What You're Reading the Week of 28 Apr 2007

Alistair MacLean Fear is the Key Not much this week, I finished Emergency Sex by Kenneth Cain, Heidi Postlewait and Andrew Thomson a completely chilling braided autobiography by three front-line workers for the UN. Don't expect to sleep with a clear conscience if you read this at bed-time.

I've just started to read The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor. Its an alternate telling of the Alice in Wonderland story. I'm only a few chapters in but so far its pretty good.

I finished Big Deal by Anthony Holden last night and started Wild Seed by Octavia Butler. It's in an anthology of her works, including Mind of my Mind, Clay's Ark, and Patternmaster. I'd never heard of her before; I've been away from Sci-Fi for a while. I'm only a couple of chapters in, but I'm enjoying myself.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Scary stuff!

I finished The Wooden Shepherdess, the second part of Richard Hughes's "The Human Predicament" (the first is The Fox in the Attic). The first 12 chapters of the planned but unfinished third part are included too. I found it very ambitious but, for me, not completely successful; he attempts to mix real history (mostly Hitler's rise to power, but British labor history too) with a cast of many fictional characters, and it didn't quite work for me.

Now I've turned to Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemna -- readable, though-provoking, and scary.

Reading Eldest by Christopher Paolini, and listening to The Thrall's Tale by Judith Lindbergh. Neither are anything to write home about so far, but I'm not very far into The Thrall's Tale yet - not enough time to listen.

I started reading Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin this afternoon around 4:00 or so, and by 4:30 I was already 72 pages into it! Okay, it's not exactly a challenging book and the print in my copy is rather large, but I'm really enjoying it so far...hopefully The Stepford Wives will be just as good.

I'll be finishing Heart-Shaped Box soon and starting on Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach. I'm not sure I'm going to like it, but I'll give it a shot. I'm also listening to The Turn of the Screw.

I'd like to begin Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson this week. And of course, there's my never ending "to be read" stack.

fyrefly98 - I quite liked Thrall's Tale, but it does take a while to wind up. The culture represented is very alien, but thought-provoking. Don't expect to like many (or any) of the characters, but maybe you'll find them as interesting as I did. Not being an expert in Viking culture, I kept a couple of non-fiction books around while I was listening to it and did some quick fact-checking. Dead on. Very well researched and presented.

I just started Scribbling the Cat by Alexandra Fuller, who also wrote Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight. I'm only a couple pages in, but I really like her confident and descriptive writing style.

I'll be finishing The Separation by Christopher Priest, then I'll be moving on to Daughters of the Doge by Edward Charles as I'm reviewing it for the Book Bag site. After that, I think I'll be giving Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte a bash, as I'm desperate to try The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde and want to be able to "get" all the references.

I doubt I'll get to them ALL this week, although I'll give it a damned good try, that's for sure!

>9 Bookmarque: Good to hear that The Thrall's Tale is accurate - always a nice bonus to historical fiction. It's been throwing me off because it keeps sounding like she's cannibalizing character names from Lord of the Rings when of course it's the other way around.

I'm full well expecting it to pick up... I'm really not very far in, only about an hour and a half out of a 19 hour book. Not much time for the plot to really show up yet.

I just loved Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight. I want to hear how Scribbling the Cat was when you finish -

I have listened to The Thrall's Tale....it was ok...did enjoy some of the history of that area. I did not know anything about vikings.

I am halfway through Living to Tell the Tale by Garcia Marquez - the first part, when he was a child, was so great. Now that he's grown, I'm losing interest. Too many names to remember! It's kind of like North Toward Home by Willie Morris - has anyone read that? The first half, when he was a boy, made me laugh out loud A LOT. Then we he grew up - well, I never finished it. I just read The Alchemist last weekend and have not completely made up my mind about it. I did not find it life-changing. I told my friend that it kind of gave me the same feeling as being pushed into doing something someone else wants you to do, and it makes you want to do the opposite.

Just finished: An Unfinished Life John F. Kennedy 1917-1963 by Robert Dallek

Just started Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers. Beautifully made Folio Society edition with illustrations. This is the last of my "free" gift from the society, the five volume "Dorothy L. Sayers Crime Collection". I have enjoyed them all so far except I have to say "Strong Poison", the first one, was sub-par. "Nine Tailors", number four, was great.

