What You're Reading the Week of 25 Aug

Early again, and still no computer so no picture (actually it's back from intensive care and into convalescence - I'm going to start plugging wires in gently tomorrow morning). I finished Candace B. Pert's Everything You Need to Know to Feel Good (no touchstone, work is here) on a trip this week. I enjoyed Molecules of emotion, the successor is disappointing, a loosely strung together series of conversations and abstracts from presentations that sometimes loom near to some interesting ideas that disappear into a discussion about plane trips or massage.

I also started into The Art of Murder by Jose Carlos Somoza whilst I was travelling and have come back to a half-completed Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra, hopefully I get both complete this coming week.

Well, the touchstones may be a bit quicker but they are certainly no better at finding books or authors.

I'm currently reading The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and I have to say that I love, love, love, love it. I'm not even halfway through but the writing is just so evocative and the story line is so fascinating that I can't put it down.

I'm also reading Only Revolutions by Mark Z. Danielewski on the side, but I find I can't read it for longer than about half an hour. The book is a work of art masquerading as a book, and requires a lot of flipping over, reading backwards, and holding words up to the mirror. Definitely messes with the common notions of how a book should be read!

Howdy! Just joined this group so thought I'd jump in here while I'm slurping my morning coffee. I'm currently reading one of the books from the LT/Random House early reviewer's program, Identical Strangers: A Memoir of Twins Separated and Reunited by Elyse Schein and Paula Bernstein. So far I'm really enjoying it, though I had no special interest in twins when I chose the book--it just sounded interesting, and it is. Also will be starting The Nicholas Feast by Pat McIntosh, second in a mystery series set in 15th c. England, later today.

For the rest of the week...well, I have to waffle a bit because I never know just what I'll be in the mood for til it's time to pick up the next book! I usually tuck a paperback in my purse to haul to work to read on my breaks, and I've already got Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines set aside for that duty, but beyond that, I've no idea what else I'll get to in the coming days.

Cheryl

Well, I'm still grinding through Catch 22 at my husband's strong encouragement. It's enjoyable and brilliantly written, but still not my "thing". I have so many enticing books waiting for me that it's hard to keep going. I hope to finish it this weekend so I can move on. My apologies to all you Catch 22 Fan Club members!!

I just finished Minaret by Leila Aboulela. Not sure what I'm going to tackle next.

I'm rereading Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller. I hated it with a passion last time, and I have to struggle to get through it now. This is probably my last attempt at enjoying Miller.

Since the last time I posted to one of these, I finished Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling (back on Aug. 5; then immediately went out and saw the film, as well).

Today (Aug. 25), I finally finished Popeye, Vol. 1 by E.C. Segar. I'd actually taken a break of several weeks when I got about halfway through the book, which is partially why it's taken me so long to finish it. Also, the book is wonderfully designed by it's so large that I can't carry it to work with me or anything like that. So, no reading it on lunch breaks, just a a couple week's worth of strips read each night before turning in.

Next I'll be starting another vintage newspaper strip collection, The Complete Dick Tracy Volume 1 (1931-1933) by Chester Gould.

I'm still working on The Attack by Yasmina Khadra. I just read through the third chapter, but it's a short book so I'll probably finish it soon.

Not sure what's next. Friday I'm taking all of my students down to the library at school to pick out books of choice...so I'll probably pick up a YA novel there. Can't wait to see what my students choose.

Reading The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen.

Still reading Winter House by Carol O'Connell, which I am gobbling up so quickly that I should finish tonight. Then, probably Lean Mean Thirteen, which is due back to the library soon. Also still listening to the audiobook of The Road, which is brilliant (in a really depressing way). I am absolutely loving it! ;D

I'm still reading the same stuff: A Good Dog (slow-going because I'm not that into it), Paradise Lost (slow-going because it's so dense and, well, Milton-y), and Candide and The Hound of Death, which are both very good, but slow-going because I've been dealing with Freshman Orientation this week and trying to prep for the first week of classes. I'm also still listening to Wizard's First Rule, which I'm very much enjoying - I'm really starting to get into the characters, but it's slow-going (noticing a pattern, anyone?) because I only listen to it when I'm knitting or sewing or cross-stitching, which hasn't been happening too much lately (see reasons above).

