What are you reading the week of April 30, 2011?

There wasn't a topic this morning so I started one.

Finished Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The Golden Tree and started Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The River of Wind by Kathryn Lasky.

Thanks for starting the thread seitherin!

I am reading Leaving Van Gogh by Carol Wallace (neither touchstone seems to be working) and I am absolutely loving it. I'm in heaven ~ HUGE Van Gogh fan and a well written/beautiful novel.

Yes, thanks for starting the thread seitherin!

Myself, I'm still reading The Sunne in Splendour, but probably more often now that all the books that needed to go back to the library are finished. I'm also re-reading Jane Eyre for probably something like the 20th time. Just saw the new movie, now need to read the book again. I liked Mia Whats-her-name from Alice in Wonderland as Jane, although she wasn't nearly intense enough.

I just started Falling Sideways by Thomas E. Kennedy. I snagged the novel in the January Early Reviewers program, but I only received it in the mail about 10 days ago.

Thank you for the thread.

I'm starting So Much Pretty by Cara Hoffman. Touchstone not working.

I'm going to finish Blind Man's Alley this week and I'm starting The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as well.

I'm 100 pages into The Source by James Michener. I've had my eyes on this monsterous book for a long time but I have to be in the right mood for his work. Well I'm really glad I started it. It looks like it is going to be classic Michener and I think I'm going to really enjoy it.

Since today is the last day of Autism Awareness Month I'm reading The Horse Boy. I'm really enjoying it - it makes me have a new respect for parents of children with autism.

I'm still reading The Rest is Noise and have really enjoyed reading it and listening to his top ten recommended recordings as I go through.

I've started Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham. I've been reading it rather slowly, both due to the way the book is written and my own busy-ness lately, though I'm really enjoying it. So far it kind of reminds me of David Copperfield, but the characters are very different.

Weird...the touchstones didn't load when I was looking at the message, and then when I left the thread and came back they were there. Edited again to correct spelling...

Finished Richard Altick's The Scholar Adventurers. Excellent. Started the annotated edition of The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton. Looks good, although about 85% of the annotations are a waste.

I'm reading Mrs. Woolf and the Servants: An Intimate History of Domestic LIfe in Bloomsbury by Alison Light which is a very good biography of Virginia Woolf and her servants. The interaction between Virginia Woolf and her servants gives a whole new perspective of her.

I'm also reading The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart for some very light fun.

I'm still on The Pope and Me at Yankee Stadium.

I'm reading Destiny Disrupted through to the end and have less than a hundred pages to go. I've started Infinity and am finding it fascinating. There's a stack of other books I've started and have intent to finish that I've mentioned in earlier threads.

Robert

I've started 10930674::The Wichita Divide: The Murder of Dr. George Tiller, the Battle over Abortion, and the New American Civil War by Stephen Singular. I saw him interviewed on BookTalk, and he was very interesting. I'm also probably going to finish today Witch Week by Diana Wynne Jones. I think I'm going to have to give the Chrestomanci series to my grandson. They're fun, interesting books about fantasy, of course, but also about children developing their talents.

I finished War Games by Audrey Couloumbis and Akila Couloumbis. Now reading Or Not by Brian Mandabach.

I am still reading Possession but because I seem to need a lot of concentration for that, I just finished The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ and also Buddha 1 by Tezuka.

I finished The History of Love this afternoon. Beautiful, haunting read! I greatly appreciate when the author/story surprises me, and Nicole Krauss did so several times.

I hope to finish Bill Bryson's At Home: A Short History of Private Life soon (maybe even tomorrow...), and will probably start The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen while traveling this coming week.

>17 grkmwk: I adored The History of Love and I'm glad to see it has another fan. I also just finished At Home on audio and liked it a lot.

I've started both The Haunted Bookshop and The Little Stranger. I should probably just concentrate on the first one because it's so short.

And for my May Murder and Mayhem read, I'm going to be reading Gone, Baby, Gone.

Also, this week I'm listening to The Wave.

