaining :-) They are quite amazing plants.

Book 11
Like Water for Hot Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

Bought for $3 at a gypsy fair while I was on holiday near Queenstown......what a find!

This unusually told tale grabbed me from the start. I was intrigued by the recipes built into the text, the plot and the other-wordly aspects thrown in as well. I even found myself wanting to try some of the recipes. Presumably there is a movie version because I've seen a book cover with a photo of a couple on the front. I am interested to think of how they could have portrayed some of the scenes. Anyone seen it?

Anyway, I really enjoyed this quick quirky book. 4.5 stars.

I saw the movie years ago and remember loving it, it's one of those sumptuous art house types. You should definitely see if you can find it, you'd enjoy it. I think I'd better keep my eyes open for the book after this review.

Adding Orchid Fever to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Megan!

#104- I'll have to find another art house movie source now that Alice's is deep in the "red zone" (the area still cordoned off due to earthquake). I'd love to see the film

#105- good one Stasia, its worth it. Ive read some others of his too but the walking across Borneo one and this one are the best.

Like Water for Hot Chocolate by Laura Esquivel... another one waiting on the headboard of my bed for years now.. yikes! the guilt!

#107 it wont take you long Kath, dive on in :-)

so many books clamoring for my attention! *weeps*

#99: Aw, well that's the good thing about autumn...to sneak under a carpet and read a good book. Glad the spring is on its way though...it has been a long winter. Do you have long dark days? And lots of snow?

How is it to celebrate Christmas in the summer/heat?? I know, silly question...but I've always celebrated christmas in the cold and dark winter season, so I do not really know anything else.

Hope your Sunday will be lovely!!

#110 Bente, we do have long dark days but not as long and dark as other places- mid winter it gets dark about 5pm and its up 730am or a bit before. We usually only get snow here in the city about once or twice a year. Plenty of frosts though.

Summer Christmasses are fun! BBQs, hanging around outside, walks on the beach. Always with a big midday meal though with a roast turkey and wintery type foods. And whoever get the job of dressing up as Father Christmas gets very hot and sweaty in his suit :-)

I'm adding Orchid Fever to the tbr pile. Thanks for your great comments.

#111: Mid winter (at the darkest) the sun comes up around 9-9.30 am and leaves at 3-3.30 pm in my region. It's dark when you go to work/school and dark when you leave:) Further north the sun does not come up at all.

The good part is in the summer when the night does not get dark. In mid summer we can sit outside reading in the middle of the night if we want to. A bit more difficult to sleep, though;)

I can imagine being the suit being very warm. No shorts and flip flops for Father Christmas?? It is weird how different our views on Christmas is. It sounds like a blast, but still I'm not sure whether I would lose some of the Christmas spirit if I was celebrating in a warm place. Everything is so tradition bound:)

Interesting talk here, I've often wondered what a white christmas would be like, it's something I can't imagine. I guess you get used to what you've always known and summer christmases are it for us down under.

Apolline, our Christmas cards usually do have Santa in jandals and shorts cooking a BBQ, or surfing. Completely different christmas culture I guess.

I've always wanted to visit where it never goes dark in summer and you barely see light in winter, you must be very far north to have such short days.

#114, Kiwi I've had 2 white Christmasses and loved them too. I just love Christmas!

We loved our white Christmas here this year - it even snowed on Christmas morning as we were driving home after a week in a Heidi-like Swiss chalet. And the Christmas markets here and in Germany were fantastic. But I am already looking forward to a Tshirt and shorts and a bbq with good fresh New Zealand food this year - can't wait to get home!

I've been hiding in a hole, and wanted to pop in and say hello! I hope all is well.

Book 12
Taken on Trust by Terry Waite

I read this book in quick time speed. This is how I know I'm loving a book, I sneak off to read at any opportunity when I really should be doing other things!

Terry Waite was taken hostage and kept in solitary confinement. At the time of his capture, he was negotiating to meet with and help other hostages and was promised he would not be taken himself. Being a good hearted religious man he trusted the go-betweens word- but was sorely mislead.

The book swings in small chunks between his "current" state of being held in captivity, and his personal history he is writing in his head. His "writing" is really remembering and is an exercise in keeping sane as well as passing time. He also does a lot of mental arithmetic and what physical exercise he can from his chained position. It looks as though his having these routines and structures was a key to his resilience.

His pre-capture life is incredibly interesting and his captive life is morbidly fascinating. I found at the end of one segment I wanted to return only to what I had been reading about just then, and the same would happen at then end of the next segment. This of course made for fervent reading!

To think of being alone as a prisoner for so long and being kept from fresh air, sunlight, people and stimulus of any kind is unbearable. That he came out of it sane at all is a miracle. His self searching is very well captured in his writing, and his empathy towards his captors admirable. 4.5 stars.

Your latest read sounds fascinating.