A little over a hundred pages into The Summer Queen by Joan D. Vinge and I can't seem to maintain much interest in the book so I've decided to read Hour Game by David Baldacci instead.

Still struggling with Half of a Yellow Sun and wondering what all the fuss is about Adichie's writing, because I really can't see it - I'm finding it mostly dull and very ponderous to read. If it hasn't picked up in another 50 pages, I'm ditching it.

2> I keep looking at Only Revolutions every time I go to the bookstore, but I'm aprehensive about buying it. House of Leaves was an interesting enough read that I'm not sure I'd be able to plough through this next one. Let me know if it's worth it at the end of the day.

As for me I'm currently reading What's Bred in the Bone by Robertson Davies and will be hopefully hitting The Crying of Lot 49 once that's done. I really enjoy Davies and so far What's Bred in the Bone is no exception.

My current reads are The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney by Randy D. Singer and A Planet Called Treason by Orson Scott Card.

I am still reading The Rose without a Thorn by Jean Plaidy and I am enjoying it alot..Hopefully I will finish it this weekend and either start Knit one Kill Two by Maggie Seftonor Firefly Beach by Luanne Rice or Anam Cara by John O'Donohue

I just finished Garden Spells by Sarah Allen (book comes out on Tuesday). It was a GREAT book that I think everyone will enjoy. Think Practical Magic meets the Giving Tree.

It is finally a beautiful evening here & I hope to spend the evening on the deck with the book Sin in the Second City by Karen Abbot.

I'm near the end of a book called The Winter Rose. Which I just picked up randomly from my local bookshop. I'm so glad I did, its a really wonderful book.

I have 2 books lined up to read this week:
Baker Towers by Jennifer Haigh
Zorro by Isabel Allende

#4 coloradoreader: Catch 22 is on my TBR list and I'm reading it with friends because I know I wouldn't be able to read it otherwise. It's just one of those books everyone raves about, so I have to give it a try! I hope it's worth it!

#14 jordan7hm: I'm halfway through Only Revolutions. It's taking me forever to read and like you, I'm still unsure as to whether or not the plot is going to turn out to be worth it. When I've read it and House of Leaves, I'll let you know!

I'm reading Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson (Norwegian author, winner of the 2007 Impac/Dublin prize), How I Became a Nun by César Aira (Argentine author), and nibbling slowly away at "The Door" by Margaret Atwood, her latest poetry collection (and apparently no touchstone yet).

I'll be starting Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb either later tonight or tomorrow morning. I'm really looking forward to seeing how Hobb wraps everything up with this trilogy. And, much as I've enjoyed the story, I'll be glad to read a few shorter, less involved things once I've finished it!

I just finished The Red Tent by Anita Diamante, which I thought was an interesting and engaging look into the lives of Biblical women. Now, I am reading Small Wonder - a collection of essays by Barbara Kingsolver.

August 25-

Fire and Ice: A History of Comets in Art
Silent Invasion : The Shocking Discoveries of a Ufo Researcher

>#19 oklahomabooklady I really liked Zorro--very different from the usual swashbuckling portrayal. I'd love to hear what you think about it.

Still working my way through Magdalen Nabb's Marshal Guranaccia series. Finished Some Bitter Taste last night. It turned into a real page turner the whole last quarter of the book. Starting Property of Blood today.

Civil War buff that I am, I'm finding Horace Porter's Campaigning with Grant an interesting read. I made this ridiculous vow recently that I would buy no more Civil War books until I had read at least two for every one about to hit the door. Since I have no self-discipline about buying books, I've been trying to at least keep up with the reading! Like it's such a chore, reading, yeah right. :-)

I started So Yesterday by Scott Westerfeld yesterday. He is always very imaginative so I have no doubt the book will be good.

WE: Understanding the Psychology of Romantic Love
by Robert A. Johnson
I enjoy a number of Johnson's work as it has a Jungian perspective, quite readable, and he uses mythology to accentuate his points.

