What are you reading the week of February 26th, 2011?

There wasn't a new group so I started it.

Finished The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver and started Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Outcast by Kathryn Lasky.

I finished Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl last night and did a review, if anyone is interested.

I am now reading A Thousand Sisters: My Journey into the Worst Place on Earth to be a Woman by Lisa Shannon.

I'll be reading Burned and Awakened by P.C. Cast, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, and an ARC that I need to finish.

Have just begun Pynchon's Mason and Dixon. I'll be deep in it for at least the week...delicious so far!

Reading Sally Wolff's Ledgers of History: William Faulkner, an Almost Forgotten Friendship, and an Antebellum Plantation Diary , a fascinating account of a 19th century plantation diary that was a source of inspiration to Faulkner for much of his work, especially the books, Go Down, Moses, The Sound and the Fury and Absalom, Absalom!

I'm reading a good YA title, Enthusiasm, and the graphic novel Fray. Also, periodically (this will be a long project), Bill Simmons' The Book of Basketball.

I'm about halfway through The Help which I'm reading with my book club. I like it so much, and it's a nice way to wrap up Black History Month.

I'm reading Tokyo set Number9Dream by David Mitchell and Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen.

Various comments in this thread inspired me to take a book that's been on my shelf for decades and read it. I'm about a quarter of the way through The Tin Drum and thoroughly enjoying it.

I am finally getting into the back end of The Financial Crisis Inquiry Report and continue to have an obligation to The Federalist. I have read several books on the financial crisis and am glad to have found this one; who knew that an official government report could be fascinating and likely accurate?

Robert

I finished De cartograaf/The Map thief but it wasn't really worth it. I also finished Meneer Beerta from the Bureau series bij J. J. Voskuil (pretty famous in The Netherlands) and I loved it so much. I will start The Prince of the Mist/De nevelprins next.

In a blast from the past I listened to Stockard Channing's recording of Beverly Cleary's Ramona Forever and enjoyed it. She's a fast talker and sometimes I wished she'd slow it down a bit (not every character should be a motor mouth) but she voiced the kids well and it was very entertaining. Reminded me what a treasure Ms. Cleary is.

I've just started Wandering Star by J.M.G. Le Clézio. So far, so good.

The story is about a Jewish girl in Europe during WWll, who emigrates to Israel after the war, and a Palestian girl who has been displaced by the birth of Israel.

I'm still reading Perdido Street Station. It's fantastic and I'm really enjoying it, but I just haven't been motivated to read much lately.

Still working my way through The Dark Side of Love and struggling somewhat reluctantly with Coriolanus. When in need of a bit of light relief I keep dipping into Faulks on Fiction, the companion to a super TV series currently on the Beeb.

I took a break from The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet and read Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins in one sitting. Fun! Now it's back to Jacob. I'm still reading Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson aloud.

I finished and enjoyed The Name of the Wind. It's a big fantasy novel and the first of a series. I'm starting My Dead Body, it's the last of a vampire, private eye series by one of my favorite crime writers.
I'm nearly done with the audio of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. This one has been highly enjoyable. Very informative and amusing.

Hey!!! I only recognize a few of you here ~ I haven't been around for quite awhile, so thought I would drop in.

I just started Staying Alive: A Family Memoir by Janet Reibstein this weekend. It's about 3 generations of women with breast cancer. Finished Jodi Picoult's House Rules on Friday.

I've missed posting, missed my friends here, my fellow book nuts....I hope to stop in more frequently as time allows.

xoxo "Porchy"

Sam Eastland, The Red Coffin (aka Shadow Pass - ER book, yawn

Jackie Kay, Red Dust Road - memoir by a writer, brought up by adoptive parents, who travels to Nigeria to meet her birth father

Lisa Lutz, The Spellman Files - I bought this recently and discovered that a favourite online discussion group is having a group read of this, so I'm hoping to jump in at the end or read the discussion after the event at least.

Doris Lessing, Mara and Dann - review book for feature in New Books Mag on Doris Lessing's work

Esther Freud, Lucky Break - Read and Review book for Waterstones, I was really delighted when this turned up yesterday. About several people who study drama then embark on an acting career.

Doris Lessing, Time Bites - essays, recommended on an LT group last year

Suzanne Ruta, To Algeria With Love

Sarra Manning, You Don't Have to Say You Love Me

#8, PaperbackPirate - I read The Help around this time last year and loved it. Have you heard that the author is being sued by her brother's family maid? Interesting allegations: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/17/family-maid-files-suit-against-auth....

I am a mere fifty pages from the end of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, which I am thoroughly enjoying! Can't wait to hear what my book club thinks of it when we meet this coming Wednesday.

Next up will most likely be A Discovery of Witches, for which I picked up an ARC in January pre-hype. Hope it's as good as it sounds!

I've put aside some of the books I've been reading so that I can concentrate on my ER book Elizabeth I: A Novel by Margaret George.

Then next up will be The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski which so many have raved about! I've been lucky enough to have a copy drop into my hands! ;)

Then it's back to my "waiting lineup". Oh how I wish there were more hours for reading.......

Finished Brunelleschi's Dome early today. You can visit my thread for my thoughts and I will be posting a review shortly.

I began reading Clemente which has been sitting on my shelf for way too long and besides, it's almost baseball season!

#22 - Not to dissuade from Edgar Sawtelle, but I was disappointed by it, so I hope you enjoy it!

I'm not sure if this thread is just for books, but I am also presently reading the outstanding 195 issue of the Paris Review. I thought I'd mention it because the interview with Jonathan Franzen is outstanding. There is also one with Louis Erdrich that I will read later tonight.

