March 2013 - what are you reading?

I'm struggling through the very pedestrian The Forest Lover--a fictionalized biography of Emily Carr, by Susan Vreeland, and I vow to never read her again. But I will finish it. But first I'm going to read some real Emily Carr, and am dipping into The Book of Small.

I just read The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry and really enjoyed it.

Finished The Poisoned Pawn by Peggy Blair, a new and quite good Canadian mystery writer.

Currently reading The Colour by Rose Tremain.

I've switched from this is How You Lose Her to Flight Behavior and as a result I'm a much happier person.

I'm going to check out Peggy Blair, thanks vancouverdeb.

There was an article about Peggy Blair in yesterday's paper! Will have to check out her books when I'm at the library.

Today I plan to spend the day with Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman -- I want to finish it today and start a new bus book tomorrow.

I'm about to start my ER book, Yokohama Yankee by Leslie Helm

I've started The Black Dahlia; very gritty. I needed a break from The Satanic Verses.

As a librarian, I figured it was about time that I read Patience and Fortitude by Nicholas Basbanes.

A guilty pleasure-a "fluff" read: The Touch by Colleen McCullough.

I'm about to start something that looks "fluffy", too: my ER book Imperfect Pairings by Jackie Townsend

Finished All Quiet on the Western Front and am now I need some much lighter stuff so I am reading Greenmantle and Winds of Evil.

Just finished The Purchase -- definitely worth reading and definitely worth its GG Literary Award.

Just finishing The Book of Small by Emily Carr. How fair is it that a talented and renowned painter can also be a talented writer? I've ordered the rest of her books (they are a lovely set, so even if I don't get around to reading all of them, they'll look beautiful on the shelf). Now I'm starting The Shooting Party, by Isabel Colegate, which has been on my TBR for years, and which inspired Julian Fellowes to write the screenplay for Gosford Park, which then inspired him to create Downton Abbey'

Have started and am several chapters into 419. Thus far, I am a definite meh. Hoping that changes ...

#13: Nickelini, I must bring The Book of Small a bit closer to the top of my tbr pile. I loved The House of All Sorts that related the days she was a landlady in Victoria.

Partway through Sarum which I am enjoying. Just finished The Black Box by Michael Connelly. It wasn't bad but it wasn't one of his best ones. 1982 is waiting for me at the library and it's another 7-day loan - makes it hard to get Sarum finished.

I'm reading How Literature Works: 50 Key Concepts by John Sutherland

Finished and reviewed The Colour by Rose Tremain. Now I'm onto Family Album by Penelope Lively, which 100 pages in, is proving to be an interesting read.

I'm reading The Ginger Tree by Oswald Wynd

I just finished 419, liked it, didn't love it. worth reading for the pictures of Nigeria and Lagos in particular. It felt quite disjointed until the plot elements merged at the end.
On to Tenth of December.

Still working on Sarum and hope I've finished it before the April thread starts! Also reading 1982 by Gian Ghomeshi - should be a short read in between chapters of Sarum.

Almost finished Pastoralia by George Saunders, I'll definitely pick up something of his again. Next up:possibly The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, possibly The Red and the Green by Iris Murdoch--it depends on if I'm up for a 700 pager, or something a little quicker!

arcona, can you post if you like 1982? I'm a little into old Gian; I listen to him on Q every day, what a voice ;)

Just finished The Absent One by Jussi Adler-Olsen and liked it a lot.

munro: I hope to have 1982 finished by the first of the week and I'll let you know what I think of it. Seems good so far but I'm only into it a few chapters. Gian writes just like he talks so I hear his voice when I read it.

I've just started The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel by Deborah Moggach that I'm enjoying so far, even more than the movie. I have Alice Munro's Dear Life lined up next.

I've finished a YA detective novel Seuls dans la ville entre 9h et 10h30 and a real murder account (not usually my bag, but this one was compelling due to the author's sensibility) L'Adversaire byEmmanuel Carrère.
I am now completely engrossed in Le Musée du Dr Moses (The Museum of Dr Moses) par Joyce Carol Oates, a series of creepy short stories.

I'm reading The Madonnas of Leningrad, which is very good so far!

Finished and reviewed Family Album by Penelope Lively which was a 5 star read for me. Also read The Introvert's Way. I did not really care for the latter, but it's read now. I'm not sure what is next.

I thought I was going to finish Sarum this weekend but unfortunately, I forgot it at my sister-in-law's where we stayed after a great St. Patrick's Day party. Now it will just have to wait now until I get it back.

As a result, I decided to read 1982. It's written just as Gian talks but in this book he just didn't have anything to say to me. Perhaps if I had been into New Wave music in the 1980s, it might have been more interesting but I was long past adolescence in that decade. If I were into "coming of age" type books I might have enjoyed it also, but I'm not. I had to put it down, unfinished, and mark it dnf which is very difficult for an OCD-type personality like mine. Sorry Gian - I'll just have to keep listening to you on the radio.

I just read a novel by Maureen Jennings who wrote the Inspector Murdoch series. This book turned out to be the 2nd in a different series, set in WWII England; I enjoyed it nonetheless and will be looking for the 1st in the series now. This one is called Beware this Boy.

>30 ted74ca:: Oh! I just read the first book in that series, Season of Darkness, and would gladly read more. Thanks for the heads-up!

@30 Hmm - thanks for the info re Beware This Boy - I've been eying it at the bookstore!

I'm reading The Hounds of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Thanks for the comments on 1982, Arcona. I did listen to new wave in the late 70s and 80s, but I'm not sure how much I want to read about it. Sounds like a good one to get from the library.