Big yes for Time Traveler. When I was reading it, I hit some of the dates in the book, kind of creepy. The sense of love and loss worked, and the time element kept everything off balance and fresh.

Big yes for Time Traveler. When I was reading it, I hit some of the dates in the book, kind of creepy. The sense of love and loss worked, and the time element kept everything off balance and fresh.

#9 hazelk: I'll be interested to see what you think of The Corrections. After reading so many of your posts, I'm not sure you'll like it. I will wait for news.

Finished Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively - I think this will always be one of my favourite books. Started Manhattan Transfer by John Dos Passos and I'm enjoying it so far.

I've finished Hour Game by David Baldacci and I'm about to start How to cook a tart by Nina Killham.

Currently reading The Scar by China Mieville.

#9--I tried; just couldn't get through The Corrections.

#33 Same here.

August 26 -

Interstellar Travel: Past, Present and Future
The Andromeda Strain
First Aid for Soldiers US Army
Waiting for the Galactic Bus

#33 and #34. I read The Corrections and enjoyed it. I enjoyed the characters personalities most, what actually happened to the characters was secondary to me. The thing I didn't like was Chip's character transformation at the end. It was a bit trite?

I have got myself into a predicament over the last 2 weeks. I usually only read one book at a time. But because of the nature of one book, the size of another etc I have found myself having started several books, each only having read a chapter or 2 and not really into any of them. So I've exerted some discipline and have chosen to keep reading We need to talk about Kevin and have put Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, Atonement and The Winter Rose back on the bookshelf.

Just finished Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively. My first introduction to her books, can't wait to read more. Now reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Can hardly put it down. Before bed reading The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton, a series of essays. Really enjoying it. After Book Thief it will be The Dawning of the Day: A Jerusalem Tale by Haim Sabato, a book I picked up at random from the library.

#36-kiwiflowa: Definitely go back to Atonement when you get a chance. Such a good book. I can't read more than one book at a time either.

I am reading Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox . It is about the experiences of a long distance swimmer.

I'm reading Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake. I don't think I'll be finished with it by the end of this week... I'm also reading The Changelings and Hypatia of Alexandria.

Hypatia of Alexandria sounds interesting. I'm putting it on my TBR list. Thanks for the tip, enheduanna!

Just finished Ghost Sister by Liz Williams and I;m starting Child of a Rainless Year, which has completely gotten under my skin. It's beautifully written, and intriguing.

Amost finished with Dogs of Babel I'll finish it tonight. Tomorrow-non fiction - On the natural history of destruction W.G. Sebald, trans. by Anthea Bell.
#36 Kiwiflowa, I enjoyed The Corrections & hated to see it end.His characters are so well-drawn. Yet, i agree, Chip was probably the weakest (& most like himself)

I'm about to finish Let Us Eat Cake - something I picked up at a used bookstore on a fluke and absolutely loved. After that will probably start Down the Nile or Coastliners. I also have Roots staring at me, but I think I will save that for cooler weather.... can't believe summer is almost over :-(

I read The Corrections several years ago and really enjoyed it, but I agree with amandameale, hazelk--I'd be surprised if it's your cup of tea. (You and I seem to have a fair amount of crossover, but I think this falls outside of it.)

I finished The Great Stink by Clare Clark today, which was true to its title--took a long time to get going, and was capped off by the worst ending I've encountered in a long time.

I'm now rereading Roots by Alex Haley for my book club.

I'm reading Howard Bahr's "The Year of Jubilo", a civil war novel, which I love! It's as good as his "The Black Flower".

Next up for me? I'm not sure. I read Anna karenina this summer and really enjoyed it. I may try "The Brothers Karamazov" next.

The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry.

I polished off How to cook a tart by Nina Killham. Despite the . . . unconventional ending, I really enjoyed the book. The author did a wonderful job of skewering all the diet/food fads people are into.

I think I'll tackle Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann next.

Im about 20% through War and Peace and 2/3 of The handmaid's tale and enjoying both immensely.

Finally finished the Scott Westerfeld trilogy and am now starting Special Topics in Calamity Physics.

Can anyone tell me why this author's name comes up in red on the touchstones?