Raced through Death of a Chimney Sweep last night and am now about halfway through Hosseini's Thousand splendid suns. What a wonderful title!

Still reading Middlesex...it's kind of stalling on me. Should I keep reading?

>26 BBleil: I loved Middlesex! Hope you gets better for you.

This week, I'm continuing to read Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken and Legacy of the Dead by Charles Todd, an Ian Rutledge book. And on audio, Bill Bryson's At Home. All are wonderful and I wish I could read three times as fast!

#23 - weejane...thanks! I hope I do too! :)

Currently reading The Tricking of Freya and enjoying it. Learning lots about Iceland - the country and it's people that I knew very little about.

Still with Franzen's FREEDOM (strange touchstone!), not finding it as spectacular as some people have led me to believe.

I finished two books yesterday, Autism's False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure by Paul A. Offit, MD, and Jonah's Gourd Vine by Zora Neale Hurston, her first novel, which is a fictionalized account of the lives of her parents.

I should finish two books today, The Latino Challenge to Black America: Towards a Conversation Between African Americans and Hispanics by Earl Ofari Hutchinson, and Taming the Gods: Religion and Democracy on Three Continents by Ian Buruma.

I'm also reading In the Country of Men by Hisham Matar, and The Anatomy of a Moment by Javier Cercas, but I won't finish either book until later this week.

I finished Wading Home which is a good way to use fiction to explore the ways various entrepreneurs use devious means to steal the property and history people who lead more straightforward lives. Now I'm starting The Immortal Henrietta Lacks which strangely follows in the same vein.

Started Das steinerne Herz by Arno Schmidt. The writing is very strange, it is a strongly first person narrator, the environment and all what happens are stringently described through his eyes and I am thinking that it is possible strem-of-consciousness-mode, but not am sure. After getting used to the style I think I may enjoyed it.

I'm also reading Zora Neale Hurston, but it's her last published book Seraph on the Suwanee. I'm enjoying it immensely so far, but disagreeing with the book jacket and the introduction. They made it sound like the husband was jerk #1. Well, he is a bit sexist and patronizing, but doesn't come even close to the level of jerkiness of Mr. Lurie in Disgrace. Instead, I'm enjoying Jim Meserve and thinking his wife is a bit of a twit, and they both need to learn to communicate. I'm only a third of the way in though.

Still also reading My Lord What a Morning. I've been rationing it to a chapter or two a day.

Getting near the end of member give-away, "The Village." It really is a significant work. Have begun A Briefer History of Time. Hawking is magnificent at clarifying complexities.

I finished The Prince of Mist/De nevelprins by Zafon and like I had expected from comments here on LT, it wasn't quite as enjoyable as The Shadow of the Wind or The Angel's Game but I can recognize his style. Our library has it classified as for ages 12 and up, but I find it very hard to classify this book and wonder if a twelve year old will enjoy it.

One of the characters in Ward Just's Forgetfulness is a man whose life was changed forever by his experience as a young soldier in WWI. This has led me to reread parts of Pat Barker's Regeneration and Sebastian Barry's A Long, Long Way.

#21 Eeeuwww, good luck to her with that!. Sounds as if Ms Stockett suddenly became 'sue-able'. It seems incredible to me that there are still so many people in this world who don't know the difference between fiction and fact - let's hope this case gets a judge who does.

#26 I'm guessing that if you've got this far with Middlesex it maybe isn't for you. I was grabbed within the first ten pages.

I'm currently reading What a Carve Up! by Jonathan Coe and I should also get started on Hard Times by Charles Dickens this week since I have to read both novels due Thursday and Friday for English class

#39 Yeek! (Sorry about all the strange noises today.) I hope you haven't got any eating or breathing planned this week. It usually takes me a good fortnight or so to get through Hard Times.

>BBleil- Yes, keep reading! I thought Middlesex was incredible. But like Booksloth mentioned: maybe it's not your cuppa!

Enthusiasm was a fun, Jane Austen inspired YA story of friendship and love.

Next up is The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery, recommended by NarratorLady.

#40: Well we're going to analyse Hard Times this Thursday but also on Thursday after that...so I've got a good two weeks...and it's not obligatory to really finish it by then...but it would help of course, it would make it easier to understand it when the teacher is analysing the plot.

I'm actually a bit scared of Middlemarch which we'll be analysing in class in about three weeks. That's quite a bulky novel and I've seen comments of people here on LT saying it took them forever to finish that one so I hope I'm able to start that soon enough ^^ But I must say that, although I'm only studying English literature for two weeks now I'm really enjoying it...reading novels I wouldn't normally read (I'm more a fan of the fantasy/horror genre) is very exciting. I'm always in for something new and I'm discovering genres and authors I never thought I'd like. We analyzed Of Mice and Men by John Steinback last Monday and I really enjoyed it a lot. I'd really like to read The Grapes of Wrath and perhaps some of his other novels as soon as I have time

#43 It really doesn't sound as if they're giving you much time to read some enormous novels - many of which can only really be properly appreciated after a second or third reading. I do hope it won't succeed in putting you off them for life and I'm thrilled to hear you are enjoying the course. Middlemarch is probably a book that deserves about a year of your life but it is a wonderful story and one of the finest examples of great writing in the English language ever. You might find it easier to read if you can get hold of a dramatisation to watch at the same time (I'd recommend the BBC version starring the heart-breakingly gorgeous Rufus Sewell as Ladislaw). Good luck!