Hi Linda, it was a goodie, and luckily I'm onto another goodie with I am the Clay by Chaim Potok- my favourite author! I found a book of his that I'd never heard of, so of course snapped it up. Have been saving it for a rainy day :-)

Chaim Potok is amazing! The only book about baseball I ever read was The Chosen and I was amazed I enjoyed it. I also read Davita's Harp and so wanted a door harp after reading it. He really could immerse us into a totally unfamiliar culture.

I'm adding I am the Clay to my wishlist--I wanted to read a book about the Korean War for Reading Globally.

I read The Chosen a long time ago, but remember it well.

#121 I agree! You really feel there in the moment with his novels.

#122, it looks like there are a few more on that topic if you search the tags here on LT. But this one IS great

#123 It might be worth a re-read! That is the second one of his I read I think.

Book 13
I am the Clay by Chaim Potok

Plucked off my tbr pile because I felt like a guaranteed great read. My only knowledge of the Korean War is memories of watching M*A*S*H as a kid so this was a good literary addition to my brain-vault!

The story is told sparsely but with such detail that it makes you feel what the characters are going through. It really reminds me of The Road in that and other ways- the refugees walking in fear of hunger and violence is the other obvious comparison. The sadness and desperation of it all can be overwhelming at times, but it still manages to be a beautiful tale. 4.5/5 stars.

Ooh, powerful review. I love M*A*S*H, every now and then I'll find some reruns on TV and I subject the daughters to some good quality TV watching. Not sure if they appreciate it as much as I do.

I remember it was always on at 6 pm when I was a kid, but the season finale started at 8 one year and I wasnt allowed to stay up that late and watch it, I was royally p*$$ed off! Maybe Ill get the DVD from the library....

I love Chaim Potok too but I haven't read this one. Will look for it in the library next year!

I read many of Chaim Potok's books years ago and loved them. I think it's time for a reread of The Chosen and a first read of I am the Clay...I hadn't heard of this one. My father was in the Korean War so I'm always interested in learning more about it.

I loved the discussion upthread about Christmas in different parts of the world. I spent a few Christmasses in sunny, warm Florida before I got married. They seemed very strange to me, but I agree, it's what you're used to that seems the norm.

I've added I Am the Clay to the ever expanding TBR pile. Thanks for your excellent comments!

#128 Cushla, next year!? You really must have a big tbr pile!!

#129 Hi Donna, I love having all the Potok books on my shelf knowing that I can do a re-read in a book drought! re: Christmas, I reckon because we already get all the winter Christmas imagery, it feels more natural to go from our "normal" summer one to a winter one.

#130 Linda it shouldn't take you too long to read this one, it's only a couple of hundred pages :-) I'm about to start a 730 page monster and wondering if I can go the distance :-/

730 pages is a lot to read! I hope it is a good book.

I'm feeling left out that I haven't read any Potok books. Library here I come.. What is the chunkster you're about to begin?

#133 its the third one in a series that started with The Sportswriter...called The Lay of the Land by Richard Ford. I've nearly finished the second one and am secretly wondering if I need a little break before going straight to the last one. I'm thinking a few easy cheesy ones in between might do it :-)

That's what I often do, allows the grey matter to recharge for the next big read I think. They look interesting, it's not often you hear about a series that are based on a normal life.

Yea yea, that's what I love about it....it is just a normal persons life, with all his flaws and failings and normalcy.
But stop the press- I just got emailed from the library with the 2 books I put on hold ages ago both arriving at the same time AND book club re-convenes this week as well so I'll have 3 to read in the next 4 weeks. Eeek. Best get to it :-)

>134 LovingLit:: Megan, your thread is becoming dangerous to me. Not only have I pulled The Chosen off the shelf to reread, now you remind me that I need to finish Ford's trilogy. It's been a few years since I read The Sportswriter and Independence Day. I hope I remember them well enough to continue with the story.

#137 glad I can be of service Donna :-) The story is almost secondary in his books I reckon. Its from the way its told that I get the warm glow.

Book 14
Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

I tracked this book down when I was looking into books about / featuring Paul Simon. It looked interesting so as the library copies always seemed out, I put a hold on it. I dont know if I can really call it a book though...

What it really seems to be is a transcript of a comedy stand-up routine (in fact, I think that's what it actually is). It is self deprecating, sarcastic, casual and very lightweight. I was hoping for some insight into addiction, the turmoil of mental illness and pressures of fame. I didnt get that. It was a good gap-filler book, but not much to write home about. 2.5 stars.

Book 15
Just Kids by Patti Smith

Wow. I was looking forward to reading this book, and I was right to do so. I devoured it and as soon as I finished it I read the front and back flaps and then started to read it again.

I like Patti Smiths music, but only own one album. So I couldn't quite call myself a "fan"- but I think I will now. The book documents the first part of her adult life, when she moved to New York to get more out of life. She was never hell-bent on becoming a musician or artist, but through self discovery and exposure to artistic people (and her soul mate Robert Mapplethorpe) she found her path. From poetry to performance poetry to performance poetry with music, she became the front person in her own successful band. The story of her music career stops after the recording of her first album, but the story of her lifelong friendship with Robert continues.