It's an LT feature that, from time to time touchstones behave bizarrely. The red just means that - for whatever reason - LT can't find the author to create a touchstone link.

Bernice Summerfield and the Gods of the Underworld and also the Doctor Who Magazine Special: Series 3 Companion.

#35: I *loved* Waiting for the Galactic Bus - the sequel (The Snake Oil Wars) is good too. I'd love to know what you think when you're finished.

I finished Arthur and George last night, which was thoroughly enjoyable. I'm now reading Heat and Dust, which won the Booker Prize in 1975.

#43 lindsacl: Arthur and and George was one of my top two books last year. Glad you liked it.

I just began Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See. I like the story and the author's writing. I'm settling in for a good read with this book.

All books are put aside...I just received the new Diane Mott Davidson mystery: Sweet Revenge. Caterer Goldy has whisked me away!
;}

just started harry potter and the deathly hallows---i read the corrections a few years ago and thought it was ok- not great but just ok

I have gone a bit mad as of late. Am still working on Seven Types of Ambiguity which is interesting, but not as compelling as I usually like. So started The Overnight by Ramsey Campbell. Listening to The World Without Us is draining and depressing, so I intersperse it with Killer Instinct by Joseph Finder and Undead and Unpopular by Mary Janice Davidson, the latter is soooo completely juvenile that I may not be able to finish it.

At this rate I might not finish any of them though.

Oh and I also cracked Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader and read a couple of essays. Someone said that this is better in small does and I agree.

Still working through Earth: An Intimate History, which has wonderful parts on the evolution of geological theories on mountain building, plate tectonics, the Alps and the Appalachian-Caledonian chain. (OK, maybe not on the top of your list, esp. for non-geologists. But if your interests do lie this way, I would recommend it.)

And, for a break and a Happy Heathens group read, Mark Twain's Letters from the Earth.

I read The Irish Game-A True Story of Crime and Art by Matthew Hart and Blink-the Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell this past weekend. I liked Gladwell's first book The Tipping Point better. I always enjoy reading investigative books about art thefts and Hart's book was very entertaining.

I'm nearly finished with Bel Canto by Ann Patchett and then I will be starting Never Let Me Go.

Okay, finally done with Miller. Now I'm reading The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck.

heatherlynn85: I will get around to reading Never Let Me Go, I will! I accidentally bought it in the wrong language ( I thought they would have translated the title, but no such luck) and gave that copy to my mom. Hence, back to scratch. I can't find a cheap edition anywhere!

Now reading A smuggler's library by Joseph McElroy ...

American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

I just started reading Air, or, Have Not Have by Geoff Ryman. It's an SF book about a village in rural poverty stricken east Asia and a new kind of internet.

I'm really enjoying the book but I'd like to fire and blacklist the line editor. There's a line editing mistake every 10 or so pages. What a disaster! The fact that I'm still enjoying the book a great deal despite the typos and missing or doubled words really says something.

I'm currently reading Everyday Nature: Knowledge of the Natural World in Colonial New York by Sara S. Gronim, The Boilerplate Rhino (a collection of essays by David Quammen), and The Last Witchfinder by James Morrow. All are quite good; the last is fascinating in a bizarre sort of way (it's a novel periodically 'narrated' from the perspective of Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica).

I'm slowly savoring Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale, which is beautifully written. Next up will be a complete change: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, a reread from May in preparation for several September book discussions (it's our community reading title this year).

#9 hazelk - I read The Corrections several years ago and really enjoyed it. In fact, it was the first book my S.O. and I bonded over. Fortunately, though, it is not a reflection on our own relationship!

**Touchstones are being a bit wonky**

Just finished The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. I absolutely LOVED it.

Now I'm on to We Need to Talk About Kevin and Darkness Creeping. The former is so deep, I needed something light and fun in between letters.

English Passengers by Matthew Kneale. Also, still working on Reclaiming History by Vincent Bugliosi.

43: Let me know what you think of The Dogs of Babel. I recently read the author's second book Lost and Found, and I really enjoyed it.