These should keep me out of trouble... :)

I just finished my ER book The Infamous Burke and Hare which was a riveting historic true crime book. A bit queasy making, but also a fascinating picture of Edinburgh around the time of the Irish potato famine. My review is here: http://www.librarything.com/work/book/71947513

I'm going to go back to reading my half-read Spanish Short Stories 1 / Cuentos hispánicos 1. These stories so far have been a bit more of a chore than the Mexican short stories I read last. Sigh! Practice. Once I've got more practice reading Spanish, it will become more enjoyable.

I finished Swamplandia and thought it was very good. I also finished the audio of The Last Stand and thought it was just okay. I started, for the May mystery read, The Redbreast and it shows much promise. On audio, I've begun Bossy Pants. It's read by Fey and it's both smart and funny.

I'm still working my way through Three Cups of Tea. I hope to finish this book by Tuesday because that is when I should be receiving the new Rick Riordan book, The Throne of Fire!

I finished A Northern Light and really liked it (I agree with you cindysprocket!). The young heroine loves books and references many of my favorite classic novels like Little Women, Jane Eyre and the Jane Austen novels. 4 stars

I'm one disc away from finishing At Home by Bill Bryson, and I'm starting The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly.

I'm still slogging through The Bounty. It's a wonderful book, really, but it's starting to bog down a bit midway though and I'm not finding myself reading much lately because of it. Hmmm...

I'm going to have to pick up A Northern Light at some point. It sounds like a good one.

I'm in the latter half of Love in the Time of Cholera and liking it very much. I'm taking it and The 39 Steps with me on a plane trip.

This past week I took advantage of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho falling into my lap, and finished it in very quick order. It's not a big book, and the story is simply, but powerfully written. I loved it! In a way, it illustrates what is important in life and that we can be happy with a more simplified life. Something hard to find in these days of excess.

jnwelch> Love in the Time of Cholera is amazing, and based on GGM's parents. Enjoy.

About half way through The Waiting Room

I finished Laura Lippman's Life Sentences and started Tinkers by Paul Harding last night. Life Sentences was disappointing at best. I was in no particular mood for the next book, so I just plucked the top Sample from my Kindle. Six percent in, it's pretty good so far.

Haven't checked in for a while but here's what I've been up to.

Right now I'm half way through The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale. Hadn't heard of him until I picked this up, but he's prolific. This is an Edgar winning and I'm liking it lots. Set in 1933 in east Texas. Twelve-year-old boy, little sister, sherif father, prostitute serial killer, racial intolerance, and a spooky watcher in the woods. Lots of similarities to To Kill A Mocking Bird, but much messier and heavier handed.

Finished Mildred Pierce by James M. Cain. Loved it. Amazed at how current a book from 1941 can be. Also at the strong, honest portrayal of a female protagonist. For fans of the movie (Joan Crawford version) this is one of the few books that was done right on screen. And, don't worry, after the first half, you won't recognize the story, just the mood and characterizations. The book is gritty, but not noir.

Also finished up the Hunger Games with Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. Wasn't my favorite of the three, but a strong and ambiguous ending for the trilogy.

And, well... I've been slogging through an early reviewer's pick, One Was a Soldier, the latest from Julia Spencer-Fleming. I've read the whole series so was lucky to get this one, but my luck ran out. I'm only finishing it to write a review... whenever that may be.

I just started Le Roi de fer by Maurice Druon.

I just started listening to an audiobook of Whose Body by Dorothy Sayers. After the controversy about whether or not it is antisemitic, I thought I should decide for myself.

Mary of Carisbrooke by Margaret Campbell Barnes

I just finished Doc by Mary Doria Russell and now I want to finally get around to The Sparrow. Instead, though, I'm starting a dystopian book coming out later this month, America Pacifica by Anna North

I have two mystery/thrillers on the go and they both are holding my attention. The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo and I Am Not A Serial Killer by Dan Wells.

>Jen- I take it you enjoyed "Doc"? It's been getting some fine reviews. Also, I can vouch for The Sparrow. It's an amazing piece of work.

I am going to have to look into that book sometime! I also love Van Gogh and thought he had quite a fascinating and sad life.

