What Are You Reading the Week of 31 August 2013?

Carolyn Janice Cherry (born 1 September 1942), better known by the pen name C. J. Cherryh, is a United States science fiction and fantasy author. She has written more than 60 books since the mid-1970s, including the Hugo Award winning novels Downbelow Station (1981) and Cyteen (1988), both set in her Alliance-Union universe.

Cherryh (pronounced "Cherry") appended a silent "h" to her real name because her first editor, Donald A. Wollheim, felt that "Cherry" sounded too much like a romance writer. Her initials, C.J., were used to disguise the fact that she was female at a time when almost all science fiction authors were male.

The author has an asteroid, 77185 Cherryh, named after her. Referring to this honor, the asteroid's discoverers wrote of Cherryh: "She has challenged us to be worthy of the stars by imagining how mankind might grow to live among them."

Cherryh was born in St. Louis, Missouri and raised primarily in Lawton, Oklahoma. She began writing stories at the age of ten when she became frustrated with the cancellation of her favorite TV show, Flash Gordon. In 1964, she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Latin from the University of Oklahoma (Phi Beta Kappa), with academic specializations in archaeology, mythology, and the history of engineering. In 1965, she received a Master of Arts degree in classics from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, where she was a Woodrow Wilson fellow.

After graduation, Cherryh taught Latin, Ancient Greek, the classics, and ancient history at John Marshall High School in the Oklahoma City public school system. While her job was teaching Latin, her passion was the history, religion, and culture of Rome and Ancient Greece. During the summers, she would conduct student tours of the ancient ruins in England, France, Spain, and Italy. In her spare time, she would write, using the mythology of Rome and Greece as plots for her stories of the future. Cherryh did not follow the professional path typical of science fiction writers at the time, which was to first publish short stories in science fiction and fantasy magazines and then progress to novels. In fact, Cherryh did not consider writing short stories until after she had several novels published.

Instead, Cherryh wrote novels in her spare time away from teaching and submitted these manuscripts directly for publication. Initially, she met with little success. In fact, she was forced to re-write some of her early works when various publishers lost the manuscripts she submitted. Retyping from carbon copies of her manuscripts was cheaper than paying for photocopying, and, in effect, forced her to rewrite those lost manuscripts (using carbon paper to make at least one copy of a manuscript was standard practice until the advent of the personal computer). Her breakthrough came in 1975 when Donald A. Wollheim purchased both manuscripts she had submitted to DAW Books, Gate of Ivrel and Brothers of Earth. The two novels were published in 1976, Gate of Ivrel preceding Brothers of Earth by several months (although she had completed and submitted Brothers of Earth first). The books won her immediate recognition and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in 1977.

Although not all of her works have been published by DAW Books, during this early period, she developed a strong relationship with the Wollheim family and their publishing company, frequently traveling to New York City and staying with the Wollheims in their Queens family home. Other companies that have published her novels include Baen Books, HarperCollins, Warner Books, and Random House (under its Del Rey Books imprint). She published six additional novels in the late 1970s.

In 1979, her short story "Cassandra" won the Best Short Story Hugo, and she quit teaching to write full-time. She has since won the Hugo Award for Best Novel twice, first for Downbelow Station in 1982 and then again for Cyteen in 1989.

In addition to developing her own fictional universes, Cherryh has contributed to several shared world anthologies, including Thieves' World, Heroes in Hell, Elfquest, Witch World, Magic in Ithkar, and the Merovingen Nights series, which she edited. Her writing has encompassed a variety of science fiction and fantasy subgenres and includes a few short works of non-fiction. Her books have been translated into Czech, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish and Swedish. She has also translated several published works of fiction from French into English.

She now lives near Spokane, Washington, with science fiction/fantasy author and artist Jane Fancher. She enjoys skating, traveling and regularly makes appearances at science fiction conventions.

Her brother David A. Cherry is a science fiction and fantasy artist.

An intimidatingly large number of works have come from Cherryh in the past 37 years. Her Wikipedia bibliography contains links to explanations of some of her many "universes," or general backgrounds for the series of novels she has written exploring particular futures. It is to wow, Ms. Cherryh. Amazing and impressive.