Currently reading Memnoch The Devil by Anne Rice. Very interesting piece of work by an author so easily classed in the dark side of literature. This book takes Rice's renouned character, Lestat, beyond earth and into heaven and hell by his unique tour guide Memnoch The Devil, a fallen angel. My next literary adventure will be Spanish Lessons by Derek Lambert about starting a new life in Spain.

I'm reading the third book in the Dragon Jousters series right now but I'm not as enthralled in it as I was at the beginning. The end of the second book was a bit of a let down but this series is definatly one of my favorites.

I'm in the midst of One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson. Absolutely love it. I'd read Case Histories before and loved it, as well. She's so diverse in her plots--very literary "crime fiction" and regular literary fiction. Great writer and fascinating stories.

I just finished Origin by Diana Abu-Jaber-awesome! Starting Air by Geoff Ryman next.

#62 heatherlynn85, how did you like Bel Canto?

I've started the journey from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows this week. I've already read the first six books before, but I like re-reading the series everytime I get hold of the latest...

#71 YES I loved The dogs of Babel It remended me of The time traveler's wife both sad, but well-written.
I gave up on On the natural history of destruction It was just too, well destructive. What made it worse was that though it dealt with destruction in Europe 60 years ago, I am aware that destruction of cities (& the people in them) is still going on -- today, this very minute & who knows how & if it will ever end?
I started Elegy for Iris also sad but still a story of love.

I just finished Village Diary by Miss Read and have Dust by Martha Grimes and Chemistry of Death by Simon Beckett in progress. Richard Jury's character has changed since the early books; way too much about his love life. The Beckett isn't grabbing my interest as I hoped, but may get better.

I finished InterWorld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves yesterday -- an enjoyable read!

I also started The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Eighteenth Annual Collection edited by Ellen Datlow, Kelly Link and Gavin Grant for my bedtime reading and Renaissance Faire edited by Andre Norton and Jean Rabe for my takeout reading.

Just started A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth.

>30 amandameale::amandameale>33 Cariola::cariola:>34 Storeetllr::storeetllr-Regarding The Corrections, as soon as I started on it, guess what, I realised that I'd read it before and, guess what again, remembered I'd enjoyed reading about this dysfunctional family and liked the style.
It appears, therefore, that I'm with >36 kiwiflowa:, >45 cabegley:, and >68 grkmwk:.

A good 4 stars novel.

Just started A Maiden's Grave by Jeffery Deaver

Just finished Property of Blood by Magdalen Nabb which was riveting. the whole series is unbelievably good. Have started The Innocent, the latest in the series.

#81 hazelk: You are quite unpredictable!

This morning I just finished Tears of the Giraffe which is #2 in the fabulous "Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series. I enjoy these books so much I'm almost nervous to pick up the next one in case it's not as good. How long can McCall Smith keep it up?

Now I'm reading Kindred by Octavia E. Butler which is clearly going to be a lot heavier. It's about a black woman from the 1970s who gets pulled through time and winds up in slavery-era Maryland with no control over when or whether she'll go back to her own time. I've only just started it but already it's freaking me out.

>85 mamajoan: mamajoan. The plot of Kindred sounds really fascinating! How did you find out about this one?

Alright, finished The Moon Is Rising, moving on to a long-anticipated reread of To Kill A Mockingbird.

Currently reading The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian from the public library, also reading Blinded by Stephen White.

#88 Caroline123--will be interested in your thoughts on Double Bind. I really thought it was a great book.

I finished Sin in the Second City yesterday & started Power Play by Joseph Finder today. So far it seems like Five Dysfunctions of a Team meets The Shining.

Just finished The Golden Compass over the weekend.
Still dying for someone to pop in here and write, "Just picked up a new book called (title omitted, because it would be shameless self-promotion). Can't wait for the November/December issue of ForeWord to come out, however, because my book is discussed in the article "YA Foresight" which will hopefully put it in the sights of more librarians than the hundred of them I met and gave copies to at the BEA in June.

I finished The handmaid's tale and felt that it kind of lost its horror and oomph at the end - but still a very good read.

I will continue reading War and Peace and will start reading Disordered minds

85: I really enjoyed Kindred when I read it earlier this year. Butler is a fantastic writer.