#44 Lol, I have to admit it's going pretty fast :D I have three courses for which I need to read some books and we deal with one book for 1, 2 or 3 weeks depending on the size of the novel. According to my diary I need to read 2-3 books each week + some other homework such as writing assignments on short stories, writing an essay about a question concerning a novel (I've chosen a question "How are religion and science thematized in this novel" by which they mean Middlemarch) studying the grammar (where I've missed the part of the first semester since I only enrolled for the second semester, so I'll have to catch up with some part of it myself) and studying Old English...but so far it hasn't put me off yet, I have the impression that my teachers are very friendly and everyone in my family knows that you can never punish me by making me read English fiction (or any fiction at all :D)

If you want to see how I'm doing, I've made a topic where I've posted the list of books I'm supposed to read this semester and I'm going to try and regularly post how I feel about them once finished and analysed in class:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/109794

#21 - thanks for posting the link to the article about The Help - interesting.

#30 - I just couldn't get into Freedom Franzen - yes - wrong touchstone.

#45 Thank you for that link to your thread - it looks like a really interesting course (she said, enviously, while trying to slog her way through Coriolanus, one of those Shakey plays no-one ever reads and there is a reason for that). I'll be dropping by from time to time to see how things are going.

# 40 It took me just two days to read Hard Times. I was fairly surprised by it. It's really different from all the other Dickens books I've read. For one it's really short when compared to say something like his David Copperfield or Little Dorrit. I fairly enjoyed it despite hearing some really negative comments about it.

Just finished Ada Blackjack by Jennifer Niven. Excellent book.
Starting Dark Descent by Kevin McMurray. A true story of the sinking of The Empress of Ireland.

Just finished Sawbones by Stuart Macbride and am now reading Going back by Penelope Lively

I just finished Henrietta Sees It Through by Joyce Dennys, and rather enjoyed it.

I've started reading When We Were Strangers: A Novel by Pamela Schoenewaldt, though I'm not sure if I'll press on at this point.

#27. Unbroken is on my kindle and moving to the top of the to-be-read pile. I'm glad to hear you are enjoying it.

I have 3 books going on (which is a lot for me):
Embers
One Day
The Wrong War: Grit, Strategy and a Way Out of Afghanistan by {Bing West}-no touchstone

I'm enjoying all of them, but they are very different.

I started Swann's Way yesterday, and I love it so far!

Finished The Wordy Shipmates. Didn't love it, but it really picked up at the end when she was writing about Anne Hutchinson.

Half way through Mary Ann in Autumn. Just got a traditional Maupin surprise when a person turns up who only appeared in the first book from 1978.

Going on vacation for a week. Taking The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson. Hadn't heard of Johnson until Nancy Pearl interviewed him on the Book Lust podcast. Definitely sounded like some one to try.

I just finished The Tin Drum and I have to say that I think it ranks among the most brilliant pieces of fiction that I have ever read! I am going to start The Sound and The Fury by William Faulkner, and I continue listening to Bury Your Dead by Louise Penney.

hemlokgang I'm nearing half way through The Tin Drum. I'm also very impressed but am sure there's way more there than I'm catching. I would bet one could be finding new interpretations on the tenth read.

Finished "The Village" by T.F. Rhoden. Surprised that my opinion of the book diverged so much from some others. Some of the language that I saw as art, others saw as annoying trash. Hmmmm. Imagine that! In spite of reading their negative reviews, I'm still of the opinion that the novel deserves review for one of the annual book awards.

I finished After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell, which I enjoyed very much. Once you get beyond the changing voices and chronology, it's a great story about the power of love and family.

I'm thinking about moving on to The Hunger Games, highly recommended by so many on LT, and most especially by BBleil. I'll try out the sample on my Kindle tonight.

While I was shelving books at the library today on my shift, I noticed I was about to shelve The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, so I put it back on the far side of the cart, finished shelving, and then checked it out to myself at the end of the day.
I've read Chapter 1 so far, but hopefully I can get lots more time in tomorrow!

I am ashamed to admit that I am now reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte for the very first time. I think I may be the only person alive that hasn't read it by now.

I also just finished The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson today. It was alright, but no where near what I expected with all the hype.

I raced through Larry McMurtry's When the Light Goes, which I enjoyed heartily.

Today I've started Nine Lives by Bernice Rubens. I picked this book up more or less at random from the bargain table of a bookstore in Cloverdale, CA. On the cover, the Daily Mail calls this "A glorious black comedy" and the Guardian says Rubens is "like David Lynch's granny." I'll let you know.

#62 I think it's wonderful that you haven't read it yet. It's one of those books that is ruined for many of us by having read it far too young. I read it for the first time when I was 12 and very nearly put myself off it for life. It was only when I had to reread it for study purposes some 25 years later that I was able to appreciate and come to love it. I'd say the mid-20s are probably the perfect age.

#62 I agree with Booksloth. I'm glad I only read JANE recently and could appreciate its complexity. Though if you're unfortunate enough to be having a lousy childhood--say, in the foster care system--I can see where it could supply some comfort and support.

I'm continuing to enjoy David Mitchell's The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet; much more straight forward tha Cloud Atlas but still very, very good.

Sapphiregirl---I really loved Middlemarch which I read for the first time last November and when I say November, I mean most of the month:)

#62: I haven't read it either but I'd like to so you're certainly not the only one :)

#66: Lol, judging from the comments I get on that book I can conclude that I'll probably be reading it for a month or longer...I really hope I'll enjoy it or it will become quite a torture :D

I have a good start on Under Heaven for the March group read of Kay's work. This will be my first by him and it is very good.

I finished reading Spies of the Balkans. It was my first Furst book. It was also my second Nook Book. I am taking advantage of the Barnes & Noble offer of free reading while in their store. Since they have the closet coffee shop to my apartment I said "why not?" Of course while under their roof I am going to read spy novels since that is what they are doing to me. Anyway, this book was very good, so I started reading Spies of Warsaw as my second free book. A good spy novel and a cappuccino. Could life get any better? Only if the cappuccino was cheaper.