I like Sayers' style, she doesn't pile up the bodies with continuing murders and her books have more in them than mystery. Tailors is a good case in point with all the change ringing information. Lord Peter and Butner are sometimes a bit too straight a take on Wooster/Jeeves for my taste but that is a minor flaw.

A Romance Of Two Worlds by Marie Corelli.

The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay. I'm really looking forward to it; I finished Sailing to Sarantium last weekend and was very, very impressed. Hopefully this one will be just as good.

Finished Alexander Vol. 2: The Sands of Ammon by Valerio Massimo Manfredi, and started the third volume, Alexander Vol. 3: The Ends of the Earth. I've decided I like Manfredi's other novels better (The Spartan was a great read}, but I wanted to finish reading this series.

I'm still in the first half of Haruki Murakami's Dance Dance Dance, which I started reading at the beach last week. Really liking it so far!

Just finished Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell. Humorous travelogue of the key sites linked with the 3 assassinated 19th century USA presidents. Better then it sounds but not as good as you hope.

Now reading 253 : the Print Remix by Geoff Ryman.It's an experimental novel: 253 portraits of 253 passengers with 253 words each on a London tube train that's about to crash. Ryman gives the reader brief insights into these ordinary people's lives, some of which are interconnected, some of which are funny, tragic, etc. Ryman himself is a passenger; so's a pigeon. And some of the people live, and some of them die.

Then next? Got 500 to choose from so think will try Suit Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky as a complete contrast

I'll probably finish up The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini this weekend, and then I'll start Life of Pi by Yann Martel.

>12 fyrefly98: fyrefly98 - I just remembered when you said that about the names; some of the characters are taken from known Viking texts and fictionalized from there. As far as my memory serves, all of the main characters were real people. There's an author's note at the end that explains.

Half way through The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox. It's quite addictive. I set aside time to read one chapter and end up devouring five.

I was lucky enough to get a pre published copy of 'The Mesmerist' by Barbar Ewing. This is the first book of hers that I have read. I can't get it out of my head!! Really wonderful, she has such a skill at capturing an atmosphere, and this is what I really loved about this book. Great strong characters, lots of twists and turns, and that delicious atmosphere! The only bad thing about this book is that it ended!! But, most satisfactorily, I might add!! Highly recommend.

To colorado girl:

When you finish rent & watch the movie...it's a classic.

I am currently reading Ethan Frome and Summer by Edith Wharton. I just finished Ethan Frome last night and should finish Summer today - neither one is very long which is why I guess this publisher combined them into one book - also I believe they have similar themes. I believe I have a mystery in line next but can't remember which one I chose from the many in the TBR pile. I will also be reading The Bridge to Tarabithia since we will be renting the movie as soon as it comes out on DVD - my daughter just finished it and my two boys will read it after me. We like to read the books and then compare them to the movies.

Lilandorth -

If you mean Rosemary's Baby, I've seen it already and I absolutely loved it! The movie was the reason why I wanted to read the book.

#26 and 28 - Your posts have convinced me to read Rosemary's Baby. That means a trip to the library today!

#15 vgilder1, I loved Living to Tell the Tale including the adult part, which I thought gave great insight into some of his novels. I know what you mean about a lot of names, but you can read it for the story of his life and not try to remember all the names (I find I often have to do this with detailed biographies, for example -- if someone comes up often enough, I end up remembering him). I'm hoping Garcia Marquez gets around to writing the remainder of his autobiography.

Woohoo... I finally finished It by Stephen King. I could barely get through the ending. It completely lost my interest. I've now started American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. Hopefully, I'll be able to get through it rather quickly and get to the rest of my TBR pile.

I finished North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell today, and I wonder why it took me so long to finally read it. I was so wrapped up in it last night I stayed up long past my planned bedtime. I enjoyed the combination of romance and social commentary. My biggest quibble is that it ended when it did--I wanted to know what happened to the characters after.

I'm now starting A Woman's Place: 1910-1975, a book of essays by Ruth Adam on the changing circumstances of women in England in the 20th century.

rebeccanyc-You're right. I'm going to finish it and will try not to concentrate on who's who unless they become significant. I started The Blind Assassin this week to take a break. Has been on my shelf for four or five years. Pretty good, so far. Different for me.