Just finished A Clash of Kings and immediately started on A Storm of Swords, both from George R. R. Martin.

I finished A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson last night - a fun read and informative about the Appalachians.
Started A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini this afternoon - so far, so good.
Still working through The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver - enjoying it but realized I have to get the Hosseini book back to my school library soon.

Finished reading The Right Hand of Evil by John Saul yesterday.

Now I'm currently reading The Hellfire Club by Peter Straub.

#86 joycepa, I can't remember exactly how I heard of Kindred specifically, but I'm a big scifi fan and Octavia E. Butler is one of the major names in the field. She was one of the few really well-known women scifi authors (in her day), and the only African-American too. I've recently been making a real effort to read more scifi by women and people of color, hence picking this one up now.

I just finished reading Chain of Command by Casper Weinberger it was a wicked thriller that grabbed you and didn't stop to the end. I am now reading the Crimison Sword by Eldon Thompson. So far it reads very fast and does remind me of a little of David Eddings or Robert Newcomb

to all shannara fans out there if you are looking for a new series try reading the Godslayer books by James Clemens. They an epic fantasy series. Let me know what you think

Warning: much complaining and grousing ahead...

Just finished A Good Dog: The Story of Orson, Who Changed My Life. I was disappointed in it on so very many levels: I don't like books that bring out the irrationally emotional side of me; I didn't agree with the author's decision in the end, only to be chastised for that very dislike by the author himself in the Afterword (and I certainly don't like to be reprimanded by the books I read); and on top of all that, it wasn't even very well written. I really don't mean to be petty (I'm not just saying that the writing's not very good because I was emotionally hurt by it), but if I'm going to read something that's going to make me cry at 6:30 in the morning and ruin my makeup for the day, I at least want the prose to be enjoyable.

#81 and #62, A Suitable Boy and Bel Canto are two of my favorite books; hope you enjoy/enjoyed them!

I've been on a nonfiction kick and finished Travels with Herodotus (interesting, but I agree with whoever said it made you want to read Herodotus instead) and an LT recommendation, Everything is Miscellaneous by David Weinberger, which I found interesting and breezily written, but which could have been (in my opinion) a long essay instead of a book.

The Careful Use of Compliments by Alexander McCall Smith, which is part of the Sunday Philosophy Club series. If you haven't tried his books, I highly recommend them. This series is set in Edinburgh Scotland.

#97mamajoan: After I posted that message, I looked Butler up and discovered what you've written about her. I used to be a big scifi fan--major Urusula LeGuin fan because of her social commentary in her books--but for some reason, just dropped out of reading the genre. Guess she started publishing afterwards. I've got Kindred on my TBR; some of her others look interesting, too.
Thanks for writing about it! I'm delighted with the number of new authors and books I've discovered as the result of LT.

Almost done with Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning. Very good story but I really don't enjoy foreshadowing which there is a lot of.

>101 rebeccanyc::that's encouraging, rebeccanyc, (re A Suitable Boy) as was hoping when I bought it that it wasn't going to be - 'oh, 25 pages, that's 1/40th read' - sort of book.

>101 rebeccanyc: rebeccanyc

Thanks for the tip on Everything is Miscellaneous. It's been pushed down the TBR pile a few times in favor of lighter fare, perhaps I'll zip through it next week. And I too, am a fan of Ann Patchett's Bel Canto. I have a memoir of hers Truth and Beauty which I must get to.

Finally started The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke on my niece's recommendation. I've also heard good things about Funke here on LT.

>105 hazelk: hazelk, I adored A Suitable Boy - I read it over quite a few months as I was really busy with my final year undergrad, but it was a true friend to me. I was slightly bereaved when I finished it, I think - I really missed all the characters! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did :-)

I was reading The Yiddish Policemen's Union, but something about it is simply not holding my attention, so I've put it down for the moment and picked up First Among Sequels. I love Jasper Fforde, and although I'm only 30 pages into First Among Sequels, I can already tell I'll enjoy it.

#81, #101, #108: I, too, loved A Suitable Boy, and was so sad when I couldn't convince anyone else I talked books with (pre-LT) to read it--the length of it scared everyone away.