I statred The White Queen by Philippa Gregory this weekend and continue to work on Minding Ben, my ER book

# 66, Brenzi:

I just read Middlemarch this past December, and had almost exactly the same experience I think I only read two other books that whole month! I wasn't really sure it was worth it as I was reading, but when I finshed, and reflected on what I had read, I realized I loved it! It's one of those novels, that, at least for me, seem to need a bit of time to absorb them.

I have finished reading the novel True Grit by author Charles Portis

.

Finished The Road and started The Postmistress

@15 - Ape, I started Perdido Street Station at about the same time you did. It's fantastic! But like you, I'm having a period of reading disfunction. For some reason, I don't want to pick it up, but when I finally do, I don't want to stop. It's so dense that I get tired of the reading, but not the content, if that makes any sense. My first Mieville, and first steampunk, but not the last for sure.

Finished listening to White Fang, librivox's first of two versions. This version had multiple readers - some much better than others. I enjoyed the book - especially the early, "in the wild" chapters. The chapters dealing with the dog fighting days were read with much too much over-acting violence.

Last night I finished The Financial Crisis Inquiry Report after a long time reading it. It is one of the books that anybody interested in the matter should read, but not first.

I wanted quickly to turn to something that would be more of an entertainment, so I picked up The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel. It is entertaining; it is also provocative and informative. It does us the great good service of providing the story under the same covers.

Robert

Still working on The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo--half done.

I just finished Angel by James Patterson. Now, I'm continuing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

About half way through Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl. As others have noted, it's quirky, hugely ambitious and great fun.

I am starting A Novel Bookstore by Laurence Cosse. So far, it's kind of cute.

#79 - Carolyn, A Novel Bookstore was my last read of 2010 and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Hope you continue to!

I am having a great time with A Discovery of Witches! It probably helps that thanks to a two week seminar in Oxford during grad school I am very familiar with the places described in the book, but even if I hadn't, I would still be enjoying the fun story.

I just finished The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, great writing by Rebecca Skloot. I didn't realize she teaches something called "creative non fiction," and this certainly is - a great combination of biography, science reporting and medical ethics.

Just finished "The Queen of the Pirate Isles" by Bret Harte a free kindle "book" from amazon. This is a delightful illustrated short story of an afternoon excursion by a handful of children in a western mining town. The kindle edition did not include any of the thirty or so illustrations.

Started and finished Zum Töten nah as well as Der weiße Neger Wumbaba yesterday. The first was again a really good crime novel, the writing was good (actually better then in the prequel) and it sucked me in. The author is touching well-known problems but with taking it into a very different perspective from this provincial town (which Rostock as well as whole Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) clearly is.
The second book was just a small one recording some very funny mishearing of lyrics, song texts and even sermons or prayers (That's also where the title comes from, the Original poem was Der weiße Nebel wunderbar). Good work.

Currently reading Tipperary by Frank Delaney, Evening Snow Will Bring Such Peace by David Adams Richards (it's my work lunch break book) and The Cost of Honor Sally Malcolm, one of the Stargate SG-1 books - my guilty pleasure/read before bed book.

81 - I keep meaning to look more into The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is it any good?

Thanks grkmwk! It took me a few (like 40?) pages to settle into it (which seems to be the case for many French novels I have read - and then they become my favorites) but I am loving A Novel Bookstore. But then, it is about the thing I love much in this world: the "good" novel! Now if I can just get that pesky work thing out of the way and get back to it!

Curious to hear your thoughts on A Discovery of Witches - it looks like great fun!

Finished Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Outcast by Kathryn Lasky and started Fired Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg.

Finished Fury by Salman Rushdie. He is one of my favorite authors. Another one of his brilliant novels. I think he has taken a lot of stuff from his own lfe while writing this book. Here's my review

http://www.librarything.com/work/1428861/book/70335591

Next is From Russia with Love. This is my first James Bond novel I'll be reading.

Finished Fury by Salman Rushdie. He is one of my favorite authors. Another one of his brilliant novels. I think he has taken a lot of stuff from his own lfe while writing this book. Here's my review

http://www.librarything.com/work/1428861/book/70335591

Next is From Russia with Love. This is my first James Bond novel I'll be reading.

I'm reading the 4th Maisie Dobbs book, Messenger of Truth, as well as Sins of the House of Borgia. The latter is really not captivating me as of yet. Hopefully it will get better.

This week I'm reading The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer, and continuing with Crimes Against Humanity: the struggle for Global Justice by Geoffrey Roberston.

I just finished Tunnel Vision by Sarah Paretsky and have started Academically Adrift, although the latter is the book I read for work and not for pleasure. I haven't decided on my next pleasure read yet. I'm thinking of trying something by Jane Austen.

Omigod! Woohoo! After months and months of being taunted by the "You didn't manage to snag a book, but don't despair!" message, I finally won an ER book!

Woot!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry to go so far OT, but I just had to share my excitement! Lol!

Finished Jack, Knave and Fool and am about a quarter of the way through Death of a Colonial. I'm thoroughly enjoying this Bruce Alexander series.

I finished and reviewed Expiration Date (this is a hyperlink since the touchstone for this work doesn't exist) by Sherril Jaffe in my thread...post #203.

Bookwormjules, Henrietta Lacks is superb, I gave it 5 stars but haven't yet reviewed it. It's a biography with sociological and medical undertones. I'd call it a must read.
Now I lower my head and admit I'm reading Dexter is Delicious for mystery month. Far from great literature, but I've been hooked since the first one.