I tried to get into Downbelow Station a couple of years ago and just couldn't. Do you have any favorites among her novels?

Currently reading The Other Woman by Hank Phillippi Ryan.

Jim, I've only read one or two of the Merovingen Nights books, according to my memory. A thief in a boat in a drowned city much like Venice saying "I accept the karma" is about all I can pull up.

I think she's a very interesting character, though.

She's a great character! I had a hard time with Downbelow Station myself--too many viewpoint characters and lots of downers--but I love the Chanur series starting with The Pride of Chanur. Many people also swear by her Cyteen books but I am just getting ready to read them this fall.

Just beginning Life After Life.

I started Joyland by Stephen King and The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson

I'm starting Bellman & Black this week and I'm going to try to squeeze in The Cuckoo's Calling. I'm also listening to the audio of Benediction which I am loving.

I am still working on Guns of August and this week started one of those heavy duty pedilogical academic classes that will really cut into my reading time.

Just finished Tilt A Whirl and Mad Mouse, the first two Ceepak mysteries (thank you Richard and coppers for the recommendations), and loved them both. I'll probably start the third one this week. Right now I'm reading a weird scifi/fantasy thriller called Sisters of Glass on Kindle and listening to Nos4A2 by Joe Hill, another weird one, only this one is a horror thriller.

ETA the third in the Ceepak series is Whack A Mole. Is that a great title or what?

I heard the author of that series (Ceepak) speak on NPR a few weeks ago. My first thought after the interview was "oh no - another series to add to my growing list." There are just to many good books out there right now. And I have so little time to read.

Finished The Last Crusader by Louis De Wohl

I LOVE! LOVE! CJ Cherryh!

Thank you, richard!

Downbelow Station takes some work, but it is SO worth it.

I concur with @ronincats re: the Chanur series being a favorite. I also have read the Morgaine trilogy plus one several times, and highly recommend it.

For a standalone, try The Goblin Mirror or The Paladin.

And if you like some chills and thrills, read Rider at the Gate.

What I love about CJ Cherryh is her ability to not only draw complex characters and their personalities, but also to create believable worlds, species, and the intrigue of politics within.

(I'm trying to finish Seabiscuit, which I am loving!)

I read both Ceepaks in two days (one per day), reading during the day when I should have been doing other things and staying up late to finish (and start the next). Haven't done that in awhile. but they are really that good (at least I thought so).

BTW, I've loved Cherryh's novels since the first time I read one in the late 70s/early 80s. It was The Gate of Ivrel, the first of the Morgaine series, which I then devoured. Also love the Chanur series and the Faded Sun series. I haven't read any of her fantasy novels.

Finishing up Devil in the Grove by Gilbert King

I am not far into and enjoying Involved by Irish writer Kate O'Riordan.

After a great week of reading last week (Beautiful Ruins, Tell the Wolves I'm Home, The President's Hat, and Illusion of Separateness), I don't know what to read next...

I'm finishing up What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell, a great collection of essays on a wide variety of very interesting topics.

Thank you for another interesting start to the week. I've heard of Cherryh, of course, (which I've always misprounounced as something similar to Cher only with a hard CH). I'm not into sci fi much, nor fantasy a whole lot, but you have managed to put this author on my radar.

I am reading Terror on Tuesday by Ann Purser. It's part of a nice, solid mystery series which is set in an English village, and features the pragmatic mom of three, Lois Meade, who owns a housecleaning business.

#8> I remember finding The Guns of August fascinating and very well written.

I am very jealous of all you people who are finishing books and starting new ones. I have finally reached the 2/3 mark of Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power by Steve Coll. It's very good. Just long. There's a lot to describe, and Coll does a great job of it, episode by episode. Also my reading time has been pinched. OK gotta go read, now!

Snagged Lee Child's Persuader from the library, so have put my other reading on hiatus to read it. It's the last one of the Jack Reacher series that I had not yet read. Then I'll be ready for the latest, for which I'm on the wait list.

I'm still reading Unions For Beginners by David Cogswell. I already know a lot of the information presented so far so I don't feel like such a beginner after all.

I'm really excited to be reading my Early Reviewer, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. I brought it to my book club meeting on Tuesday and now my group is reading it too.