Codiebelle -

You know, I kind of know what you mean about having a hard time to get through the ending of It...did you like the rest of the book though?

And make sure to let me know how you liked American Psycho. I wasn't able to finish it.

I just started Max Barry's Company yesterday. I wanted to wait until I finished Long Way Down by Nick Hornby, but he's pretty slow going -- for me anyway. I finished Miss Misery by Andy Greenwald last night. Not as good as I'd hoped, but better than I expected, if that makes any sense.

I'm all the way to page 330 on Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon, which means I'm actually speeding up. At this rate I'll finish mid-May, much better than July 1. It's a fun read; and, yes, I did look up the country of Kinakuta online.

I'm rereading Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby -- two hundred pages in, right up to where Kate goes to work for Mrs. Wititterly. My edition is a fun one -- it's a two volume reprinting of the work as it original appeared in serial form, complete with advertisements, etc.

That's slow going though, for I'm working on two papers right now, and for one I'm reading:

Astrofuturism by De Witt Douglas Kilgore
The Artificial Paradise by Sharona Ben Tov
Envisioning the Future: Science Fiction and the Next Millennium by Marleen S. Barr
Science Fiction Audiences: Watching Doctor Who and Star Trek by John Tulloch and Henry Jenkins

And, for the other:

The Jew in the Modern World by Paul Mendes-Flohr and Jehuda Reinharz
Jewish People, Jewish Thought by Robert Seltzer

Finished Jodi Picoult - My Sister's Keeper this morning and picked up The Vanishing of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell at luch time.

Just started Richard Brautigan's Trout Fishing in America ; The pill versus the Springhill Mine disaster ; and, In Watermelon Sugar.

Jane's Fighting Ships 2004-05
What can I say? I'm researching my next novel.
Okay, that and I have no life :)

I just picked up The invention of Hugo Cabret at the library today and can't wait to get to it - I flipped through the first 20-25 pages of it and it looks fascinating! I have The higher power of Lucky at the top of my TBR pile, so that will be on tap next.

#2 Irisheyz - I read The Looking Glass Wars a few months ago and quite liked it, although I keep hearing rather negative things about it. I thought it was a fascinating alternative re-telling of the story. How are you enjoying it?

As of 0000H GM of April 28 2007, I have so far completed 20% of the book The world is flat by Thomas Friedman.

.

Just finishing up Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison. I've got the next book in the series, Fistful of Charms, at hand and will probably head straight into it -- I've been enjoying these more than I'd expected. I'm also making progress in New World Coming by Nathan Miller, and I'm thinking of rereading Zoe Heller's Notes on a Scandal, now that I've watched the excellent film version.

Last week was a good week, but so far this week I so far have only read A day in the life of the soviet union, which has great pictures. Nice coffee table book.

Cayce, I had no idea there was a film version of Notes on a Scandal! I'll have to get it from Netflix...

#41, becbart - so far I am enjoying The Looking Glass Wars. I'm about 1/2 way through it already and will probably finish it soon. Too bad that the second book in the series Seing Redd won't be out until August.

#46 Irisheyz - Oooh, I didn't know there was a sequel coming out. Good to know! :-)

I just started Wicked by Gregory Maguire. It's...I'm not sure if I like it, but it's readable.

Reading Arlington Park by Rachel Cusk. Interested as it it's on an Orange Prize shortlist and found it accidentally in Charing Cross Road for £3 - thereby satisfying my literary credentials as well as my pocket.

I just finished Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card which I enjoyed much more than I expected and found it to be rather thought provoking. I just started Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella and so far am not as enthralled as I thought I would be with it.

I'm starting Purple America by Rick Moody.

For some reason I can't seem to get into anything lately. I got Manwatching: a field guide to human behavior from the library last week and thought it would be interesting -- always taking Desmond Morris with a huge grain of salt, though -- but I ended up just casually flipping through it.

I hate when I go through phases when I just can't get into ANY book. Bleh!

Started Chimamanda Adichie's first novel, Purple Hibiscus -- it's very good but not in the same league as Half of a Yellow Sun, so I'm glad I read that first. So this is now along with The Omnivore's Dilemna by Michael Pollan and, very slowly, john Lynch's biography of Simon Bolivar.

#45, cafepithecus -- I'd definitely recommend the movie. It's brilliant.