Usually I am nervous starting to read an autobiography as I'm never sure if the persons writing is going to be up to scratch, but you can certainly tell that this author is a wordsmith. She is in full command of the language and has wonderful poetic phrases without being showy or too flowery. She is humble and un-pretentious. 5 stars.

I read The Chosen many years ago.. and I dont remember one thing..
maybe I will do a reread someday..
I have heard about the Patti Smith book.. I may have to add that to my maybe someday list..

#140, re: the Chosen....ha ha, I guess it has a subtle plot! Not all the action of some books that sticks in ones mind :-)

Book 16
I am David by Anne Holm

Thanks to Mothers Day sleep in I got to read the whole first half of this book on Sunday, and then finished it off last night. It's not one that needs to be ploughed through that's for sure (is it YA maybe).

The story follows 12 year old David as he escapes from a concentration camp and makes his way to Denmark- as he is advised to by one of his captors. He has never known "the outside" so it really is a journey of discovery for him. Used to hardship and having the manner of an adult already he copes very well with the struggles of fatigue, the unknown and hunger.

I liked the observations that David made and the way he made sense of his world but I found there was more lacking than stood out. 3 stars.

Just started my next book club book and once again the only copies in the library are in large print.....weird...this is beginning to become a theme! There are so many pages in Fall on Your Knees that they had to make them of very thin paper, so they slip and slide all over the place when you read it.
Just an observation :-)

I remember loving I am David and reading it several times when I was a kid. Will definitely be a re-read when my kids are bigger, but I don't like it when they don't come up to my mythical Favourite Book of Childhood standard!

#144 Ha ha, I did the same with an old Enid Blyton classic, funnily enough I remembered it being a lot longer nd more involved when I was a kid!

>144 cushlareads: & 145There are books I refuse to re-read for fear that they won't live up to memory...I caught them at that perfect moment when they were just right. The first volume of the The Jungle Books (the Mowgli part) is one; Mac's posting about it reminded me that The Call of the Wild another.

OK, I am 40+ messages behind and not even trying to catch up, Megan. Just checking in :)

#146 yes, too true, some books are just so good that any chance that they might not be as good second time around is too much of a risk :-)

#147 Hi Stasia, thanks for checking in! I thought you were snubbing me :-( Just joking, I know you're busy busy busy catching up!

I did reread the Narnia books again and while I could pick up the very young adult style of the book that I never noticed when I was a kid, the stories still remained good for me. I've also glanced at some Enid Blyton's that I read as a kid and had the same feeling. A good story never grows old.

*waving* at Megan

Ive been away for a long weekend and managed to get a lot of reading done YAY! Just about finished my book club read- Fall on Your Knees. It's odd.....but more about that once I finish!

#149 I only ever read The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe of that series, I think I could manage a re-read as I can barely remember it anyway :-)

#150 Thanks!!

#151: I have not read all of the Narnia books either. I think I lack The Magician's Nephew and The Last Battle...come to think of it, I might never have read Prince Caspian either. Not sure if I just remember the series/movie or if I've read it. Great stories though :)

How are you Megan?

I'm curious regarding your final thoughts on Fall on Your Knees. I was able to but a copy of this book for .10 at a local library sale.

All the best to you!

#152 Im great today thanks, the little one gave me a full nights sleep, i feel all strange....and....refreshed. It is unusual !! :-) ha ha. The other little one (in utero) is good too.

#153 I've nearly finished it so will do a mini review tomorrow maybe, .10 is a decent price for any boook- well done!

Glad to hear that your long weekend was a good one, Megan!

Book 17
Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald

This book is mega-saga about a family in the early 1900's. So - much - happens - to - this - family! It is a really full on story and I found that I couldn't stop wanting to read it. Here I was sneaking off trying my hardest to sneak ten minutes here or there to read. That's how I know I'm enjoying a book!

BUT, even though the plot was compelling I found the writing a bit elusive at times. Things were alluded to in a tantalizing way that frustrated me. I couldn't quite tie together what was being said, this could have been a case of too much information I think. The book, or at least some of the characters, seemed to me to have a mystical quality to them as well, this confused me genre-wise.

Overall I loved the ride, but I dont know how long this book will stay with me! 3.5 stars (maybe 4 stars??!?).

#156: I may have to give that one a try. I am glad you liked it, Megan!

#156: Adding that to my list:) Have a great weekend, Megan!

#158 I had a great weekend thanks! Our FIRST child free night in over 2 1/2 years. My sis took the little one and me and my partner went to a motel in a resort spa town for a night. We went cheap on accommodation so we could splurge in dinner! It was amazing- (I had chicken pot-pie with parsnip mash, honey-glazed carrots and pinot noir jus)- so much fun....and went so quickly.

Sounds fantastic, I used to enjoy those rare nights out as well although we'd always end up talking about the kids for some reason.

I know, isnt it crazy. My sister brought our boy and his 2 little cousins up for the day the next day and we all went to the hot pools and had fish and chips for lunch. I have to say- she did well with a 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 year old by herself for the night!