I am starting two new books today, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford and, Beside A Burning Sea by John Shors.

Got a good start on the Death and Life of the Great American School System by Diane Ravitch. This one is for a book discussion for work. So far it is very interesting and reads like a magazine article rather than a full length book. I only have three weeks to read this one so have to get cracking.

@92 - bookwoman - really? You're that excited and you're not going to tell us what you got? Come on woman! Give!

I won an ER of Moondogs and am looking forward to receiving that.

I'm halfway through my first ER - The Moral Lives of Animals by Dale Peterson and am enjoying it. It is not a fast read for me but very very interesting and fascinating.

#64 Booksloth, can I borrow you to talk to a 12-year-old I work with? Today, she told me she made a bet with her mother that she could read the Complete Works of Shakespeare in two weeks. I told her that wasn't a wise bet because she should take her time to savor them. ... She's also quite the liar, so I'm not too worried that she'll try to swallow all of Shakespeare without chewing.

Lol! Sorry! It's Miss Timmins' School for Girls by Nayana Currimbhoy. I was just so excited that I didn't notice that I failed to post the title!

#100 I asked for Miss Timmins too! It looked good. I got The Girl who would Speak for the Dead... or something like that. I don't remember the title off of my head right now. Enjoy!

#92 Bookwoman247 don't keep us in suspense--which book did you get? I wanted to win The Tiger's Wife so much but alas I got the message you kept getting--sorry you didn't snag a darned thing this time... maybe next month. Congrats on getting a book.

I have to admit that I got The Tiger's Wife. Would be happy to pass it on after I receive and read it!

I also got The Tiger's Wife and am looking forward to it. I read Tea Obreht's story in the New Yorker's "20 Under 40" feature and was very impressed.

I ask for very few ER books, maybe one every 3 months, only books that I really, really want to read, since I feel obligated to move them to the top of the TBR stack. So I'm psyched when I get the one I ask for, like when I got The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, my favorite book of 2010.

# 102 : I won Miss Timmins' School for Girls by Nayana Currimbhoy. It sounds like it will be right up my alley! ;-)

Doesn't that message just taunt you? Lol!

#99 I shouldn't worry too much - at least she's (maybe) going to read them and may come back to them later in life. But you're quite right - I'm one of those people without much control over the speed I read but the only regret I ever have over a good book is if I find I read it too quickly and missed bits which, by the end, I wish I'd given my full attention. A lot depends on the book - some books lend themselves to a quick flick through; others have to be savoured. I was quite upset to hear someone say (I'm sorry, I can't remember who is was and am too lazy to go back and look - apologies to that person) that their course was giving them a week to read Middlemarch, which is a book that requires concentration, rereading and thought (and chocolate) to fully appreciate it. I've no doubt it can be read in a week but I don't think it can be understood or properly enjoyed in that time.

Of course, Shakey can easily be read in less than two weeks - as any of us who have ever been lucky enough to see the Reduced Shakespeare Company perform 'all 37 plays in 90 minutes' know - but I'm reading Coriolanus for the first time right now for study purposes and it's taking me at least that long to figure out what some of the speeches mean (and I'm an English graduate who is not (sadly) twelve years old).

Hey, at least you've got your kids talking about Shakespeare so you're doing something right!

#106: About Middlemarch...that would be me :D
We actually have three weeks during which we'll analyse the book because it's such a big one but we only have 2 hours a week for that course. So technically I have about 3 weeks time (but I'd like to have already read a couple of chapters before the first lesson of course), but with all the other work and books involved I'm afraid I'll need a bit longer. I'm a slow reader because I'd like to take my time appreciating a book. Oh well, if I like it I can always reread in during the holidays ^^

And if it involves chocolate to fully appreciate that book, I might even read it 2 or 3 times...although I can always use a portion of chocolate to appreciate a good book...as a matter of fact, give me chocolate and I think I can appreciate anything :D

Great discussion on Middlemarch which (gasp) I have not yet read. It got moved up into "next 5" category.

I am still reading, and really enjoying, A Novel Bookstore ... just a real pleasure to read.

I am reading Memoirs of a Geisha.

I received Middlemarch during the last gift-giving season of December. I have to say that the size intimidates me a bit, but reading all these positive comments here makes me less afraid...

109> Fear not....To me, Middlemarch is the kind of book that pulls you right through to the end!

I have definitely met my intellectual match. I finished Faulkner's The Sound and The Fury, and it left me somewhat furious. Faulkner's suspension of time, not just chronology, left me mentally winded. I did not enjoy any part of the experience of reading it. One step beyond my literary capabilities, despite a brilliant essay by Jean-Paul Sartre in the Norton Critical Edition I read.

I am starting The Italian Secretary by Caleb Carr, and continue listening to Bury Your Dead.

Another Middlemarch devotee here. I first read it last November and almost can't wait to give it a second read. In the meantime, I just picked up Eliot's Daniel Deronda to read also; another doorstopper; she loved to write and couldn't stop once she got going I guess.

Also, I'm another one who snagged The Tiger's Wife although I can't even remember requesting it. If I did, it was the only book I did request and I've found that that works very well for me: request only one book and you're more likely to get it.

#108 - Carolyn, I'm thrilled you're enjoying A Novel Bookstore! You nailed it when you said it's "a real pleasure to read." I'm taking my copy to book club tonight, as two members expressed interest in borrowing it when I sang it's praises at last month's meeting.

I am thoroughly enjoying A Discovery of Witches, and am even partially glad that I'm home with a sick child today, as I've been able to read some. It helps that he isn't feverish and is playing normally, so the maternal worry isn't overwhelming!

I finished reading Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and am almost done with India - A Million Mutinies Now by V. S. Naipaul. Amazing reads, the both of them.