I have been working on both Nancy Pearl's Book Lust and trying to get back into the Banned Book List. Tried very hard to get into Clan of the Cave Bear, but I made it as far as chapter 10 or 11. It's a bit dull, although I'm curious about the other books in the Earth's Children series. So I'm going to be starting on James Ramsey Ullman's Banner in the Sky.

To BBleil: What did you think of A Northern Light? Grace Brown and Chester Gillette met in my hometown. If you're interested in the crime, Murder in the Adirondacks and Adirondack Tragedy are two very good books about it!

>36 msf59: Mark,

I did, very much.

To Briannad84: I loved it! I really liked the main character and her love of reading and wanting to do something with her life other than working a farm. As for Grace Brown and Chester Gillette, it was such a sad story and I'm glad that they found Chester and used the full law against him. I may have to read some of your suggestions. Thanks.

I'm enjoying Needles and Pearls by Gil McNeil. It is the sequel to The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club published in the UK as Divas Don't Knit If you enjoy a story about knitting, romance, motherhood, and families -- give it a try! It is sweet and charming with lots of humor.

Last evening I watched the DVD The End of the Affair starring Ralph Fiennes...it reminded that I've always wanted to read Graham Greene.

#42 For what my view's worth, infogal, I've read Our Man in Havana and The Honorary Consul and enjoyed them both. Both books were made into so-so films.

#42 I don't like Graham Greene at all except for The End of the Affair which is definitely in my top hundred books if not actually my top ten.

#42 - I just bought both of those knitting books for my wife. I gave her the first one for Easter and she'll get the second one for Mother's Day!

I finished Three Cups of Tea and was left feeling severely underwhelmed. I am now moving on to Krakauer's piece Three Cups of Deceit.

On Saturday I downloaded and read Monsieur Linh and His Child, the new novella by Philippe Claudel, which was very good. I should finish The Collaborator by Mirza Waheed later today, and I'm still working on three other books from last month, The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna, The Three Christs of Ypsilanti by Milton Rokeach, and White Egrets by Derek Walcott.

I am reading South Riding by Winifred Holtby. It's very good but I'll be on it for awhile because its almost 600 pages long and I have very little time this week to devote to it. I hate when RL gets in the way of my readng. Grrrrr.

weejane- Where did you find "Three Cups of Deceit"? Is it available free somewhere?

I loved Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (kind of a guilty pleasure), so have to check out A Northern Light per all the raves here!

I finished The Coffins of Little Hope based on a NYT review and was decidedly underwhelmed. Just when I was adjusting to the quirks of the main characters, another boat load of quirky characters was introduced! To top it off, the plot(s) went nowhere. Very frustrating read.

About to begin the latest Maisie Dobbs: A Lesson in Secrets.

(Touchstones not working.)

In addition to America Pacifica, I have also started The Tragedy of Arthur by Arthur Phillips

I finished and loved Possession and will start on The Sea by Banville next.

#48 msf59

I don't think it is free, but it is available on Amazon. I think it is only available as a Kindle book, but not sure about that either.

Started Go tell it on the mountain by James Baldwin. Am also working on Putting away childish things by David Seamands, Tommy and Grizel by J. M. Barrie and The Box of delights by John Masefield.

I'm reading A Northern Light. It's considered to be Young Adult fiction. I don't know many young adults who would appreciate it as much as I do!

#48 & #53 - I downloaded the book for my Kindle. It is a kindle single and is listed at 75 pages. It was $2.99. Not sure if it is available free somewhere or not. I'm really enjoying it so far.

Also, I put a hold on George, Nicholas, and Wilhelm this morning. I will be reading it for the World History class I co-teach.

I am reading The Clash of Kings from the Song of Fire and Ice series. My new favorite guilty pleasure; rather like the Outlander phenomenon for me.

I am also reading at the same time, on a more serious note, Big Rock Candy Mountain which is just great. If you are allowed to say someone is your favorite author after only reading two books, (well, only a book and 1/2 right now), I would say that of Wallace Stegner. Definitely one of the best American authors that I can think of off-hand.