>156 LovingLit:: I remember reading Fall on Your Knees and liking it, but I couldn't tell you much about it today. Some books just don't stick with you I guess. That's okay, as I recall, there were some scenes in that book (was it sexual abuse?) that I'd just as soon forget.

Megan, when is the new baby due to arrive? I need to check back in with the Baby Thread to see if anyone has had their little one yet. I can't wait to see pictures of all our future readers!

Our FIRST child free night in over 2 1/2 years. My sis took the little one and me and my partner went to a motel in a resort spa town for a night.

WOOHOO! Now that is a great night!

I remember our first baby-free night after having B. My mom gave us a hotel night complete with childcare ... so we could get to work on #2. It worked. ;)

This weekend we're leaving both overnight for the first time, and I'm both stoked and nervous that I'll forget something important. I can blame baby brain if I do, right?

I'm glad to hear your sister did well - that means there may be another baby-free night in your future!

Hooray for the baby-free night, Megan!

#162 Im due 21 July- less than 2 months to go (but already the size of a "ready-to-dropp'er!). I really really must get a new camera, without one there will be no photos full stop-let alone here on LT.
Yes on a few hairy scenes in that book, not complete in their description thank goodness but enough to make me go ICK!
How are you? No damage in your area from tornadoes? We heard on the news here about Joplin, hopefully you not near there.

#163 It's pretty exciting to be child free for a whole evening then morning! We were like excited school children giggling and carrying on :-) Have fun on your one!

#164 Thanks Stasia, it really was refreshing.

I'll admit that I'm most looking forward to the morning: no three-foot alarm clock. Ah!

July is our big birthday month around here...my husband, daughter, niece, and numerous cousins. I usually have one big birthday dinner to cover all of them.

No tornado damage here. Joplin is about 60 miles southwest of us. My sister-in-law lives there and is fine. Her house didn't have much damage, but they're without electricity and have to ration water because of low water pressure.

By all means get yourself a new camera, Megan, before the baby arrives!

#167, September/October is the birthday marathon in my family, (me, my son, my dad, mum, nan, 3 nephews and 3 friends!). Isnt it funny how they seem to come in bunches. I've already started buying gifts as I know I'll be busy with new baby when it gets close to birthday time. Then I get to buy Christmas presents too- I love choosing things for people!

If Catey had been born in December rather than January, our family's birthdays would all have been 3 months apart: Mine is March, Beth's is June, and Kerry's is in September.

That's nice! Plenty of time to give each person their special day.

Book 18
Silk by Alessandro Baricco

I didn't get this book. It was so short and yet the story seemed to me to have so much to tell. I was grabbed my some amazing phrasing in parts but simply wanted more. The story of the yearly travels from France to Japan were skimmed over in one short paragraph when they could have been a whole novel in themselves (although the multiple tellings of that repeated journey was interesting). Other LT'ers loved it- maybe I just missed something. 2.5 stars.

Oooh, a child-free night and day! Yay for you! That dinner sounded lovely too. We still don't get many of those together (but lots where one of us has both kids now and the other goes off - but still, not nearly as good as someone else looking after them.)

#171: I know several people in the group have recommended Silk, Megan. I am sorry it was not a book for you. Hopefully you will enjoy your next read much more!

Oh I'm sorry to see you didn't like that one as much as me. It's interesting that you wanted the travel sections longer, for me that was one of my favourite parts of the book, lyrical, mystical and each time with a tiny detail changed (like the name of the lake) to reflect the passing of time and the changing of attitudes.

I've seen the movie adaption of Silk which I enjoyed for the beautiful location shots. I hadn't realised it was based on a book until I started seeing the reviews on LT.

#172, they are precious gold arent they, a change is as good as a holiday!

#173 I know! I really thought Id love it, but I probably had a preconceived idea about it which can alter things

#174 Im sorry too- I feel almost rude not loving the book when you did! ha ha, But I did enjoy the way the journey was told and re-told.
....to reflect the passing of time and the changing of attitudes that is true, I like how you've put that.

#175, I had no idea there was a film, sounds interesting!

Stas, Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald is good, at least, I liked it.. and I think you will too !

Stopping by to wave hi

#177 Howdy Kath- it was a good read

#178 Hi Linda- see you around :-)

Megan, would just like to say hi. Been with LT since January 2011 and enjoying discussing with like minded bookies. Good luck with your impending. My sister is July 20 and she is probably the most driven person I know so you might have your hands full coming soon!

#180, Hi Paul- we have some of my favourite books in common- cool. I travelled in Malaysia on 2 occasions and loved it (twice!). How long have you been there? I'm slightly scared of having my hands so full soon, our 2.5 year old already takes care of that so it can only be a case of piling more and more on! Will have to take it as it comes.

#177: Thanks, Kath. I will give the book a try!