I finished reading Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean last night and enjoyed it. Very informative book about the ocean and surfers. The author did a good job of keeping the two tied together and making the reader interested in the science as well as the thrills. Now I can really get going on Under Heaven and Life and Death of the Great American School System. The other four that I have on my current reading list will have to wait a little. I am participating in the March group read of Guy Gavriel Kay and chose Under Heaven because I own that book and the others by Kay I would have had to get from the library. Since I am also trying to get books off of my shelves it was a no brainer - Under Heaven it had to be. It has turned out to be a good choice. I don't know how this author managed to stay under my radar for so long.

Finishing The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel I picked up Spinoza by Steven Nadler. Both seem deserving of attention. Interestingly the former can take attention at various levels; I read it, but it could have borne study. Nevertheless I got enough out of it to make it worth my time and please my curiosity.

Robert

@113 - I loved Divakaruni's Arranged Marriage. Used it as a text in a class I taught about stress in families of different ethnic groups. Students loved it and it moved our understanding of many cultural issues forward. I haven't read any of her other work. Did you like Palace of Illusions?

Shew, chocolate and reading? Don't EVEN get me started.

I am curious to read the reviews of The Tiger's Wife - it seems to be blazing a trail at Amazon.

I bumped into a new book (at the Border's closing frenzy), or recent translation maybe, that looked fascinating: We, the Drowned by Carsten Jensen - has anyone read it? It was huge though and I thought the 20% was kind of measly, all things considered. So when it drops down I may go pick it up.

I'm just starting 9045096::Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by simonsonhelen::Helen Simonson. I know it's gotten a lot of positive feedback, so I'm really looking forward to getting into it!

#117

We, The Drowned has had great reviews. Lots of positive buzz form the critics. If I were you I would not wait for it to come down as it will probably be gone before it drops in price.

106> Yes, at least she's enthusiastic. Now if I could get her to turn in her homework... & one of my best friends had read most of Shakespeare by the time she was fifteen. She learned a lot of dirty double entendres, but other than that ;) survived the experience unharmed. Ah, The Reduced Shakespeare Company. Good humor!

Sapphire, I saw the 1 week Middlemarch assignment too. Yikes!!! 3 weeks to discuss sounds good though. I'm also in the camp that is intimidated by its length, but it is on Mount TBR.

110 Hemlok> That's how I felt the first time I read The Sound and the Fury. I think that book needs a class, or at least a group read, to be fully appreciated. The second time I read it, I felt like I understood it enough to understand why it's a classic, but I won't pretend to fully comprehend it. But then again, the title is a reference to Macbeth's passage:
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

The quote was left out of this version here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQk4Y6Q69u8

Thanks cammykitty.............at least I can understand the title now!

I finished and loved Memoirs of a Geisha and on my way home I will start a Dutch novel: Vuile handen.

#117 CarolynSchroeder
Just to torment you: As I am reading Daniel Deronda I am sipping "Sikwati" (chocolaté) made from raw coco gathered here from a neighbor's trees. The drink is made by stirring a tablet of the raw chocolate into boiling water and adding sugar - no milk used. It's very strong - very delicious, but leaves about an eighth of an inch of very strong dregs in the bottom of one's cup.

#111 Unfortunately my copy of Daniel Deronda is an e-book and I can't use it as a doorstop but I would be tempted - so far.

I've started Women, Culture, Politics by Angela Davis. So far her object seems to be to pit white feminists against black feminists. I don't know what the point would be in doing that. I'm only 28 pages in, I wonder if this will fall to the 50 page rule.

I have just finished reading the novel Never let me go by author Kazuo Ishiguro . Next I will watch the movie version in the cinema

.

You did it the right way around, Erick. The movie is excellent, but made better with the book in mind.

123 - Ron, my heart-felt commiserations to you and your family, we didn't know you had died . . . sorry, that is heaven you're writing from, isn't it?

I never got bitten by the chocolate bug, but Ron sure does make that sound good.

The 47 Ronin Story was solid historical fiction based on an early 17th century injustice that the title characters sought to avenge. Such a different world in so many ways!

Received The Adrian Mole Diaries consisting of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole and The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole today and started reading straight way. Though not far in I find it strikingly funny and adrian being a very fascinating character!

@128, The 47 Ronin Story is in the mail to me, glad to hear it's a good one.

Still reading and loving Perdido Street Station although it's taking much longer than usual for me to finish it.

#123 Thanks for the laugh - my wife, however, from her perch standing on top of our dining room table, thought we were at the oposite end of the cosmic spectrum on the two occasions when cobras came into our house.

Let's see, on the one hand - chocolate you can pick from the trees; on the other hand - cobras. I think I just pop on down to the store and pick up my chocolate there.

#131 A little confused, Ron. The cobras were attracted...by cocoa? Had no idea we shared this addiction with serpents. And are they common in the Phillipines?

sholofsky
I wish I knew what attracts cobras. Yes, they are very plentiful - we usually come across one every few weeks on our property.

121> Hemlok, the title is the only thing I'm sure I understand about The Sound and the Fury. ;)

As for other things, I finished Marian Anderson's My Lord, What a Morning last night. My reaction was very mixed and complicated, so if you're curious my review is here: http://www.librarything.com/work/522933 and the spiritual for which she named the book is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJoDR704-BA&feature=related It's very beautiful.

Reading my ER book. Henrietta Sees it Through by Joyce Dennys. When I found out that I was getting this book, I read her first one. It really isn't necessary just adds to the fun.

If I ever saw a cobra on my property, I would have to move... continents. *shudder*

I just finished a cute (and quick) little book called My First New York. "I heart NY" a lot, so I had to read it!