I am almost finished with Blessings by Anna Quindlen and am also reading Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Just finished Alexander McCall Smith's The Right Attitude to Rain (Isabel and Jamie finally get together!!!), and on to Imran Ahmed's Unimagined and In Quest of Jinnah - Diary, Notes and Correspondence of Hector Bolitho edited by Sharif al Mujahid.

becbart - Seeing Redd is due out in the states in August 2007 and then in November the final book in the trilogy Princess Alyss of Wonderland is due out. There is also a comic book series called Hatter M that chronicles Hatter's 13 year search for Alyss after they leave Wonderland.

http://www.lookingglasswars.com/home.html

After finishing Mansfield Park I read American Theocracy by Kevin Phillips. He's a really good writer, goes into all the details while making it all interesting. I will try to get mover of his books (at the library) he's written quite a bit about our modern world. I am now back to fiction, started Haven Kimmel's Something Rising, light & swift

Taking a variation of LT suggestion, I've just started A Density of souls by Christopher Rice.

fyrefly98, how do you like Eldest so far? I guess you have read Eragon first? I think Eldest does not quite feel like reading J.R.R. Tolkien again.... I liked it a lot!

mrstreme, The Kite Runner good book, I really liked it! Probably the best of this year so far....

I am a third into Cerulean Sins by Laurell K. Hamilton. Anita Blake No. 11 and I am still going strong. Lots of people dislike the later books and I agree that they have changed very much from the first few. Those early once were proper crime busters with plots from A to Z. Now it just seems to be an ongoing saga with plenty of sex, little plot and quite a different Anita. I still like them though. I read till 3am this morning....

I've finished Temeraire and liked it, if it seemed a bit without plot, but I've heard that it's a lot of set up for the next books in the trilogy, so I'm looking forward to reading those sometime in the near future. Currently I'm just starting The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, but as I'm only a few pages in I'll reserve my opinion for when I've gotten further in.

hi all- thoroughly enjpying harry potter and the sorcerer's stone- the plan is to read the first 6 before the last one comes out

cdyankeefan -

My plan is to reread the fifth book before the movie comes out and to reread the sixth book before the 7th book comes out...some of my other TBR books might have to be put on hold, but somehow I think Harry Potter's worth it! :)

A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore. So far it has been quite an amusing read!

I'm finishing The Ghost Brigades this evening.

Through Mobility We Conquer will be next up.

>49 hazelk: I'll be interested to hear what you think of the Rachel Cusk novel. I'm pretty sure I have a reader's copy of it here. She's been on the Orange Prize longlist before which is why I picked up the arc. Haven't gotten around to reading it yet.

Sad story, my book has NOT been sent to me from where I left it in Maine, thus I've looked into getting another copy through ABE. Meanwhile, I'm reading from about four different books: Selected Poems by Carol Ann Duffy, The Postcolonialism chapter in Literary Theory: a Guide for the Perplexed by Mary Klages and finishing up short fiction collections Red Spikes by Margo Lanagan and Burning Your Boats : the Collected Short Stories by Angela Carter. Who knows, tonight I may, once again, pick up a novel.

>59 cathepsut: I actually finished Eldest yesterday, and I fall on the side of the line that liked it better than Eragon. I thought it still felt really derivative of Tolkien and others, but his writing's matured to some extent, which helps. It feels like what he really needs is a good editor who's not enamoured of the idea of the Child Prodigy Author and will actually be willing to brutally take a knife to the parts of his story that don't work. It's a good enough story (should be, since it's been tried and tested by fantasy authors since before fantasy was a genre), it just kind of gets bloated and hung up on itself.

Anyways, it's on to Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde for me. We'll see if not having read Great Expectations is as much of a detriment as not having read Jane Eyre was to reading The Eyre Affair. Damn my non-standard high-school literature curriculum!

>65 silent_ka0s: silent_Ka0s - I hope you continue liking A Dirty Job... it's tied with Lamb as my favorite Christopher Moore book.