Didn't finish Water for Elephants due to animal abuse included in the story line.

Now reading The Last Victim by Kevin O'Brien.

Didn't finish Water for Elephants due to animal abuse included in the story line.

Now reading The Last Victim by Kevin O'Brien.

#110 cabegley--I have a Suitable Boy and am anxious to read but the length is a little intimidating. Seeing all the great reviews--I think it will move up in my TBR pile.

I'm trying to read Evolution's Darling by Scott Westerfeld and The riddle of the wren by Charles de Lint, the two books I got out of the (beautiful but rather light on books) local library.

It's strange, I think I've read the Westerfeld book before, but I only remember bits and pieces. I will persist with that one.

I am very disappointed with the de Lint book, though. I read The Blue Girl some time ago and really loved it, but this (high?) fantasy book is just - dull. The main character is boring. The plot is boring. It's all Standard Fantasy stuff, nothing different or exciting or interesting at all. I'm not sure I'm going to finish it. Although I have been having a little trouble getting to sleep recently...

Woodbear - don't you worry, Rosie gets her own back. And HOW.

>115 Bookmarque:, I agree. Like Woodbear I found the abuse (human and animal) disturbing and very sad but good triumphs over evil in the end, in a most satisfying fashion.

--> 2

I, too, just started reading The Time Traveler's Wife. My husband read it and said I'd like it. So far, I'm enjoying it very much. I really like the way it's written. I'm not a big fan of reading about time travel, but this novel seems to be more a story about a person who just happens to time travel! :-)

Just finished Candide and liked it much more than I thought I would. Going into it, I didn't really know what it was about, just that it's one of those books I think I should read, being a liberal arts person. Also being a Classicist, I loved the bit about Pococurante, who can't stand Homer or Vergil or Cicero - very funny stuff!

Next up is The Sorrows of the Young Werther...

Last night I started Sorcerer's Legacy by Janny Wurts as my Go Review That Book! group book.

>97 mamajoan:, 103 others. I have loved Octavia Butler's works. You might also like her dystopia, Parable of the Sower and her most recent, and sadly her last novel, The Fledgling which is fascinating vampire tale . I'm not prone to reading vampire stories, but she uses this context to make us think about race, family and so much else.

I have finished Out Stealing Horses and have started So Vast the Prison by Assia Djebar. I am still also reading How I Became a Nun by César Aira - although at the moment it's on hold. The bookstore has called me and the new Laurel Thatcher Ulrich nonfiction is in...

I've started working on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Brain spasm!! Ach!

>113 momom248::momom248: I, too, was somewhat put off by the length of the book (A Suitable Boy), but it's a good sign that I'm reading it over breakfast and then morning coffee and then.....

In short, it's excellent.

I'm reading The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder. It's my second week into it, I'm slow lately.

I finished Catch 22 a few days ago. I then picked up Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively as I have read so many wonderful things about it on this board. So far I'm finding it a bit slow, but I'm sticking with it.

I'm breaking my "One book at a time" Rule and am also reading Cheating Our Kids: How Politics and Greed Ruin Education by Joe Williams---so far a VERY enlightening book!

#105, #108, 110, etc. I loved A Suitable Boy so much that I started reading it more slowly as I got near the end because I didn't want it to stop. And, like LizT, I missed the characters. It's probably 10 years since I read it, so I forget quite a bit, and if I didn't have so many unread books to read I would read it again. Maybe I will anyway.

Just finished We Need to Talk About Kevin. Wow. Just....wow.

Now I'm on to The Alienist by Caleb Carr.

Quite a stunner, isn't it?

127: I've almost finished we need to talk about Kevin I have six letters to go and she still hasn't got to the main event. It's an amazing story isn't it? Yesterday I was reading the bit about the bleach (cryptic so there are no spoilers) and I was in a cafe before work. I think I was grimacing while reading, oblivious to the rest of the cafe because when I finally packed up ready to go I was getting some odd looks from the cafe staff lol!

August 30-

The Unofficial Gay Manual

All done with Harper Lee, now time for some Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Quite the jump.