I finished Fool Moon. It's the 2nd Harry Dresden. It was good. I really liked the audio version. I also wrapped up Love is a Mix Tape. This is a good memoir ,which I also listened to, read by the author.
I started Hellhound on His Trail. I've been itching to get to this one for awhile. It grabs you right away!

I finished a wonderful audio of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark earlier this week. Today I started The Warden by Anthony Trollope.

I loved The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie! It was my introduction to the works of Muriel Sparks.

I recently finished The Maquinna Line: A Family Saga by Norma Macmillan. I loved this one. It's, IMO, a great historical fiction period piece set on Vancouver Island (1910-1945). I posted a review on the book page.

Next up will be two books on the go at once, a rarity for me. One is Limassol by Yishai Sarid and the other one is The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields for a group read.

I finished reading Doris Lessing's Mara and Dann today - a magazine I subscribe to has a regular Life's Work feature for which they send out copies of books to subscribers to review. I have lots of Doris Lessing books but wouldn't have picked this up on my own, I would have missed out on a thought provoking read - in a world changed by global warming, two children set out on a journey across Africa.

I'm reading another book sent to me for review now - Esther Freud's new novel Lucky Break is about a group of actors from drama school to success - or not.

Also, a Virago but not a modern classic - To Algeria, With Love is about a young American in the 60s who studies in France and forms a relationship with an Algerian who has a wife and family back home. The main narrator is telling her story many years later.

Sarra Manning's You Don't Have to Say You Love Me is chicklit but I was curious to see a tweet sent to the author by someone mentioning the bookworm heroine's collection of Virago Modern Classics. It's set quite near where I live and I know some of the cafes and pubs and the Oxfam bookshop Neve loves to visit rather well!

Rachel Hawkins, Raising Demons (Demonglass in the US) is the 2nd book in the Hex Hall series about a 16 year old with magical powers. In this episode she's visiting England with her dad. I'm reviewing this one for the Bookbag, as I reviewed Hex Hall last year and couldn't resist an excuse for a return visit.

I've borrowed a brand new copy of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother from the library, I heard some of it being read on the radio and thought it was funny and interesting though not really my approach to raising kids.

I've just started Run Rabbit Run by Barbara Michelhill, an English YA novel about a conscientious objector and his kids during WWII.

And I'm still reading Doris Lessing's essay collection Time Bites.

Gods of Amyrantha by Jennifer Fallon. It's the 2nd in the seried. The first one was really good, so I am hoping this will be the same!

>140 lkernagh: lkernagh, can you recommend other Muriel Spark books? I loved Miss Jean Brodie. I'm curious to hear about Limassol. My husband is from Limassol :)

>143 AMQS: - Hi Anne, I am still new to Muriel Spark's works myself. A fellow LT member recommended Memento Mori. It is on my TBR list but beyond that I am afraid I am not much help to you. ;-)

As for Limassol - just what is up with these touchy touchstones? - I will be able to comment about it on next week's thread. It appears to be a literary thriller. The cover mentions the following blurb: "Spellbinding Israeli espionage in the tradition of John le Carre". I will be starting it this evening.

>144 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori -- I'll look for your comments. Hope it's a good one.

elkiedee, Doris Lessing is one of my favorite authors, but I have never tried her essays. Your mention of Time Bites led me to BN.COM where I found it for four and a half dollars and ordered it.

Thanks,

Robert

#140/143/144 Good to hear all the support for the wonderful Jean Brodie; I just adore that book, read it first some 35 years ago and still dig it out for a reread every now and then (I loved the film too). The problem with such a great book is that I don't think any of Spark's others come anywhere close, though she is a marvellous writer. I would also recommend Memento Mori for your next read and Girls of Slender Means was another goodie. Luckily they're all quite short so if you don't like them you haven't wasted much of your life. The one I couldn't get into at all was A Far Cry From Kensington but that's probably just me. There are still several I haven't read and this thread has given me the urge to go out and look for them.

Finished Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg and started Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The First Collier by Kathryn Lasky.

>147 Booksloth: It isn't just you, Booksloth. I really like Muriel Spark, too, especially Jean Brodie, but I didn't really like Kensington at all.

AMQS, who was the reader for the audio version of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie? I hope it was someone Scottish. Whenever I read the book, I hear Maggie Smith's voice in my head.

The Italian Secretary was a quick read and quite enjoyable. I like Caleb Carr a lot. Apparently he was asked to write this book by the estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.....go figure.

I am going to start reading Room by Emma Donoghue, and I continue listening to 9841764::Bury Your Dead.

Yesterday evening I was fortunate to attend an Arts & Lecture event with Luis Alberto Urrea as the speaker. Utterly wonderful experience! He is natural storyteller and has led a fascinating, complex life, being the son of a Mexican janitor and a New York socialite. He received a standing ovation! I had only read 7768256::Into the Beautiful North, but plan to read much more of his work.

Egads. I just finished Lost on Planet China and Maarten Troost's description of China sometimes felt over the top but it was to good effect since it made the reader actually feel the disorientation and bizarreness of its pace. I can't say it made me yearn to visit but made me glad the author had done so and provided me a feel for the it. My lasting image from the book is of a train hurling out of control to who knows where within a cloud of pollution and accompanied by a din of horns.

Hotel Berlin.
Just about to start The Passage, though, which I couldn't resist.