*waving at Megan*

#181 Megan - I've been in Malaysia since May 1994 (my more cynical friends tell me that sentencing in Sout East Asia is notoriously draconian!) Love it to be honest despite (or because of the constant showering).
Sympathise with the hands full business. Me and Hani my missus (more her to be fair) churned out Yasmyne, Kyran and Belle in the space of seven years (1997, 1999 and 2004) and the hard work doesn't lessen it just gets different. Good luck and I hope that several weighty tomes take your mind off your impending and surely rewarding struggles.

#183 What is a struggle if not rewarding? That's it really isn't it, lucky for kids they are so amazing that one smile or sweet comment will melt your heart and make you forget all the *frustrations* of the day :-)

One weighty tome arrived today- an impulse buy....with three more to follow!! Maybe this is the nesting phase for me- feathering my nest with books!
(1)The Picture of Dorian Gray (the green eyed monster showed up after looking at Luxx's thread)
(2)The Great Gatsby (this one is intended as a gift- maybe I might read it first to check its suitability)
(3)The Outsider (got to have some existentialism)
(4)And- a catalogue of Penguin Classics for only 90p!

#184 Megan, you've probably just about listed them in the right order. The Great Gatsby like A Catcher in the Rye doesn't quite do it for me as a "rites of passage" classic. I guess I am too British or not enough American to appreciate it. My fave three american novels of a similar nature would probably be To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men and O' Pioneers!. Non-american give me Cider With Rosie, Fame is the Spur and How Green Was My Valley. The Picture of Dorian Gray has moments of exquisite ironic wit and is a one-sitting read. I "enjoyed" all of Camus but I do like The Plague the most. ENJOY

184 - Ooo, it all sounds good to me! Did you buy the same pretty edition I bought the monsters?

I'm a big fan of Great Gatsby, and I'm pretty fond of The Outsiders as well. Good choices, madam!

#185 I "enjoyed" all of Camus
I think I know what you mean already!

#186 Yes, same edition, that's what I loved about it. I was day dreaming about winning lotto and buying the entire classics collection, but then I wondered if I would appreciate them as much as I would by getting one every now and then and being so excited about each one. Man, I'm just too sensible!

I'm a sucker for pretty editions, especially of books I already love. I have six or seven copies of the complete works of Shakespeare, and when Brooks (Dorian) was born I bought myself a copy of The Picture of Dorian Gray from 1917.

I do love those cloth-covered editions, but I think I can only justify buying them for the monsters, considering how many copies I already have of so many of them... ;)

Book 19
Falling Man by Don DeLillo

I like DeLillos way. He seems to be able to describe every day details in a really sparse way but give a lot of detail at he same time. A sort of controlled rambling. It's not that the issues he is writing about are light weight, they are full on. This book deals with a man who was in the Twin Towers on the morning of September 11, 2001. It follows his physical journey away from danger and then his journey of healing (or trying to) in the weeks and then years afterward. 4 stars.

I have Falling Man around here somewhere.. I think..

I've only read his White Noise and that was years ago before the children but Falling Man sounds like a similar approach to his writing.

#190 it wasn't a long book - in case that helps you bump it up the pile and get onto it :-) It might mean more you you as an American, although it's not as if we all didn't cry when we watched.

#191I read White Noise a few years ago and loved it, I'd never heard of DeLillo at that point and felt like I'd stumbled on someone great.

Meanwhile.....Im off on a long weekend :-) Thanks to the Queen having a birthday we all get a day off work! Yippee. See you all in a few days......aaaaah holidays.

Enjoy your long weekend, Megan. Hope you get a little reading in too.

I have not read anything by DeLillo yet. I need to get to him one of these days!

Have a wonderful long weekend, Megan!

Enjoy Megan, I'm staying home for the three days myself, in fact I can see myself forgetting on monday morning and getting ready for work..

#193 Hi Lynda, I did get a little reading time, my partner took our son to the local pool one morning and I spent the time lying on the king size bed reading Oscar Wilde and glancing at the stormy sea from time to time. Wow, that sounds even more fun when I reread that sentence!!

#194 I'm not sure which of his would be the best to start with, Ive only read 3, but there are some populist ones thats for sure, I wonder if that means they are best to start on?!

#195 Staying home can be good too on long weekends, but YAY did you hear there was a zero road toll this long weekend for the first time in a lot of years. That's always good :-)

Hey there Megan - did I miss your thoughts on Lay of the Land? Or have you been distracted? Have you read Independence Day? I just love his books! He is like a male Anne Tyler.

*Waves* Hi Megan, I found your thread! :)

A stormy sea sounds lovely

I love watching stormy seas, strangely quite a relaxing thing to watch. We have a sea view where we live although I wish we were a bit closer, close enough to see the dolphins with binoculars which I did last weekend. Yep, I did see the zero road toll, a very good thing, first such weekend in 60 years!

Now, which Oscar were you glancing at?

#197 Prue, I must confess, I've been reading Independence Day for quite a few months! It was a great antidote to the one I read previously (which I considered pretty badly written). And once I had read half, I got distracted and started to dwardle a little.....so have read heaps of books inbetween. I only have about 30 pages to go and do love going back to it as I feel I need some quality prose!
ps I haven't heard of Anne Tyler, I must do some research....