>21 PaperbackPirate: I won Miss Peregrin's Home for Peculiar Children from thre ER program also, and loved it! It's a unique book, for sure.

I will be starting The View from Penthouse B by Elinor Lipman

> 23 You are gong to have a lot of fun with the new Ellie Lipman. I wish there was a book of hers that I haven't read. That is what I would be reading this afternoon...

I finished Tracy Chevalier's The Last Runaway -- I thoroughly enjoyed this lovely, well-written historical novel.

Next up: Graham Swift's The Sweet-Shop Owner

I'm currently reading Chasing the Night by Iris Johansen. I'm about 1/2 way through it now. First of her books that I've read. I like it so far. Would make a good movie.

I just finished The Notorious Astrological Physician of London Works and Days of Simon Forman, a very interesting analysis of a man who set himself up as a medical doctor in Elizabethan and Jacobean London. Most of his practice was based on Astrology. (He would case horoscopes to determine if someone was sick, what their problem was, etc.) The author uses his case books and other writings to tell about him as a doctor, a man, a physician, a Londoner. If you are interested in Elizabethan England or the history of Science, its very interesting.

I've just finished Terror on Tuesday by Ann Purser, and enjoyed it so much, that I'm now on to Weeping on Wednesday, in the same, Lois Meade, series.

Decided to settle into Mary Coin.

I just started Bellman & Black by Diane Setterfield. I really enjoyed The Thirteenth Tale so I'm hoping I like this one as well. My last books have been a little more serious, so I'm ready for something fun.

In the middle of:

Autocrat of the Breakfast Table, by Oliver Wendell Holmes

Night Soldiers, by Alan Furst

About to finish:

Songbird Journeys, by Miyoko Chu

About to start:
American Gods, by Neil Gaiman

Finished The Passion of New Eve - review/thoughts will follow soon.

Still working on The Forsyte Saga.

Have started 11/22/63, which is clearly going to go very, very fast considering its size.

Dark Serpent by Kylie Chan

This is the conclusion to what has come very close to my all time favourite book series, so I hope it's as enjoyable as the others.

I've finished reading and reviewed my ER book Lincoln in the World by Kevin Peraino.

Curiously, whenever I go to set a touchstone for this book, the default work is Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Started and finished Sacred by Dennis Lehane yesterday. I really like these Kenzie/Gennaro books. Lehane has a great sense of humor that comes out in these books.

My wife and I have started The Guardian of Isis by Monica Hughes as our read-aloud book.

Still reading Shakespeare's Local by Pete Brown.

I am just about to start The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett which appears to be very promising. I've heard that the books and movies are a lot of fun!

I finished and REVIEWED Hampton Sides terrific book Hellhound on his Trail. Absolutely riveting.

Now I'm reading Louise Penny's new one How the Light Gets In.

I finished and reviewed Seabiscuit: An American Legend. It's going to be one of the best for 2013!

Oh my, was that a fun read. I've reviewed Tilt-A-Whirl, the first mystery in the John Ceepak series that's set in a tacky Jersey Shore town, in my Crime, Thriller, and Mystery thread...post #103.

Four amused and pleased stars.

I've just started Lawrence in Arabia by Scott Anderson. I'm enjoying it so far--the author has a flare for bringing a little-known corner of history to life.

Finished listening to the very dark Sleepless. Next up for my listening pleasure is A Walk Across The Sun by Corban Addison. I continue the 18th century melodrama Clarissa: Or A History of a Young Woman.

Finished Elsewhere this weekend and I really enjoyed it. It was a bit YA, not really my thing, but I could see past it. It was a beautiful and sad story about a girl who dies and ends up in Elsewhere, the afterlife, where she ages backward until she's a baby again and is sent back to earth. Even though I do believe in the afterlife and reincarnation, it didn't correspond with my views, but I did enjoy the author's original point of view and ideas.

I'm finishing up Love Saves the Day by Gwen Cooper

Just started I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett. Fourth book in the Tiffany Aching series, just brilliant.