Just finished reading The surrogate by Tania Carver and Going back by Penelope Lively and have now started reading The fellowship of the ring for the first time

Finished Introduction to Browning, very technical yet enlightening. Still reading Cleopatra: A Life. Although cock full of information it took me over 100 pages to actually find it's style readable and enjoyable without thinking about the long sentences. Whew! Just started reading Hunted Down:The detective stories of Charles Dickens.

hemlokgang ~ I just love Luis Alberto Urrea and have read all but Into the Beautiful North and the new graphic novel he has out Mr. Mendoza's Paintbrush. His non fiction is excellent as well. He is just a great storyeller, as you say. That's so cool that he is in person as well. What a great opportunity, to see him speak!

#153 Little Wish: Wish you fun with The Fellowship of the Ring. Don't become frustrating if the start is rather slow, it is quite a good read!

I finished A Discovery of Witches late last night, and it was a phenomenal read! I was very sad and frustrated to see it end, but am hopeful that the somewhat open-ended "conclusion" is evidence that another book is to follow. I absolutely flew through this story, and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy that blends history, books, romance, wine, and intrigue!

Next up will be A Vintage Affair, which places me firmly in the present, but still keeps me in England where I've happily been for my last three reads!

#135

I read My Lord What a Morning many years ago and remember liking it. I was shocked when I had to explain to some collage students who Marian Anderson was and what happened. I recommended this book to them. A few weeks ago one student came back to the library and told me she had read that book and was going to use Marian Anderson as her focus for her lessons for Black History Month instead of the usual suspects. I was thrilled. We found recordings of Marian Anderson for her students to listen to. Now I wonder if I can just get somebody interested in Paul Roberson?

That being said, I tend to agree with your assessment of the autobiography. However, it is the product of the times in which it was written. I would like to see somebody write a book about the concert in much the same way that historians are now writing books about other "incidents" in our history. It might also be high time for a biography of Anderson.

>157 grkmwk:,
I believe it is the first book in a trilogy. Not sure exactly when the second book is coming.

Did my fellow LT'rs notice what publisher Harper Collins did to public libraries this week? In case you didn't - in a nutshell - HarperCollins announced that starting March 7, 2011 digital versions of books purchased by libraries will be allowed to circulate 26 times. After that the book will disappear and the library will have to purchase another copy? Very interesting policy. It may make libraries stick with books where the circulations are not limited.

One book that nobody will have to worry about reaching 26 circulations will be Lake Shore Limited. I finally ditched that totally boring book at the halfway mark. I simply decided that life is too short to listen to something that is that dull. It was read by the author and I found the voice as flat as the characters. I popped Prayers for Sale into the car CD player and think this is going to be better.

#160

Hmm...Which book was it in Jasper Fforde's Tuesday Next series that a book locks shut after the second reading? Looks like Harper Collins is aiding in fact following fiction!

#159 - That's great news, thanks for sharing! I heard the author speak in early January, when I picked up my ARC copy, but at the time she didn't mention there might be subsequent books.

#158 you wrote Now I wonder if I can just get somebody interested in Paul Roberson?

Just let them listen for 10 minutes to anything he ever said. Not only did he have the most amazing voice (melted bones), but he always had the best comments and could back up his arguments in a clear, concise, and non-argumentative way. Such a fascinating man.

>149 jfetting: jfetting, the narrator for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie was Nadia May, whose real name, I think, is Wanda McCaddon. She also goes by Donada Peters and other names for audio books. Not sure why so many pseudonyms, but she's an outstanding narrator. Her bio says she's English. Last year I listened to Emma and Sense and Sensibility on audio, and both books were read by her. She's starting to feel like an old friend.
Here's her bio:
http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/gvpages/mccaddon.shtml

#158, 163: Just for the record, he was Paul Robeson--but you're both right: he was an amazing, talented man.

#165 Thanks for that, Shol - I spent quite a while trying to figure out who this guy was whose description and name sounded so much like that of Robeson - and yes, remarkable man. (Why is it that we never hit typos on the unimportant words?)

I finished The Dark Side of Love which was a great read set in a time and place I know far too little about. Then I spotted that I hadn't yet read and reviewed my January ER book so that was urgent. Ghost of a Chance was a disappointment - mainly because I had requested it not realising it was a children's book. Not that I have anything against children's books - some are wonderful but this wasn't one of those - not terrible either, just not what I'd hoped for.

So now I'm on to Pain of Death by Adam Creed, which is this month's ER; I'm going through a bit of a 'thriller/murder/crime patch' at the moment so this should be good. I'm also counting ERs as 'books off the shelf' for that challenge (because I have to read them right away) and I have to read at least one more of those (by my rules of two 'off the shelf' for every newbie) before I can fall on The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

Booksloth! Two off the shelf for every newbie! I LOVE that! My second new rule from LT, the first being the 50 page rule. Maybe we should have a rules thread!

I finished Vuile handen and will start part two of A storm of swords next.

#168 I tried that once and got soundly lambasted for 'Trying to tell other people how they should read their books'. Of course, I wasn't doing any such thing but it's too easy for people to misunderstand that kind of thing ;-) (Which is why I now keep putting one of those ;-) everywhere;-) )

The new thread is up here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/111438

Booksloth - all I can say is "Sheesh!" Way to wreck our fun people!

Benita #158 Yes! So glad you got a teacher to cover her for black history month. There are so many resources. Beautiful music, good books on her, wonderful photos. I think it was Avedon who photographed her in concert and also photographed the DAR, and always had the two photos exhibited side by side. The DAR was obviously so proud to have their photos taken by a famous photographer, but the joke was on them.

Robson had a very interesting life! I heard he didn't want the role singing "Old Man River" that he is so famous for, so he demanded what he thought was an exorbitant sum of money for the role, and got it.

Marion Anderson also mentioned Robert McFerrin, and I skittered over to wikipedia. He was the first male opera singer to sing at the Met, and Bobby McFerrin's father.