#198 Hi Stephen! I didn't deliberately try to hide from you :-0
At least this time I remembered to have my name in the title, not like last time.

#199 Oh yes, I love the stormy sea. Our West Coast seas are amazing like that. Breakers way way out to sea and a fantastic noise.

#200 I would LOVE a sea view, (or at least one that isn't the neighbours fence....), my dads place has an enviable view and it is such a pleasure to cook in the kitchen while glancing at the sea!
I was/am reading The Picture of Dorian Gray- a case of the green eyed monster when I saw the photo of the Penguin Classic edition on Luxx's thread. I plain went and bought it!

#197 Hello Megan - fellow LT, Paul Cranswick thinks I should get half Anne Tyler's royalties - I plug her books so much! She has been shortlisted more than once for the Pulitzer, and won it at least once - she was also a shortlist for the International Booker for authors, this year. I would recommend Digging for America and also Breathing Lessons as good introductions to her work....

Thanks! Another couple for the "check if the library has it" list!

#197 Prue did I say half? If you get so much then give me a ten % agents fee. I need the dosh after buying so many books recently I'm skint (broke) already,

#202 Megan I loved Picture of Dorian Gray when I read it years ago. The modern day Oscar Wilde is probably Stephen Fry - keep meaning to try his books - have you read any?

Hi Stephen! I didn't deliberately try to hide from you

Hmmmm, interesting...most women do deliberately try to hide from me. It's good to know there are some out there that are doing it merely be accident. :P

Found and starred. Might have to move Falling Man up a few on my TBR.

#205 I've not read Stephen Fry before and this is my first Wilde too!

#206 lol

#207 Hi there- it is an interestingly written book. I hope you enjoy it!

#205/208 Couldn't agree more about Stephen Fry being the new Oscar Wilde - perfect casting of him playing Wilde in the movie, too. Fry's writing is as witty and erudite as you would expect. On Wilde, when I was a child we had a story recording (on vinyl of course) of 'The Little Prince' narrated by Orson Welles and featuring Bing Crosby (yes, truly). I thought it the saddest story I had ever heard and it never failed to move me to tears...

OK, I'll whisper this... Dorian Gray was one I had to abandon last year, couldn't get into it at all. After reading the same second page for the umpteeth time, I realised it wasn't the book for me. Now of course I'm starting to wonder what I missed.

OK I'll whisper that I have never read any Dickens. I bought Great Expectations a while back because I was feeling virtuous, but it was in the middle of my W&P read and now it's the last thing I feel like reading...

I haven't read any Dickens either...shhhh, don't tell anyone.

#210,211 & 212

Guess we all have writers and books like that. Could never see the point or get excited about The Great Gatsby, Catcher in the Rye, and find most of Norman Mailer incomprehensible or dull or both. Do like Dickens and Oscar Wilde but recognise that both were to some extent creatures of their time and I guess I'm rather old fashioned.

You guys crack me up! Talk about an avalanche of True Confessions! Paul, you may or may not be old-fashioned - I think those of us brought up under the influence of an English education are spoonfed Dickens along with our porridge and marmite.

I loved Dickens when I read it... when my kids were young..
At lest one of them loved him too.. the books have moved on.

>210 KiwiNyx: I abandoned The Picture of Dorian Gray years ago and have never tried to go back and read it. My tastes have evolved since then so I have no idea if I could make it through it now or not, but it's not a high priority at the moment. I'm just glad to know I'm not the only person who abandoned it.

I have never read anything by .... Oscar Wilde, George Elliot, James Joyce, Salman Rushdie, Joyce Carol Oates, Iris Murdoch. There are more, but I think I'll be okay.

# 217 I abandoned Ulysses at page one, never read Salman Rushdie either. Never read Gulliver's Travels, Middlemarch. Mill on the Floss, Vanity Fair. Most shamefully - to me - I have yet to read any of the numerous books on my shelves by Australia's own Peter Carey. I should be shot at dawn and torn apart by a rabid wombat.

#215-218 George Eliot, Anthony Trollope, George Meredith and Melville all stare down at me from my book-shelves surely wondering why I went to the trouble of buying them if I was going to be too intimidated to read them! Keep meaning to get round to trying them to be honest but sympathise with Prue in that Mill on the Floss, Gravity's Rainbow and Ulysses have been tentatively started previously and cast aside a few pages in as too daunting by half.......maybe when I grow up I'll be able to tackle them.

Oh, I have been told that Pynchon is just pretentious toe-rot, so I have no guilt attached to my non-reading of him!

I'm a Victorianist who can't stand Dickens, but I always feel like I should give him another chance; I feel like I may appreciate him more now that I'm away from my snotty undergraduate years. Maybe.

I've never understood what all the hubbub is about James Joyce, and I can't stand William Faulkner, Nathaniel Hawthorne, or John Steinbeck.