Message 60 - cathepsut - I finished The Kite Runner last night. It was a beautiful and touching story - one that will resonate with me for a long time. Glad you enjoyed it too. I am reading Life of Pi right now - about 60 pages - not sure what I think yet. =)

Finally finished Dracula, which was pretty decent. I thought the ending was a little anticlimatic though...I mean they spend 390 pages leading up to the murder of Dracula and the killing is only described in two sentences. I also finished Rosemary's Baby, which was fantastic. If you've ever seen the movie, I highly recommend the book. There aren't many differences between the two, but it still makes for a highly enjoyable read, even if you already know the ending.

I was going to start The Stepford Wives, but the fifth Harry Potter book was calling my name, so maybe I'll read two books at once.

>70 coloradogirl14: Coloradogirl - I agree with your statement about Dracula. Actually, I thought everything after Jonathan Harker dies to have been pretty anticlimatic: I loved how tense and atmospheric his diary and letters were, and after that it just went downhill for me.

The suspension leading up to that point was great, although the last 50 pages, where they're discussing HOW they're going to catch up to Dracula, was somewhat boring...I mean you can only read about their travels for so long before it gets old.

yesterday just had to start Somebody is going to die if Lilly
Beth doesn't catch that bouquet, The Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Wedding by Gayden Metcalf and Charlotte Hays. They are so funny.

Read The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney this weekend and started Book by Book: Notes on Reading and Life by Michael Dirda. Also went to a charity brunch on Sunday to hear Gloria Steinem, a writer/activist who has always inspired me.

I finished A Woman's Place: 1910-1975 by Ruth Adam yesterday. This was a very interesting look at how education, work opportunities, wages, marriage, and sex changed for women in England in the 20th century.

Now I'm starting The Darling by Russell Banks.

I finished Fifth Business by Robertson Davies this weekend. Great writing; OK story.

I am currently reading The Violent Bear it Away by Flannery O'Connor -- Wow! Her prose is scary. As a secular New Englander living in the South, rubbing up against the evangelical rural population frequently --The book is giving me the heebie-jeebies. Powerful and creepy so far. My first read of hers.

>67 avaland::avaland: only about a third read (Arlington Park) but will let you know what I think when finished.

About half-way through The double by Jose Saramago ... he's really going for the long, rambling multi-page paragraph thing here ... but I must say it's working okay.

I started The Gunslinger by Stephen King yesterday. I haven't read any of King's books since high school and had forgotten how incredibly dark his writing is. I guess that's the reason he's the King of Horror!

#77 hazelk: I would also be interested to hear about Arlington Park when you've finished.

Finished The Steep Approach to Garbadale by Iain Banks. Pretty good but it lacked an element or character to which I could emotionally attach myself. By the time I reached the end and its revelations I just didn't care.

Started Wise Children by Angela Carter - immediately colourful and humourous. Still a way to go...

hi coloradogirl- i am so enjoying harry potter it makes me wonder why i waited so long to start them--heavy sigh-- so many books so little time

Still working on Anne Lamott's most recent and my re-read of the HP series in anticipation of July's big events.

#1 GreyHead: Emergency Sex was one of my top reads for 2006; actually, it is in my top reads of all time. Heartbreaking, demoralizing, astonishing, frustrating, enlightening, anguishing...I could go on with more "-ing" descriptors, but you know what I'm trying to say: this book is unbelievable.

I just started Sense and Sensibility yesterday. I did not have much time to read and tonight could be more of the same, but even the first few pages have me hooked.

Am currently reading The Knitting Circle by Anne Hood. Very heart wrenching about the loss of a child. So far it is very good.

Wow! I just finished Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. I zipped through it in less than two days. Now I'm on to finish Nora Roberts Black Rose.

Read:

The Road this weekend, and liked it very much.

finally finished The Historian yesterday and am glad it's over.

Currently reading: Norwegian Wood

Am the author of All Encompassing Trip
:-)

Just finished Two-Part Invention by Madeleine L'Engle. Loved it. Also currently reading Portrait of a Lady, Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs, and Top Ten Books, a compilation of the favorite books of a bunch of writers, complete with an essay about each title listed.

Just, finally, started The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann as it was on my list of "books I have been planning to read for over ten years and really must get down to.."

It is bloomin' fantastic...

Cdyankeefan -

I've been a Harry Potter freak since I was 11! lol When did you start reading the series?

hi coloradogirl- im ashamed to admit this but i just started reading the first one

I've picked up Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell again after a long break and am determined to finish it this time! A great book written in plain english with understandable real-world examples.