> 111: woodbear
"Didn't finish Water for Elephants due to animal abuse included in the story line."

It's really a great book and well worth picking back up. I'm an animal lover and I really loved it.

I just finished The Virgin's Lover. I didn't enjoy it as much as The Other Boleyn Girl. I am just about finished with The Ha-ha as well. It's fascinating. The whole thing is told from the point of view of a Vietnam Vet who was injured in the war and so he can't speak, read or write. But his thinking and reasoning abilities weren't hurt at all.
I am leaving on vacation tomorrow and have packed about a dozen books. I'm only going to be gone a week, but I'm always worried I'll run out of reading material.

mamajoan: I've read the entire No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. They just keep getting better!

Just started The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell ... very good already. Also started Shantaram this week. That one ought to keep me busy for a while!

Finished Heat and Dust last night and am now starting The Road. I have been looking forward to this one, having heard so much about it here.

Just finished Twilight by Stephenie Meyers I have New Moon on reserve at the libary.

#117 SqueakyChu: I loved The Time Traveler's Wife. It was fantastic, it truly was. I read the first paragraph and was immediately hooked. I love the story, but what is so extraordinary about the book is the author's style of writing. It's one of those books I wanted to read again immediately after finishing it... if only to prolong putting it down.

I'm still reading Only Revolutions by Mark Z. Danielewski, because the writing style really prevents me from digesting it all in one go. I'm also reading A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami and Affinity by Sarah Waters.

Now I am currently reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Very funny book and cannot wait to see what happens.

#135 - lindsacl - I am very curious to read your review of The Road. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. =)

I finished The Lizard Cage by Karen Connelly, which I read for a discussion over at the Reading Globally group. I found it very emotionally involving.

I'm now back to Roots for my RL book club.

On audio, I'm now reading The Four Feathers by A. E. W. Mason.

This week I am reading

Freedom next time by John Pilger - slowly as the book makes me so angry

and rereading

Young Miles (an omnibus volume), books which I always enjoy a lot because it is a space swashbuckler with a lot of love for its characters. They put me in a very good mood.

I finally finished Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George -- It took me forever (well, two weeks, actually) to read as it is ~ 950 huge pages of small type. But it was worth it as I just utterly was lost in Ancient Rome and Egypt. Good historical fiction is like magic.

I have just started The Penelopiad by MArgaret Atwood.

I started Some Day Me Talk Pretty by David Sedaris last night and finished it this morning. Really liked it - I needed a laugh - Wednesday was a bad day. I hadn't heard of him until I got on to this site - don't think he's all that well known in Canada.
Am still reading A Thousand Splendid Suns - about half way through - it just hasn't grabbed me as I thought it would... but it's good, just so far, not great.

Finished The Last Victim by Kevin O'Brien. Starting Courting Trouble by Deeanne Gist.

*81, #101, #108, #110. Another lover of A Suitable Boy here. I think that was the novel that kicked off my love of Indian lit. A few of my friends have taken it aon--and every one of them has adored it as well.

Has anyone else tackled Seth's Golden Gate? It's a novel written in rhyming couplets!

i've managed to read Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkhaban, and The Goblet of Fire, all in 6 days - and now working on The Order of The Phoenix...

I am about to put aside Imposture to start on a book I am reviewing for Book Browse, The Pirate's Daughter.

Am reading Jim Butcher's Grave Peril and the latest Darkover novel, written after Marion Zimmer Bradley's death. I'm not really sure whether it's going to be any good, but I live in hope. After finishing The Road three days ago, I've had a hard time finding anything I want to read ~ it was so good, I just want to start reading it all over again! :)

#76 dihiba - i really enjoyed Bel Canto, although the ending was sort of abrupt and not what i was expecting, but i guess that's a good thing!

Hi All I have just started Cathedral By Nelson Demille it' one of his stand alone novels and it's got a promising start.
Well it will do until my parcel from Amazon arrives with my next read but my pile of TBR books seems to be growing not diminishing every time I turn around there is another book I want to read and working in a library doesn't help either all those free books to hand and I still buy buy buy

Germaine, you might want to look for the newest post. It starts every week on a Saturday.