What Are You Reading Now (Feb/2011)?

I'm on my final Canada Reads book, Unless by Carol Shields.

Craving a little fiction I started One Hundred Years of Solitude yesterday and I can hardly put it down.

I'm almost finished My Stroke of Insight, which is a memoir by a brain scientist who has a stroke. And today is the first, so I'm starting my big book for the month: Nicholas Nickleby, by Dickens. I think it's going to take me a while, so I probably won't be around this thread much.

Reading The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield for a group read here on LT - Excellent so far!

In the middle of Silence of the Grave, my second Icelandic based and written mystery. Enjoying it quite thoroughly. @4 The Thirteenth Tale is a lucious as it looks.. enjoy!

Just starting The Sisters of Sinai by Janet Soskice about two sisters who, in the late 1800's, went looking for the bible as it was originally written. Now I am reading about their first trip to Egypt in 1868. It's quite good!

Just started Elizabeth George's This Body of Death. I love her writing, but does she have to keep making each book longer that the last? This one is 689 pages long - much too long for fun reading.

Addendum: Seems touchstones aren't working for anyone today.

I finished You Suck A Love Story by Christopher Moore. It was hilarious!
Now back to Charles Foran's biography of Mordecai Richler.

I've recently finished G. by John Berger and am now well into The Thirteenth Tale by Dianne Setterfield.
Happy Groundhog Day to all my fellow Canadian Bookworms!

He also wrote Bloodsucking Fiends and Bite Me as part of a vampire trilogy -- They are also funny.

I'm reading Fearless by Rafael Yglesias, an early reviewer book - although I was skeptical at first, it gets better by the page.

I'm reading the latest edition of Canada Among Nations 2009-2010: As Others See Us, edited by Paul Heinbecker and Fen Osler Hampson

Finished Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indridason and I enjoyed it so much! Great character development, fascinating insight into domestic violence - really a fabulous read. I enjoyed it quite a bit more than Jar City. I had intended to move onto a book outside of this Icelandic series, but I am so captivated by the series, I am just starting Voices. @13 Sounds like a fascinating read.

I finished Ape House, kind of a 'potato-chip' offering from Sara Gruen, and have started Great House. Is there a bit of a theme here?

eta: Also reading Secret Daughter and finding it boooring.

The Thirteenth Tale is a delicious memory. I wonder if she's written anything since then?

I have just finished Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum. It was a great if difficult read. I am planning to read Secret Daughter but haven't heard much to recommend it...

@Scat - I enjoyed Secret Daughter as did a couple of my friends. It's not the heaviest book in the world, but it was an interesting and enjoyable read. I would give it 3- 3.5 points. I forget which I gave it.
@loosha - I've been watching for another book by Diane Setterfield, the author of The Thirteenth Tale and I've not seen anything. I'd love another book by her too!

I just finished Maxine Hong Kingston's The Woman Warrior. Beautiful. I'm now reading Dionne Brand's What We All Long For.

I am reading Annabel and loving it. I think that it should have won a prize of some sort.

I'm reading Alice Munro's collection, My Best Stories

I just finished This Body of Death by Elizabeth George - all 680 pages of it and it was worth the effort. It just kept racing along and I hated to put it down. Next up is Seeking Whom He May Devour by Fred Vargas.

I'm reading Booked to Die by John Dunning - a very interesting read on the book market and collectors.

My husband and I are readig The Ancient Tea Horse Road by Jeff Fuchs on our daily commute.

And, I'm uncharacteristcally reading science fiction, Wake by Robert J. Sawyer for a book club.

I am reading `The Three Muskateers`. An excellent book which I haven`t got to read before now. I am also reading Tacitus, who is a Imperial Roman commentator. (Corrected for typos)

I finished The Thirteenth Tale last night - great story - and have now moved on to The Lacemakers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri.

23: I would love to hear what you think of The Ancient Tea Horse Road. I have had my eye on that book for a while but have not got a copy yet.

fmgee, will let you know. But, reading aloud is a slow process, so be patient.

Finished Voices by my current favourite author, Arnaldur Indriason. I really enjoyed it. The character development is getting better in each book. The mystery is there -but as much as that - the story intertwined the character of the murdered person with the Dectective's childhood experinces as well as tying in his great difficulties with having relationships with others, most especially family. He really explored some interesting themes . Well - one book has led to the other, and now I am reading The Draining Lake by the same author. I can understand why he has won a number of awards.

Lynn - how fabulous that you and your husband can share your love of reading together the way you do.

Just finished the Essex County graphic novel trilogy by Jeff Lemire. His drawings and sparse language conveyed both the bleakness of rural Ontario and the poignancy of ordinary lives. Enjoyed it more than I expected.