Just started From a Buick 8 by Stephen King. I haven't read anything by him in a long time, since I usually read before going to sleep and his stories always are so disturbing I'm having trouble falling asleep. But I think this story will be okay for reading at night. Also since my little girl has started going to school I have a lot more time to read during the day :-)

Late, late, late, but put me down as another worshiper of C.J. Cherryh, the goddess. I'm thrilled because I came to her late and probably have enough of her work to last me until I die at an extremely old age! Thanks for the intro!

I started The Good Luck Girls of Shipwreck Lane by Kelly Harms and it's absolutely delightful

(45) @ollie1976 I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

I am reading Whistlng Past the Graveyard and like it so far. I finished Letters From Skye which was very good.

(50)-it was a sweet book and I can relate as I'm a human mom to 3 cats :)

So, I put aside One Simple Act: Discovering the Power of Generosity by Debbie Macomber - couldn't really get into it.

(47) - I just finished reading From a Buick 8: A Novel by Stephen King myself on Friday, August 30th. I thoroughly enjoyed it! :) I immediately started reading All the Numbers: A Novel by Judy Merrill Larsen on Saturday, August 31st and finished it on Sunday, September 1st - what a book! :) Right now, I'm reading The Way we Were: A Novel by Marcia Willett. I'm just getting into the story.

Started The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton Frank this morning

I've finished The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett, and what a blast it was!

Now I'm on to The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. So far, so good. It's quite intrigueing.

I finished The Persian Pickle Club last night and started The Last Runaway - love it so far! Oh! and Pickle was a good read too!! :)

Okay, so I made a big mistake in thinking I could read From a Buick 8 just before going to sleep... So far I like the story, it's old school Stephen King, but already it's seriously creeping me out. It'll be okay for reading during the day, but I need something else for reading just before bed. Perhaps something with unicorns and rainbows would be better...

Love your post 57 Vonini :) I was the same way when I read Salem's Lot years ago. I would close the blinds with my eyes closed and my head turned.

Lol! He's seriously an excellent writer if he can do that to people. And thank you for reminding me NOT to get Salem's lot :-)

#55, Bookwoman247, I hope you have a better time with Tom Ripley than I did. I found him just a bit too unlikeable.

I've started If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor by Bruce Campbell. He's been in a lot of cheesey movies, such as Evil Dead. I remember him most from the Xena and Hercules series.

>60 Bjace: Bjace: I don't think that Tom is supposed to be likeable. Actually, I don't think that any of the characters are. I'm a bit over 1/3 of the way through though, and loving the book at this point, because I want to know if he will get away with it or not! (I've Never seen the movie or anything.) I do find his character fascinating, though. In a Charles Manson or Jack the Ripper kind of way. Highsmith is great at drawing the character, and his thought processes. I don't know yet if guilt will work on his character. I suspect not, as he seems a sociopath, but it does make me wonder. I do suspect a large dose of selfish fear of getting caught will work heavily on him pretty soon, though, if the book's beginning is any indication.

Ack! Sorry, I didn't mean to make this an essay! I'm just finding the book incredibly fascinating. It's a page-turner for me, for sure!

I'm reading Laura, as part of a group read. :)

I finished and REVIEWED Louise Penny's new series entry How the Light Gets In and oh boy, it was a good one.

Next up for me is Miss Mapp in the Mapp and Lucia series.

I've posted my review of a debut essay collection, Meaty: Essays by Samantha Irby, in my thread...post #75.

Starting The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood

I just finished The Locust Effect, an LTER. It is an excellently written and persuasive book about how protection against violence is needed by the world's poor before any more meaningful inroads can be made by other aide programs.

Nearing the end of the very good The Telling Room, with Montana 1948 up next.

Made a start on The Mandarins by Simone De Beauvoir

Made a start on The Mandarins by Simone De Beauvoir

I'm also reading Nine Princes in Amber as part of a group read.

47> I started my first Stephen King novel - The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon - only yesterday for the reading group. Early days yet.

Finished Shakespeare's Local by Pete Brown and am still dipping into Stuart Maconie's The People's Songs. Both generally enjoyable.

I'm reading A Fine Balance, Men of the Otherworld, Eye of the World, Sweetness in the Belly, and about to start The Soldier's Song

# 72 cappybear
I'm curious to know what you think of it. I have read it and remember some parts of it. I didn't think it was his best, but it's an enjoyable read IMO.