Wow, are you serious?? Well, hopefully you'll be able to finish them in time for the seventh book on July 21st! Better late then never, though!

I'm reading Arthur and George by Julian Barnes

I'm reading Jen Lancaster's Bitter is the New Black. Hilarious. Her new book comes out tomorrow, Bright Lights, Big Ass. ;o)

yes coloradogirl i just got around to them now- with a little luck i'll get them done by the time the 7th one comes out

Just started Lover of Unreason by Yehuda Koren and Eilat Negev

Finished The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club and started What Love Sees. It was recommended to me by a friend, didn't want to read it, I was afraid it was a romance. Not sure yet, but I really like it so far, and I'm on chapter 14. If it's a romance, at least it has something else to say as well. I'm going to look up the author, it has some very powerful stuff about living as a blind person, I would like to know what her reference is.

Cdyankeefan - How do you like them so far?

Just started Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour, an Introduction by J.D. Salinger. I've owned it for awhile, but hadn't gotten around to reading it. Finally, a friend told me I had to, so it jumped to the top of the to-read pile.

I've just started The Wandering Fire by Guy Gavriel Kay. I'd initially planned to read a couple of other things before I got to this one, but as soon as I finished The Summer Tree I knew I'd have to start in on this one right away.

#93 - I just finished Arthur & George about two weeks ago. I would love to know what you think when you finish.
#99 - That is one of my favorite books of all time! I read it about twenty years ago, I guess? and there are things in it that still pop into my head on a regular basis. Great stuff.
Is there a place to talk about books after you've read them? I haven't figured all this out yet. Just signed on last week. I see what people are buying, and what they are reading, but not so much about what they thought about the book afterward. Do you just have to go to people's ratings or something?

#70-72 - Dracula is one of my all-time favorite books, beyond question. I've read it numerous times now and I really enjoy the atmosphere. I can't remember what I thought of the ending the first time, but I'm used to it now so it doesn't bother me.

#100 - I couldn't stop either with the Fionavar Tapestry. I hope you love the rest.

#101 - I think this is the place to talk about the books. This group and the many, many others. You can also see the reviews for books, if there are any.

I just read The Time Traveler's Wife yesterday. I did an unexpected amount of work in the morning and had all afternoon to read, so I finished it. I liked it, but I found the style a bit jarring. Now I'm finally going to read Helen of Troy, I think.

I just finished Ethan Frome and Summer by Edith Wharton - two short novels of hers compiled in one book. These were the first of hers that I have read and I did enjoy them. Even though they were written in the early 1900's, I didn't find the writing dated at all. I am looking forward to reading more by her.

I am now reading The Bridge to Terabithia and am enjoying that also. We are all going to read it, except for my 6yr old, before we see the movie. So far, I do not feel that the book follows the movie trailer at all but perhaps they wanted the movie to appear to be more of a fantasy story.

After this, I am either going to read The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax or Blackberry Wine. I think that I am leaning toward the Mrs. Pollifax book since it seems to be a much lighter read than the other.

(I also posted a similar posting on the Green Dragon group)

Started Daughters of the Doge by Edward Charles this morning in my coffee break. Seems interesting so far - set in Renaissance Venice. Also started listening to The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas on audio book on my way to work this morning. The recording is narrated by Michael York (I think - it certainly sounds like him!), so I have D'Artagnion himself reading to me!

hi all- im halfway through harry potter and the sorcerer's stone and will start the road probably by this weekend

I'm currently working on The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig. I'm actually enjoying it more than I expected to.

finished The Madness of a Seduced Woman by Susan Fromberg Schaeffer yesterday - what an excellent book. Told mainly from the perspective of the seduced woman in question it has some on-the-money insights into obsession and desire and what it can do to the human psyche. Dense, but lovely and readable prose that cannot be skimmed.

Began The Eighth Dwarf by Ross Thomas. Espionage fiction seemed like a nice change from the turn-of-the-century psyche drama I just came off of. I think I"ve read this a couple of decades ago, but I can't remember and Thomas's work is so good I don't mind having a 'do over'.

While I wait (still) for a replacement copy of the very excellent Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter to arrive, I randomly picked up Ice by contemporary Russian author Vladimir Sorokin. It's a thriller about a brutal cult - I'm still reading but can't really say I like it yet...