Yesterday I finished At Home: A Short History of Private Life, which was engaging and highly enjoyable, if a bit slow (due to details, not pace). I started The Wet Nurse's Tale last night, and will take it (paper) and The Peach Keeper (NOOK book) on my travels this week.

I have just now finished Michel Faber's Under the Skin. It was amazingly disturbing. I'm not sure what I think about it. It is somewhat close to sci-fi but it isn't. Having also read The Crimson Petal and the White I have to say that this guy can really create and write about women characters.
It isn't often that I can't quite articulate how I feel about a book. I gave it 3.5 stars but I'm not even sure about that. Definitely an unusual novel!

I just finished Banville's The Sea and will start the latest Murakami, 1Q84 on my way home, I can't wait!

#59 The quality of Faber's writing just stuns me. I've read every word the guy's ever written and I can't find a single sentence that isn't perfect. Simply adore both the books you've mentioned.

Today I'm finishing Days of Grace by Catherine Hall - a quick but satisfying read - before moving on to The Doll, the book of newly discovered short stories by Daphne du Maurier, which just arrived. I'm so excited about this and can't wait to get reading.

>divinenanny- Is this Murakami's latest book? If it is, I haven't heard much about it and look forward to your thoughts.
I'm still reading The Redbreast and on audio I'm finishing up "Bossy Pants", which has been fun and then I'll be starting Townie, which I've heard great things about.

> msf59, Yeah, it will be out in English in October, but was released in Dutch last summer. It's a huge one, 3 parts in Dutch, 2 in the UK, 1 big one in the US, and I really look forward to getting lost in it :D

#63: I'm eagerly (and impatiently) awaiting the release of 1Q84 in the US, so I look forward to your thoughts about it, divinenanny.

I'm reading Paris 1919. I previously knew nothing about the peace conference after WWI. This book is easy to read and informative.

I am taking this opportunity to post a short message regarding my status. I also want to thank all the LTer's who have posted messages to my account. Here is a short version of live in post Tuscaloosa Tornado days.

The University is now open and I am back at work. All of our library employees, including students are safe. One of students lost his car and most of his possessions but he is OK. It will be a long time before Tuscaloosa is back to normal. This tornado damaged a huge portion of the industrial and commercial part of of the city as well as some residential areas. There is a curfew in place to stop looting. I don't think the looting problem has been that bad but those in authority don't see it that way. The curfew is for those areas with out electrical power and starts at 8:00 p.m. and ends at 6:00 a.m.

Where I live is in the middle of town and on the edge of the area of heaviest damage. My apartment building was not damaged though one in the complex has roof damage. There are downed trees everywhere and there is no doubt that the homey atmosphere that they provided will be gone when they are removed.

I am now six days without electricity. I am finding that I don't like reading by candlelight. Candlelight may be romantic but it certainly isn't easy for my eyes. I am beginning to think that publishers should use only white paper with black print as it is easier to read in candlelight. Jo Nesbo is a terrific author but even he can't make up for no light by which to read!

Because I had no power I was information deprived until I got to work and had internet access. I was surprised when my mother told me that the President was here and asked if I had seen him. I stupidly asked "What President?" I thought she was talking about the President of the University.

The water situation has eased in Tuscaloosa but not so in other parts of Alabama. When I do get hot water it will be a wonderful thing. I also can't wait for that large hazelnut cappuccino from Starbucks. The only Starbucks store in town was damaged in the storm and will not reopen until they get repairs done.

Georgia Power started working in my neighborhood yesterday and got many of the trees cleared, so I am in hopes that there may be free flowing electrons available for my use when I get home tonight. If not - there is always tomorrow.

((benit)) ~ glad you are safe.

I just finished Leaving Van Gogh and am really sad to see it go. What a wonderful ARC, I'm very lucky I got it, and got to review it.

Having a post-great-novel-lull moment and am not sure what to read next. Maybe something non fiction, perhaps My Reading Life which man of you like and I put on my Nook.