I just finished my second Maggie O'Farrell novel --The Distance Between Us. I don't normally like love stories, but this isn't too soppy and I like the way the story was constructed-hopping back and forth between characters at different times in their lives.

Just started The Imposter Bride last night. Promising!

I'm reading Good Book by David Plotz.

Reading The Innocents by Francesca Segal, one of the Orange Longlisted books for 2013.

Just finished The Imposter Bride which made last year Giler SL. Definitely worth the read. 4*

I'm reading two very different books - Five Bells by Gail Jones, and House of Mirth by Wharton. I'm also browsing through The Literary Detective: 100 Puzzles in Classic Fiction by John Sutherland.

I've started reading Korsakov by Eric Fottorino, a story set in the 1960's in France. So far so good.

My son left Uglier than a Monkey's Armpit by Robert Vanderplank and Stephen Dodson behind...I'm reading it quickly before I return it on Friday.

My current bus book is Doors Open, by Ian Rankin. Really enjoying the Edinburgh setting.

"Comfort" reading for me this week-Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy

I'm reading Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.

Today, I finished the latest book in one of my favourite mystery series: The Sound of Broken Glass by Deborah Crombie.

I have started The Cider House Rules by John Irving. There is his usual flourish of tall tales coupled with social criticism - a delight.

I'm starting The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth
Strout.

Books finished this month:

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst (Children's Book)
The Cat's Pajamas by Ida Chittum (Children's book)
My Christmas Treasury by Gale Wiersum (Children's book)
The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear (Children's book)
The Jungle Book by R.H. Disney (Children's book)
The Country Mouse and the City Mouse by Patricia M. Scarry (Children's book)
Life - Keith Richards (Audio)
Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss (Children's book)
The Queen's Witch by Karen Chance (Kobo)
Catalyst: A Tale of the Barque Cats by Anne McCaffrey (ROOT)
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Kobo)
Beloved by Toni Morrison

Still working on:
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood (ROOT)
Bang the Drum Slowly by Mark Harris
Cat Striking Back by Shirley Rosseau Murphy
Codependent No More by Melody Beattie
A Great Deliverance by Elizabeth George
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (ROOT/Kobo)
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace (Kobo)
Les Miserables - Victor Hugo
Mistress Shakespeare by Karen Harper (Kobo)
Sandman:The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman
Survivor in Death by Nora Roberts / J.D. Robb
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay

Thanks to a recommendation by @vancouverdeb in another thread, I am reading Mister Roger and Me by Marie-Renée Lavoie. Fabulous story, highly recommended!

@ 49 - Glad to hear it, VivienneR!I just loved Mister Roger and Me . I thought it was just such a touching and wonderful read - I'm so glad that you enjoyed it!

Currently reading Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. It's an Orange LL book and it's wonderful so far! Finished The Innocents by Francesca Segal a few days ago and it was " meh" for me. It was also a Orange Prize LL.

RE: message #4:

How did Flight Behavior turn out for you loosha? I read it this past week too.

Finished The Bourne Sanction by Eric Van Lustbader. Now that I've seen movies about Bourne, I've discovered I prefer the movies to the books. Maybe it's that Ludlum isn't writing the series any more, but there is just too much action to read and it muddies the story.
Just started Canoe Lake, a hypothetical story about what could have happened to artist Tom Thompson when he mysteriously drowned in Northern Ontario. Quite well done and I'm enjoying it.

My daughter lent me an early reader copy of Wild by Cheryl Strayed which I am really enjoying. It's the story of a woman walking the Pacific Coast Trail as she tries to deal with life's hurts. I am so in awe of her determination which is sorely needed to overcome her lack of preparation or training for this 1000 mile trek. It makes my aborted attempt to ride a bike 140 miles on the PEI Trail (also without preparation) seem quite insignificant - I guess I didn't have enought pain to overcome, lol.

squeaked in Bang the Drum Slowly before the end of the month. Review to follow.

Your reaction to Cheryl Strayed is so different from mine. The more I read of Wild the more I disliked her. I just can't admire someone so unprepared for an undertaking of this kind and her manner of writing about it didn't evoke any sympathy from me.

I'd rather read about your bike ride on PEI!

Rayaowen -
My journey on the PEI trail wouldn't even make an article, let alone a book. It was my 60th birthday and I decided I would ride all 140 km of the trail from tip to tip of our little province. Although I am almost fastidiously prepared for anything I take on, I was uncharacteristicly unprepared for this ride as I hadn't been on a bike for 30 years and didn't train for it. The first day I discovered the trail at the far end was soft gravel, not pounded hard as it is in the middle and after 30 km and riding more than 8 hours, I was so exhausted I slept 12 hours and gave up!

I admired Strayed's perserverance against almost impossible odds as she fights the demons in her life. I did really enjoy the book and was glad she succeeded.

Re 51; I enjoyed Flight Behavior very much, although I had some issues with, uh oh, no spoilers, a few events at the end of the book.
I'm almost done The Burgess Boys now. It's attitude is much like Olive Kitteridge which I loved.

#57: Great story! You deserve kudos for even trying.

I've found a new author Justin Cronin and am loving the first book in his series The Passage. The reviews printed on the cover do not lie. I started reading it the other night and ended up reading until 5am. Not good when I had to be up at 7am. Can't put the book down, tho!

I just finished Louise Penny, Bury Your Dead. Now how is it that I just found out about this great Canadian mystery writer? I am so behind in my reading!