Absolutely loved Annabel by Kathleen Winter!

I have finished Quelque chose en lui de bartleby by Philippe Delerm, a reflection on how to take time slowly and appreciate life's little gifts.
I have started the Swedish detective classic Roseanna by Marj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö in French translation - I love the oppressing atmosphere and slow progression; makes even more eerie.

I'm reading What They Wanted by Donna Morrissey and i'm in love with every sentence. I can't wait to review it when i'm finished.

@31 - I also loved Annabel!! I too felt it deserved an award.

Finished The Lace Makers of Glenmara - found it to be a heartfelt, charming story about community, friendship, find your way and, of course, lace making! Next up is Frida's Bed by Slavenka Drakulic, a story focused on the inner life of artist Frida Kahlo.

Finished Frida's Bed by Slavenka Drakulic - A truly amazing, brilliant mosaic of Frida's life and her work. I posted a review on the book page. Next up is Still Life by Louise Penny. Time for me to make a visit to Three Pines and find out what has captured so much interest.

I finished Secret Daughter and understand why some found it to be didactic. When I was in India in 1994 I read a May You Be the Mother of a Hundred Sons so I was already aware of the challenges faced by parents of daughters. It wasn't a bad read, just one that was "blah" for want of a better more literary term. Now I am reading another "blah" book that I picked up at the grocery store in a brain-fart moment -- Faceless Killers. I made the mistake of buying it because it had a sticker stating "What to read next for fans of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Like I said, not my brightest moment! Anyway, it is not a bad read but a "blah" read. I am looking for sometihng to read next..... and hoping for something to pull me out of "blah".

I'm still plowing my way through Infinite Jest but since it's not an easy task, I'm allowing myself to indulge in other, less dense, reading. So you can add Just Kids by Patti Smith and the current group-read book (in another group) A World Undone to my February readling list.

Finished Faceless Killers -- just blah blah blah...not at all like Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. No character development, no unexpected, bizarre twists -- not like 28 Seconds with complex, clever, and likeable characters... Moral: Think twice before buying a book at the grocery store....oh well.... Today a new book miraculously appeared on my desk: The Beauty of Humanity Movement by Camilla Gibb. I am looking forward to reading it...I only read the first page and the writing is delicious. "He pushes the firewood, braziers and giant pots balanced on his wooden cart through the streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter in the middle of the night and sets up his stall in a sliver of alleyway, on an oily patch of factory ground, at the frayed edge of a park or in the hollow carcass of a building under construction." Now there is wonderful sentence!

After many years of wanting to read it and after having seen the movie, I'm finally delving into The World According to Garp by John Irving. I'm definitely finding Irving's unique story telling ability, but so far it lacks the sensitivity found in A Prayer for Owen Meany.

For some reason, I seem to have been busy with other things this week. At long last, I have finished The Draining Lakeby Arnadaldur Indridason. What a fascinating tale! Good character development, and a fabulous look into East Berlin before World War 11. The story goes back and forth between 2004 and sometime in the 1930's. It's bleak, but I am really enjoying this interesting and well written series!

So guess what my next read is - the next in the series - Arctic Chill by the same author. I am so boring! ;)

I finished Still Life by Louise Penny a few days ago - such a quick, enjoyable mystery read! - and have been grabbing snatches of time, usually first thing in the morning, to read Helen Humphrey's WW II novel The Lost Garden.

I just finished Jane Urquhart's Sanctuary Line, and I am close to wrapping up Louise Dupré's collection, High-wire Summer—both will get excellent recommendations from me, I can promise you that! It's great to see such diverse reading tastes on here, too!

I am loving The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor by Sally Armstrong. Reading about a woman alone surviving winter in northern New Brunswick is enough to make me feel better about yet another stormy day.

Nice to meet those of you that are new - at least to me! Welcome to the thread!

44: You will have to let me know how you like The Nine Lives of Charlotte Taylor, I have that buried in mount TBR!

After spending a month with some shorter classics I am coming back to CanLit. Visiting Prince Edward Island at the moment with Anne of Green Gables (I don't think I actually ever read it!) and The Island Means Minago which is PEI Poetry.

Bcteagirl - I hope you love Anne of Green Gables. I now live on PEI but I have loved Anne ever since I read her as a young teen in Manitoba and Ontario (air force brat). I read all the series that goes from Anne's youth to her adulthood.) I also recently enjoyed a prequel, requested to be written by LM Montgomery's heirs, which was absolutely wonderful. It was written by Budge Wilson and full captured the magic of Anne. I tend to reread Anne every ten years or so and it still is magical. As you can tell, it's my favourite CanLit book!