I finished The Glassblower of Murano and Venice is a Fish and enjoyed them both. Now I'm on to Naples as part of my ongoing literary Italian tour with The Wedding Officer by Anthony Capella.

#61 The short story of The Doll was in Saturday's edition of The Guardian. Good, but I didn't think it one of du Maurier's best.

I have finally finished and posted a review for The Bounty by Caroline Alexander. Ultimately it was a great read, and I'm glad I decided to give it a try instead of returning it to the library.

Next up will be Muse of Fire by Dan Simmons, which I plan to start tomorrow.

It's amazing our ancestors were literate at all having to read by candlelight. My hat is off to you, benitastrnad, I hope power and hot water (and Starbucks) will all be restored soon. Glad you're safe though roughing it.

I am reading Herzog and The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis. I will be attending a lecture by Lydia Davis Thursday evening.......

Finished Three Cups of Deceit by Jon Krakauer. Started Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult.

Benita> Thanks for the thorough update. Glad you're mostly okay. I remember when a much smaller tornado went through here, along the river parkway. I totally understand mourning the trees. Hope things improve soon.

#61 Booksloth
I know - I'm amazed by Michel Faber. I changed my rating of Under the Skin from 3.5 stars to 4. Just because I preferred the time period of Crimson Petal and the White is no reason the penalize Under the Skin.
I still find myself thinking about Under the Skin. All the implications of what is human and from whose perspective? And what is acceptable to eat and what isn't?
The ending caught me off guard but at the same time it ended exactly as it should have.

Finished Crash by JG Ballard . Stylish, sexy and disturbing. 4 stars

I will start my ER ebook An odd boy by Doc Togden.

Finished last weeks nineteen-eighty-four and now I'm reading This Side of Paradise by F.Scott Fitzgerald.
So far I like it very much but I'm not sure where the story will take me eventually...
It reminds me of books like The Catcher in the Rye and A Good School.

I'm just starting The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley. I'm not far in, but I know I'll love it. Flavia de Luce is such a hoot!

I also just finished Mrs. Woolf and the Servants by Alison Light. It is an excellent biography of Virginia Woolf, and her servants. It seemed exceedingly well researched, and was fascinating in so many respects. My favorite parts were about Woolf's writing, though. I got an even greater sense of Woolf's emotional life overflowing onto the page.

I am now reading My Reading Life by Pat Conroy and loving it (I don't think either of those touchstones work).

As I am currently juggling three books I started a 4th last night-Mr. Peanut by Adam Ross- so many books ,so little time!!

My sympathy, Benita.

Love in the Time of Cholera was beautifully written, with a memorable central story of an undeterable love.

Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World was an interesting analysis of how the view of her books evolved from little known and little respected to an eventual dominating position in the book world - not to mention other media.

Two mysteries are on tap now for Mark's Murder and Mayhem Month: Holy Disorders and The 39 Steps. Enjoying both.

I finished The Pope and Me at Yankee Stadium, a self-published memoir by Steve Lazarus, who was a beer vendor in the old Yankee Stadium for 25 years or so, and also became a stand-up comedian. It definitely reads like a self-published book, but was interesting in places nevertheless.

This morning I started In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez.

Benita glad you are ok and I hope you get power back soon. Mythoughts are with the folks who lost loved ones and had homes/businesses destroyed. Keep us posted on how you are doing.

I am still reading and loving Cutting For Stone.

I'm (finally) starting The Throne of Fire! Wooowho!

I am just starting on a vintage mystery, Whose Body? by Dorothy Sayers, my first by this author. I am also reading The Borgia Bride by Jeanne Kalogridis.

>85 DeltaQueen50: Judy, see if you think Whose Body is antisemitic. I had heard on other lists that there was a controversy about the attitude toward Jews, but I'm about 1/2 way through, and I don't see it. She mentions a "semitic look" and they discuss that some people are reluctant to condone a marriage between a christian woman and a Jewish man. I can't see that a discussion of Judaism and various responses to it makes a book antisemitic. Maybe there will be something in the second half that would be worrisome.