I'm a Wilde fan, but I've never heard of Stephen Frye. But if he's not dead and British that's really not surprising.

*sidetracked to Amazon*

Oh wait, I DO know who he is! As an actor, at least.

Well, Im enjoying The Picture of Dorain Gray! And I'm not just saying that cos Luxx is looking :-)
There are definitely authors out there that I just dont get along with and I think Dickens is one of them, I read Oliver Twist(?) years ago and when I came across a sentence that was a whole half page long (small type!), I realised I wasn't really getting into it..... to put it nicely. But, I did finish it as I hate to leave books half done. That is why I can say that I'm "still reading" One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest even though I started it about 8 years ago ;-)
#211 Cushla, after W&P I think a cheesy easy - or at least just short one would be good!

#212 That's it, I'm telling everyone I know! There's someone out there who loves books but hasn't read any Dickens! *gasp*

#213 I read The Great Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye at school, I do intend to give them another go though as think I'd like to figure out what the hype is about.

#214 You guys cracked me up as well with all the confessions! Looks like its addictive.

#215 Kath, see my confession in #222 :-) I'm sure I read that one "sentence" 6 times and just couldn't understand it's point!

#216 I wonder that too, if my tastes have changed enough to go back to something I didn't like and give it another try.

#217 Out of your list I've only read Iris Murdoch....and found it a bit of a slog. Salman Rushdie is on my "must try and read one day" list though.

#218/220 Prue, dont be ashamed! We dont all have to read everything! lol I know what you mean though, It's taken as criminal not to read your nations loved authors!
Eek, I have Pynchon on my bedside table - (which means it's a "read soon" one) Ive already read the first page twice.....this doesn't bode well.

#219 maybe when I grow up I'll be able to tackle them
Good luck with that! Let me know what the cut off age is :-)

#221 So you dont know any living British people? Thanks goodness for Google :-)

Hello Megan - hope all is well with you and your burgeoning belly. Here across the ditch we are celebrating Liz's birthday THIS weekend, so I am enjoying one of those leisurely Sundays.....Hope you are getting in as much reading as you can - can't imagine you will find much 'me' time once the baby arrives....do you know the sex? Or are you hoping for a surprise??

224 - I don't know any living authors, with the exception of Pratchett and a handful of others. ;)

#225 burgeoning belly "growing nicely" says midwife (translates to "you have a gigantic baby in there"). Lapping up the me time, went to the babies room to lie in the sun and read this lunchtime and woops- fell asleep! Cant complain about that!

#226 Oh good :-) Now that I think, I can only probably think of a few....so I take back my cheeky comment up there

I do enough confessing over on my own thread to join in here, but it is so much fun to know that I am not alone in this regard. I'm doing a reread of The Picture of Dorian Gray next month to commemorate the birth of Luxx's Oscar...oops, better make that Victor or my cyber-Grandma status will be revoked!

Is there anything I should read for you and the new baby, Megan? Please give "gigantic baby" a pat on the head (or whatever body part is handy) from me. My Buddha Baby is coming to visit this week. Haley will be 9-months-old on Friday. She weighed almost 20 pounds at 6 months - at the 100th percentile on the charts. Cute as a button (says Grandma), but a big girl!

I'm a fan of big healthy babies, Donna. Give Haley a squish for me!

Both my girls were big and healthy (8'12" and 8'15") but they still fitted size 0000 clothing in their first 2 weeks. Even big babies are so tiny. I loved all the phases of them growing up but the newborn phase was one of my absolute favourite. And the smell.. oh, to die for. Even if you don't use Johnson's baby powder on them, that is what all newborns smell like.

Very intrigued by your review of Just Kids - not overly familiar with Patti Smith (I mean, I don't have any of her albums) but I am quite a Mapplethorpe fan...another for the WL. I know exactly what you mean about new baby smell. Johnson's baby powder brings back powerful memories! (or powderful memories - you can all groan at the pun)

#228 oh thanks Donna for the thoughts *pat pat* (think that was baby's spine I patted on your behalf) If you want to read something for our baby, make it something where there is a lot of sleeping and not a lot of crying going on in it! That'd be lovely.

#229 big babies are great - they have a lot to work with!

#230 Our first was 8'13", if this one is any bigger I'm going to have to have a ceasarian I'm told.

#231 I didn't have such an interest in Mapplethorpe, so wasn't bothered, but heard a reviewer say that if you are, there isn't that much in there about him. I dont want you to be disappointed.
PS the only memories that Johnsons baby products bring back for me is travelling in Asia, the baby products were smaller/lighter to carry and cheap and I always used them on myself!

Book 20
The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman

I ran to the library on a whim after reading about it on (was it you?) Cushla's thread. I broke my own personal rule of not reading any reviews til after I finish a book as I wasn't really getting it. But once I figured out it was black comedy type of story I got it a lot more. And I was already enjoying it a lot, so was able to enjoy it more.