I've started Helen of Troy and really like it. It is a bit slow, but I don't mind that much yet.

#106 - I picked up The Secret History of the Pink Carnation at a sale a few weeks ago. Please let me know what you think of it when you've finished, I'd be very happy to know!

I am now in the midst of four books: Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemna (you'll never look at food the same way again!); The Testament of Yves Gundron by Emily Barton; A Writer at War (touchstone not loading) by Vasily Grossman; and the John Lynch biography of Simon Bolivar, which I seem to be having trouble finishing. But with my boyfriend away, I'm getting a lot more reading done!

#106 augiemom - I read partway through The Secret History of the Pink Carnation and then put it down. I can't remember why now, but I do remember being just completely fed up with the book. :) hope you can finish it!

I've just started Finn : a novel by Jon Clinch. I've heard good things about it... we'll see.

In between re-packing books into previously full boxes and packing others into previously empty boxes, am trying to a) engage brain long enough focus on the heap next to the bed and b) stay awake long enough to read them.
Currently reading for work Tale of Tales by Tony Mitton, which is very short, very sweet and charmingly enhanced by delighful black and white illustrations by Peter Bailey. ("And what is the use of a book without pictures or conversation?" Absolutely none when selling a house.)
Also finally heading for the end of Mao the unknown story with full determination and focus, after too many dilettante weeks engaging with other, more loveable individuals.

Am nearly done with The Exiled by Posie Graeme-Evans, the second in a trilogy...I'm finding it much better written than the first in the series (The Innocent), and am looking forward to finding out what happens to Edward IV and his (fictional) love, Anne.

This week at storytime we are doing Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, Do Your Ears Hang Low? ,A Girl and her Gator and maybe Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late or Wild About Books. I haven't decided between those two books.

>67avaland
>80amandameale

You both asked my opinion of Arlington Park. I was not enthused by it. I was not put off by the subject matter, the seemingly-bleak lives of 30+ middle-class housewives in a 'nice' part of town, but by the treatment. Cusk was simply trying too hard I thought. So many similes: at one time I felt like getting a pencil and counting how many per page. In the final chapter or so Cusk loosens up, so to speak, with more use of direct conversation. The final dinner party scene made me think of the play Abigail's Party but the latter won hands down.

>115 hazelk: Thanks. I sometimes think that some authors appear on the Orange Prize lists because they "should" be there, you know?

I just finished reading The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor which I throughly enjoyed. A nice read for all fans of the Alice in Wonderland story...and alternate tellings of fairy tales.

I plan to start reading Conquistador by S.M. Stirling today.

Just started "Like a hole in the head" (touchstone not working) by Jen Banbury ...

I picked up Misfortune by Wesley Stace. I love it so far. I'm about 1/5 of the way into it.

I hope to finish the following books this week:

A Perfect Spy by John Le Carre
An Audience of Chairs by Joan Clark

I just finished The Bridge to Terabithia - which was very good and nothing like the movie trailer made it appear. I am interested to see the movie, as is my daughter who also read the book, and will definitely put it on my Netflix list once it is out on DVD. I have just started The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax - a very enjoyable read. I have never read this author before and am really liking her. After this, I believe that I will read Blackberry Wine, which is by the author of Chocolat (I wonder why Blackberry Wine won't load anytime I list it?), but I am not sure if I am going to read this or put it back in the TBR pile - Chocolat was not one of my favorites but perhaps I will give it a try anyway.

Just started The Ruins by Scott Smith last night. This book was a gift. I always like to see if the gift-giver got it right!

I recently finished Barchester Towers, after which I quickly read Evening Class just to change things up a little. I'm now happily back in the 19th century with David Copperfield. At more than 850 pages, I might be a while... :)

#115 hazelk: Thanks, I'm going to trust your judgement and read something else.

I am just starting Helen of Troy by Margaret George. I am looking forward to it -- I have heard good things about George's historical fiction. It is my first by her.

has anyone read lemony snickets' a series of unfortunate events? right now i have 4 books in my purse- the first harry potter which im almost finished with and then i have the road , the heart shaped box and the first of the lemony snickets series and i just cant decide

Ok, I couldn't continue with the Russian thriller by Vladimir Sorokin. Too brutal and explicit in places AND I've discovered it is the first of a trilogy...