Finished Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The River of Wind and started Guardians of Ga'Hoole: Exile, both by Kathryn Lasky.

I finished the first part of the new Murakami, 1Q84. I am on the waiting list for part two and three, but part one was already great. You can find my review here.
Started The Woman in White this morning.

I'm currently reading The Best Laid Plans by Terry Fallis. Evening Class by Maeve Binchy and A Thousand Words for Stranger by Julie Czerneda. All of the books re about 100 pages or so from being finished.

Divinenanny- Good review of the Murakami. I haven't heard much about this one, so it's glad to hear how much you enjoyed it.

I just finished TOK: Writing the New Toronto, volume 6, an anthology of writing by new Toronto writers that illustrates what a diverse, intriguing city Toronto is. Full review of this book can be read at www.the-reading-list.com

I'm envious, divinenanny. Murakami's new one isn't scheduled to come out in the U.S. until October. :-(

I know. It's been out here (parts one and two) since last summer, but the complete thing is $111,00 to buy here. To tell the truth, this work alone is the reason I became a member of our local library... That is just too much money, even for Murakami!

Yikes! That does seem like an awful lot. Amazon says $19.92 here, with its markdown. For that amount, I'll do it. He's one of my favorite authors.

Just posted a review for Muse of Fire. Certainly enjoyable. Next up will be Peace by Richard Bausch.

Yeah, it's insane. But I know I will get the UK version, I'm just not patient enough to also wait with the reading....

#86 Joyce, I too am only about halfway through Whose Body? but I think there is definitely some discrimination in this story, but I don’t think it’s meant to be anti-Semitic. I think the author is making a point, showing how the upper class British had their silly, unfounded discriminations, they mistrusted anything or anybody who wasn’t British, who appeared foreign or different from themselves, including Yankees they described as brash and Colonials who, in their eyes, were unsophisticated . I see this point of view being shown in many of the British vintage mysteries I have read, including Agatha Christie, Josephine Tey and even Arthur Conon Doyle. I think it is a product of their time and authors today have a more broadminded, educated point of view.

I finished reading Nemesis by Jo Nesbo late last night. It was very good. I gave it 4 and 1/2 stars. This guy can really write and the translation is smooth and powerful. I have to wonder why he is not a best selling author in the U. S. and hope that with the release of his new book The Snowman he will get the recognition that he deserves. If you like thrillers then you have to add this author to your list of books to read! I have Devil's Star and The Snowman on my inter-library loan list because I consider these books to be that good.

I am very interested in reading the new Murakami, so thanks for all the talk about this one. I will be looking forward to reading it.

Finished Guardians of Ga'Hoole: Exile and started Guardians of Ga'Hoole: The War of the Ember by Kathryn Lasky.

I had to stop Whose Body for now because the last 2 CDs are damaged and I'm awaiting replacements. The only discrimination I can vouch for is sizism. Little men are consistently described as little men, which I rather think they wouldn't like. Instead I was able to start Unbroken: a World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. Now, you know when those other 2 CDs come in, I'm not going to be able to get to them until I'm done with Unbroken which starts off great and just keeps going. I do have to say, if that had been my kid he might not have made it out of childhood. Gives hope to those of us with difficult, limit testing children.

I finished The Wichita Divide: The Murder of Dr. George Tiller, the Battle over Abortion, and the New American Civil War by Stephen Singular and haven't reviewed it yet, but it is infuriating. How is it that we can't indict all these anti-abortion protesters and their abettors on domestic terrorism charges? Anyway, I'm calming down by reading the newest of the Sookie Stackhouse series, Dead Reckoning. There's nothing like a good urban fantasy to take one's mind off domestic misogyny.

I finished My Reading Life by Pat Conroy which ended up being pretty good, not "great" - but it was easy and enjoyable.

I am now reading Depths of Glory by Irving Stone - a biographical novel about Camille Pissarro (which was kind of hard to find!). I LOVED Lust for Life and this is starting out promising too. But put me in Paris in the 1870s-1930 or so and I'm basically going to be a very happy artist/reader.