I finished The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith yesterday. Holy cow! Hubby came home while I was deeply absorbed in the book, so I didn't hear him come in. When he said hello, I jumped a mile, LOL!!!!!!! The book really is that riveting!

Now, I'm on to Death of a Nag by M. C. Beaton, which is part of the Hamish Macbeth cozy mystery series. I'm going to the library to pick up some books that are being held for me later today, so I wanted something to read that would be short, sweet, and an easy read.

For my nighttime reading I picked up There and back again by Pat Murphy. I didn't notice it when I chose it, but the book is apparently written after The Hobbit. Of course the title is a clear reference, but...it's science fiction! So far (which is not far at all), I like it. It is reminiscent of The Hobbit, but not that much that it would just be The Hobbit in space. I'm very curious to see where it will lead.

I finished The Sweet-Shop Owner -- always a pleasure to be back reading a book by Graham Swift. He creates such a world for you -- such fascinating characters.

Reading so many comments here about Patricia Highsmith's Mr. Ripley -- bringing back deliciously disturbing and evocative memories of that book and other works by the author -- makes me want to read something else by her -- or perhaps about her. Somewhere in the tbr stack is a biography -- Beautiful Shadow by Andrew Wilson. Perhaps I'll go looking for it, risking as always a major bookslide.

Later: The biography was waiting for me, mercifully close to the top of Mt. TBR. The introduction begins with this quote from Kierkegaard -- a quote Highsmith once copied into her journal:

"The individual has manifold shadows, all of which resemble him, and from time to time have equal claim to be the man himself."

74> My wife said the very same thing, Vonini (she read the book for the reading group as well). I'm only two chapters in.

Well, still in an unfortunate fiction reading funk. Got half way through The Grapes of Wrath and COULD NOT TAKE IT ANYMORE. Seriously, the political diatribes, the repetitiveness and the well, boring-ness. I really don't get why some novels become famous. This is one. And I would not wish to be an animal anywhere around that family. Many gruesome deaths thereof. And then those dopey little kids sit around and enjoy looking at the corpses instead of feel any remorse their dog got squished by a car. What the?

So heck, going back to short stories in Paris Review and some other journals I get, poetry and reading a great NF book Plot versus Character by Jeff Gerke - really enjoying the new perspective on balancing out my writing. Some great ideas!

I didn't like The Grapes of Wrath either. The movie was way better...

#80 - I heard the movie was great, and I understand Spielberg bought the rights and is going to do an updated version. So I will check out the movie.

*80, 81 -- My father was one of those who headed west during the Depression, riding the rails, surviving however he could. When I was a girl in the 50s he had me watch the movie version of The Grapes of Wrath. I can't tell you how many times he said, "That's exactly how it was. Look at that. It looks like newsreel footage rather than a feature film." Watching it was a very emotional experience for him. He seldom spoke of those times, but he wanted me to see that film. I read the book, too, which I admired. I think it helps to see it in its historic context.

I can't imagine how Spielberg thinks he can improve on that great 1940 film. Of course, I had the advantage of seeing it while sitting beside someone who lived it.

I'm about 3/4 of the way through Gray Matters by Brett McCracken.

An excellent book on how Christians should have discernment with food, music, films, and alcohol. McCracken walks a fine line with this book but does it wonderfully and it's a must read for Christians who want to know how handle the aforementioned issues.

Marion

I'm reading Mad Mouse, great fun.

I had to switch to the audio of The Longest Road because the book was due back to the library. I'll get used to the different voice in my head! They are now in Montana, on their way to Alaska from Key West.

I also discovered an interesting book while looking through my library's new ebooks, The Endangered Species Road Trip. As long as I can get past the fact that the author started on a road trip with two children under 2 (what are they, nuts?), it seems like it'll be an informative, humorous book!

So, I finished reading The Way we Were: A Novel by Marcia Willett on Wednesday, September 4th, and thoroughly enjoyed the book! :)

By Wednesday afternoon, I picked up The Doctor's Wife by Brian Moore. Two days into reading this book, and I'm really enjoying the story so far. :)

The new thread has appeared a wee bit early.