And since I'm STILL waiting for another copy of Nights at the Circus, I've started Black Girl White Girl by Joyce Carol Oates.

Just began The fat lady sings by David Scott Milton.

I finished Cloud Atlas. I found it a fun and interesting read, could attribute so many meanings and plots to the story - hmm - still trying to sort it out. I did enjoy reading it though.

Am now reading Gabriel's gift and have only just begun.

#126 -- I didn't find the Lemony Snicket books nearly as enjoyable as Harry Potter. I only made it through the first in the series before I decided I didn't want to continue reading them. I hated how he would use a big word and then find it necessary to define the word. I felt like he spent too much time defining words and spelling out the plot rather than just letting the reader enjoy the story.

Just finished Haven Kimmel's Something Rising (light & swift) which was a bit of a disappointment because A girl named Zippy was a quick read & funny & I also enjoyed The solace of leaving early. But I'm not interested in pool playing (skimmed through those scenes) & the story never seemed to come together. So now it's on to non-fiction -- I started Mary Phifer's Another country. It's about old age which I find myself entering very rapidly. She uses a bunch of case history & now I'm hoping they don't ALL have happy endings -- feeling a bit curmudgeonly today.

126: cdyankeefan I've read most of the series of Unfortunate events and while I agree with ShannonMDE about them not being as enjoyable as Harry Potter I didn't think that they were all that bad. Snicket does define a lot of words but the books were originally intended for a young audience who wouldn't be familiar with them. So rather then be put off by it I applauded his use of the big words since it exposes kids to new vocabulary instead of taking the easy way out and dumbing things down with simple words.

thanks for the feedback irish and shannon-

I finished What Love Sees, I enjoyed it, apart from the author switching tenses on me occasionally. Think I will begin The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen by Lloyd Alexander and Livingstone's Private Journals 1851-1853. I have a need to make headway on my TBR and the Livingstone book is on loan from my brother. I hate books on loan to sit there unread. They eat at my soul.

I am reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

It has been on my TBR shelf for several weeks, glad I decided to pick this book up to read.

#109 and #111 - I finished Pink Carnation. I thought it was good, but "fluffy". I think I got a bit more enjoyment out of it than I would have, since I recently read a trilogy about Josephine and Napoleon. I plan on eventually reading the other 2 titles by this author, but would have to be in a "chick lit" kind of mood.

Yeah, I wasn't a big fan of the Series of Unfortunate Events books, but I would still give it a try...who knows? Maybe you'll love them. My sister certainly did.

I loved the Lemony Snicket's series and read all of them just recently! I found the style (i.e word definitions) was part of the charm, and I loved the illustrations throughout the books as well. Of the series, I felt the best were those in the second half of the series (books 6 through 12). I want mention any more in case of spoilers, except to say things got much more interesting after the first two or three in the series.

I finished Cygnet by Patricia A. McKillip and I've now started The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.

RE: Message 135 - I recently finished Water for Elephants - I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I found it very touching.

I just finished Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult this morning; and plan on starting The curious incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon next.

I finished Bit the Jackpot by Erin McCarthy before breakfast. Just the bit of fluff I needed before jumping back into Octavia Butler's Patternist series. I'm not sure what I'll read after that.

I just finished Sunshine by Robin McKinley. It is the first book of hers that I've read and it was surprisingly good. I'll definitely read more of her books.

I'm currently reading So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson. I first tried to read this soon after reading Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader and it lacked in comparison. I put the Nelson aside for a year or so and picked it up again this week. I'm enjoying much more this time.

I'm pretty much done with Through Mobility We Conquer and Breaking Loose Together

Iron From the Deep is the current book, though it's turning out not to be worth a close study.

Just started Cultural Selection by Gary Taylor.

Just started Don't Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk.

I just finished Caught In A Lie bySylvia Mcnicoll which was a fairly quick and painful teen book.

Also finished this week were:
The Know-It-All:One Man's Humble Quest To Become The Smartest Person In The World by A. J. Jacobs
Dark Water by Sharon Sala
My Forbidden Face by Latifa

And I'll probably finish The Kiss by Kathyrn Harrison today.

#129 keren7 For me, Cloud Atlas, for all its disparate parts, had one common theme. If you wish to discuss leave a comment on my profile.