The 39 Steps was a hoot, and continuing with Mark's Murder and Mayhem Month, I'm now reading Christopher Brookmyre's Quite Ugly One Morning.

Just started Our Kind Of Traitor by John le Carre, good so far. Also reading LT ER book, Killed at the Whim of a Hat by Colin Cotterill, a new detective series set in Thailand with a great sense of humor!

At the halfway point of my ER book Elizabeth I: A Novel by Margaret George, I've written my review and put it aside for the moment. I will likely go back to it but for the moment finding I need a lighter read. I'm currently indulging in a bit of fluff called Trouble in Mudbug by Jana DeLeon which is a light-hearted cross between a mystery and a romance with a ghost thrown in for good measure.

I'm currently working on four books. First is Evolutionary and Molecular Biology: Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action, edited by Robert John Russell, William R. Stoeger, and Francisco J. Ayala. Second is Calling and Character: Virtues of the Ordained Life by William H. Willimon. Third is A Voice of Warning and Instruction to All Peoples by Parley P. Pratt. And fourth, which I just started today, is The Suffering of the Impassible God: The Dialectics of Patristic Thought by Paul L. Gavrilyuk.

I started reading Christine Falls and then because I am on such a Jo Nesbo roll I decided to try to find the third book in that series. Lo and behold, my local library had Devil's Star and one copy was on the shelf. I snatched that baby and started reading by candlelight last night. It will be interesting to see if Nesbo can maintain the same tension in this book that he has created in the others. Christine Falls in now on the back burner.

Finished The Wedding Officer, which was very enjoyable. Now I'm on to When in Rome: A Journal of Life in Vatican City, by Robert Hutchinson. It's proving to be fascinating so far, if not a bit dated (refers to CompuServe electronic bulletin board, but it was written in 1998 after all).

>106 benitastrnad: Still by candlelight, Benitastrnad? How are you holding up?

Just finished Blood, Bone, and Butter. I loved the author's irreverent attitude, her candor, and honesty about herself, the cooking industry, and Italy. At times it seemed superficial but it wasn't at all, it merely reflected the author's guarded, tough nature. It's an excellent enjoyable book. As a resident of Lambertville, NJ, I also enjoyed the references to local places and people in the early part of the book.

Touchstones not loading

This morning (Saturday) a representative of the apartment management company came to talk to me about my situation. All other apartments in the complex have electricity expect for mine and the one next to me. It seems that somehow these two got skipped when the power company restored the electricity. I told my apartment manager about this situation on Wednesday but nothing was done because everybody assumed that electricity had been restored to my complex. I finally got mean on the phone on Friday and late Friday afternoon the apartment maintenance crew ascertained that the work that needed to be done could not be done by them and Alabama Power would have to do it. Unfortunately, Alabama Power has sent the out of state electrical workers and equipment home and they are doing all restoration on a first come first served basis. That means that it will be sometime next week before I get electricity back. I was scheduled to go on vacation starting Wednesday, so I cleared it with my boss and I am just going to leave for Kansas (where I have never even seen a tornado) as soon as I can get the hell out of Dodge! I hope to be gone Monday morning.

Tuscaloosa is lifting the curfew tonight and most areas have electricity. The landscape is changed and I cannot stress enough that this tornado killed not only people, but a huge section of the main commercial area of the city. Restaurants and many small businesses as well as residential areas were destroyed. It is really bad. My situation is only one part of it.

Thanks for all the concern.

I just finished Peace, and posted a review. I'll definitely be taking the night off before starting Prisons of Light tomorrow. I think I'll probably need to be well-rested for that one...

Benita, thanks for the update. I think it will do you good to go out of town for awhile.

This week I finished A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny on audio, and wasted no time in starting the next Three Pines book, The Cruelest Month, also on audio.

I am still reading Or Not by Brian Mandabach, which is interesting and heartbreaking. Our current read aloud is Tuck Everlasting, which is just as wonderful as I had remembered.

...I just realized that I posted this in the wrong week's thread... off to re-post.

Uh, where is this week's thread? Did I somehow miss it?

Here

Robert