It was clever and it was witty and it did feature a lot of people I could only re-describe as losers! Harsh but true. Slightly sad in that regard, but human nonetheless. I read it pretty quickly and now its back to my high brow book :-) 3 stars

#224 They say that age is a number Megan so I guess the cut-off point will be when I'm not much able to count anymore.

#231 Patti Smith was the one had a cult album success with "Horses" from 1975 and has a voice that sounds something like a blunt food processor trying to blend brazil nuts.

#232 As an extremely small baby (less than 4 lbs) I hope and trust your impending comes fairly close to the weight of your first but not much bigger as I'm sure your eyes will water...

232 - My first was 8'13 (at 41 weeks), my second was 8'11 (39 weeks), and I have a feeling this one will be slightly bigger. My husband was a preemie (weighed 2 pounds at birth), and was afraid of having small babies. Thankfully, that's not genetic!

My friend's second baby was over 10 pounds at birth, and she managed a natural delivery without a single tear or complication!

231 - A friend once told me that the newborn smell is actually the baby burning off excess red blood cells. I've actually never checked him on that...

#234 - I remember the album well enough, Paul - I remember she had hairy armpits on display! Just not an album I have listened to apart from one song w3hich eludes me. Great description of her voice - lol

Glad you liked The Imperfectionists and well done for getting it read before it was due back.

At about 36 weeks with Fletcher we went to our GP, who was my LMC (translation for non-NZers: Lead Maternity Carer) and he said there was one big baby in there and he reckoned over 9 pounds. I made my husband buy me cake and coffee immediately to recover (it kind of worked...) And after all that he was an average 7 pound 6 baby! Big usually means healthy though... good luck for the next few weeks!

#234 eyes will water
Yes Paul, I'd say!

#235 2 pounds! Holy moly, I cant even imagine a baby that small.

#236 True about the interesting voice, I like it- and love her poetry.

#237 Thanks Cushla, I like the coffee and cake therapy!

Lucky for me I didn't go into labour today I reckon- we had a 5.5 magnitude earthquake and then an hour later a 6.0. It is ridiculous. 47000 people without power, lots of those already without toilets from the Feb quake, silt all over the roads again, a frosty night ahead. Thank goodness we are on the other side of the city. I'm seriously over earthquakes.

Really glad you are ok. Have just been reading all about it and it's horrible enough just reading. I really hope that's your last earthquake till the end of July...

Those poor people! But I'm very glad you made it through unscathed.

ye gods.. earthquakes again?
Glad you are okay..

#241 ye gods.. earthquakes again?
yes Kath, but more like, Ye Gods, Earthquakes STILL! There have been thousands since Sept last year, and luckily the biggish ones only come every now and then, but a normal week would have at least 3 shakes we all feel and more that we dont (like because driving or moving around).

Our central city has been cordoned off since Feb- over 500 buildings demolished or due to be demolished. Peoples houses un inhabitable because of silt pushed to the surface into their homes (that's what you get if you drain a swamp and build a city on it!).

Anybody watch the Tony Awards last night?

Sarah Allen
(my creative writing blog)

So sorry to hear of more shocks - I've been following this quite cloesely as the company I work for has offices in Christchurch - and clients and employees. It must be so frightening. You seem to have a remarkably sto8ic attitude to it all, though, I must say!

#243 Hello Sarah - not sure that you looked at the preceding posts to yours - your entry seems a bit random in amongst a discussion of serious earthquake trauma and impending pregnancy. Just an observation :-)

#245 thanks for that Prue! That one might be spam....

I can be stoic because our house isnt too affected, we just have the constant low level anxiety of another shake coming- like everyone else. My first reaction is always to get my stance ready- balance first, then get ready to run for the doorway via wherever the little one is!

All my best wishes to you and your loved ones present and future Megan. Don't stress too much and I'm sure that all will be well.

#245 Prue, if there was a LIKE button here I would be clicking it now.

Sorry to hear of yet another earthquake down your way, Megan! I am glad to hear that you and yours are safe though.

Stoic? Hmmm. Earthquakes sound absolutely terrifying.
Keep safe.. hope they just.. go away.. soon.

> 248 If only we had a like button.

Megan, am glad to hear that you are okay. I've spoken to so many people since monday and they are all so shaken and tired of the never-ending shakes, I think the whole country has nothing but the utmost respect for cantabrians and their amazing attitude in the face of such a traumatic situation.

I'm actually coming down to Christchurch in November and am already quite emotional at the prospect of seeing the damage in my old city, hats off to you all that are living through it and stay safe!

#247 It will all be ok, just waiting it out at present, thanks for the thoughts

#249 Hi Stasia, there is so much disaster in the world it hardly seems fair to complain- but still, it is what it is, and that is a hassle!

#250 It's amazing how you do get used to them though! :-) I'm an old hat now

#251 Thanks so much for the kind words, it is incredibly emotional seeing the landmarks you grew up with in rubble. You see the sky where you havent before- because a great big "solid" building is no longer there in front of it. Strange times.

New Thread!

http://www.librarything.com/topic/119080