I didn't even know about the prequel, thanks!

Oh thanks arcona for letting me know about the prequel!! I was a big fan of all of Lucy Maude Montgomery's books in my young teens -and I read all of the Anne of Green Gable series, as well as her many other books.
I'll be looking for the prequel!

BCteagirl - enjoy Anne of Green Gables! :)

My husband and I have just started You Can't Say That in Canada by Margaret Wente.

Lynne - let us know how it is . . . I got a copy for free last year and haven't had time to read it yet. But it looks interesting.

I've put aside Nicholas Nickleby for the moment because I'm really involved in February, by Lisa Moore.

Being a chilly week in February, I just finished--and loved--February by Lisa Moore. Highly recommended.

I have been meaning to pick up February for a few months now. Glad to hear it comes highly recommended!

I haven't posted here in a while so as a quick update this past week I have read The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean and Dead Cold by Louise Penny. I am now reading the steampunk novel The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook, and really enjoying it so far as it is mainly an alternate reality murder mystery.

I finished By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham. A total dud for me; really disliked the main character who was whiny and self-centered and found the writing pretentious. I felt the author's sole purpose with that book was to spread his knowledge like most of us spread jam on bread (hmm, French expression... not sure it translates well!)

At long last, I have finished Arctic Chill by Arnaldur Indriason. It was excellent. 4 stars. I am uncertain as to my next read for the moment... either a non - fiction book on the Rape of Nanking - a period of history that I am interested in - or a light read like Someone Will Be With You Shortly by Lisa Kogan. I am uncertain as yet. I look forward to reading the last in the Arnaldur Indriason series, Hypothermia but I think I will take a break from this rather depressing but fascinating and insightful series.

I'm currently reading Charlotte Gray's Gold Diggers: Striking it Rich in the Klondike. I earlier enjoyed her Sisters in the Wilderness so am looking forward to another good non-fiction read.

Oohh arcona!! I just loved Gold Diggers: Striking it Rich in the Klondike. Enjoy! I'll have to consider another of Charlotte Gray's books as you suggest. Thanks for that!

I'm reading A Journey: My Political Life by Tony Blair. Terrible photo of him on the cover!

I finished Charles Foran's biography of Mordecai Richler
( touchstones not working this morning) and my ER book on Elizabeth I by Margaret George. Both were excellent.

Just finished the current Toronto Reads One Book selection, Midnight at the Dragon Cafe by Judy Fong Bates. Good choice for YA readers; was set in small-town Ontario during the 1960's.

Another recent read set in the same time period, but in small-town British Columbia, was After River by Donna Milner. An American draft dodger arrives on a family farm and sets off a tragic chain of events.

Ohh Casaloma - I just loved The Promise of Rain by Donna Milner . It was an intriquing book that touched on the Japanese invasion of China, as well as the time period of WW2. Touchstones do not seem to be working. At any rate, I'll be putting After River on my wishlist.

The Promise of Rain caught my interest in that time period that I am now going to read The Good Man of Nanking : The Diaries of John Rabe by John Rabe. He was a German man who lived in China before and during the invasion of China by Japan, and was also in China during the WW2. I hope to understand more of the history and happenings during that time period.

After River sounds good.... on the TBR pile it goes!

I finished The Iron Duke last night, an entertaining swashbuckling adventure set in an alternate reality of Victorian England. Great fun, but a bit of a bodice-ripper.

I am now reading The Maquinna Line: A Family Saga. I picked this one up mainly because I tend to gravitate to historical fictions that are set in and around Vancouver Island. So far this is proving to be a well written story tracing the lives of five families of various social standing on Vancouver island, including two descendants of Chief Maquinna. Equaling fascinating is the history behind the writing of the book. The book's author, Norma Macmillan, is most famous for her career as a Canadian voice actor for the cartoon characters Casper the Friendly Ghost, Gumby, and Sweet Polly Purebread from the Underdog Show. This book is considered, at least according to the back cover, as the lost book of Norma Macmillan and has been published posthumously by Touchwood Editions.

>61 vancouverdeb: vancouverdeb -I'm pretty sure you meant this The Promise of Rain. touchstone angst ;-)

I read it last year and also thought it was an excellent portrayal of the hidden stresses of civilian life once these soldiers returned to Canada after being prisoners of war.

Yes you are correct, casaloma!!And yes - touchstone angst!! I thought I had gotten The Promise of Rain correctly! Dash it ;)

Wow it has been a while since i have made it here. I finished One hundred years of solitude and certainly enjoyed it. I am now reading An Enchantment of Birds which is a fun and well written little book.

Just started A Mountain of Crumbs by Elena Gorokova. She has a compulsively readable style of writing.