What are you reading the week of April 15, 2017?
TalkWhat Are You Reading Now?
Join LibraryThing to post.
This topic is currently marked as "dormant"—the last message is more than 90 days old. You can revive it by posting a reply.
1fredbacon
Oops! Let time get away from me and forgot to think of someone to feature. Here's a new thread anyway. :-)
2fredbacon
I need to get a little more focused. I've got four books going right now, Myths from Mesopotamia, The Lost River, All the Kremlin's Men, and Nothing but the Night.
3rocketjk
Greetings, all! Playing a little catch-up today after a week and a half away. My wife and I went to Las Vegas to visit my family (got to see my 3 1/2 year old grand nephews' first t-ball game!) and then to New York City to visit my wife's family. We are both from northeast New Jersey originally (we live in northern California, now) and so adore being in Manhattan. At any rate, most of my reading was done on the plane flights back and forth. So . . .
I finished up Under the North Star 3: Reconciliation, the conclusion to Väinö Linna's "Under the North Star" trilogy, a classic, perhaps the classic, work of Finnish literature. The trilogy covers Finnish life and history from the 1880s through the 1950s. Taken together, these three novels provided me one of the most powerful and memorable reading experiences of my life.
I finally read West with the Night by Beryl Markham's famous memoir about her life as a child, horse trainer and then pilot in British East Africa/Kenya. I liked it, but not as much as others have.
My more in-depth reactions to both works are available on my 50-Book Challenge thread.
On the flight home I started the first of Michael Connelly's "Harry Bosch" mysteries, The Black Echo, which I am enjoying. I bought it in the Las Vegas airport. The bookstore there had a whole display of several Bosch paperbacks, cleverly including this first one in the series. So I thought, "Yeah, I've been meaning to get to these, but why the display?" Then I stepped out of the bookstore to find a giant sign advertising the new Harry Bosch TV series. So that explains that!
I finished up Under the North Star 3: Reconciliation, the conclusion to Väinö Linna's "Under the North Star" trilogy, a classic, perhaps the classic, work of Finnish literature. The trilogy covers Finnish life and history from the 1880s through the 1950s. Taken together, these three novels provided me one of the most powerful and memorable reading experiences of my life.
I finally read West with the Night by Beryl Markham's famous memoir about her life as a child, horse trainer and then pilot in British East Africa/Kenya. I liked it, but not as much as others have.
My more in-depth reactions to both works are available on my 50-Book Challenge thread.
On the flight home I started the first of Michael Connelly's "Harry Bosch" mysteries, The Black Echo, which I am enjoying. I bought it in the Las Vegas airport. The bookstore there had a whole display of several Bosch paperbacks, cleverly including this first one in the series. So I thought, "Yeah, I've been meaning to get to these, but why the display?" Then I stepped out of the bookstore to find a giant sign advertising the new Harry Bosch TV series. So that explains that!
4PaperbackPirate
I'm reading By Bread Alone by Sarah-Kate Lynch for a reading challenge. I've read another book by Sarah-Kate Lynch which I thought was funny. This one has had a slow start, but did give me one chuckle.
6cappybear
Began to read Washington Square by Henry James whose birthday, as it happens, was on this day in 1843. I know James can take some getting used to , but for me he's one of the greats of the nineteenth century, and this novel has started well.
Read, enjoyed and reviewed The Stone Roses by Alex Green. Now I need to play the album more often.
I made a start on Night Watch by Linda Fairstein for the book group, but gave up after fifteen clunky pages. Life's too short.
Still reading The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman: it's very good.
Read, enjoyed and reviewed The Stone Roses by Alex Green. Now I need to play the album more often.
I made a start on Night Watch by Linda Fairstein for the book group, but gave up after fifteen clunky pages. Life's too short.
Still reading The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman: it's very good.
7seitherin
Finished Foreigner by C. J. Cherryh. Not an easy read. Next up is The Thousand Names by Django Wexler.
8lansingsexton
>6 cappybear: I'm reading James too. I've been catching up on some of his 112 shorter than novel length tales. I'm currently reading "The Coxon Fund" and I've just read for the first time, "The Turn of the Screw". They couldn't be more different. Next I'll take up volume four of Leon Edel's award winning biography of James. The first three were great, but I put off Volume four, The Treacherous Years, as it's clearly not likely to be a cheerful period of his life and career.
9seitherin
Finished The Alien Years by Robert Silverberg. Added A Fatal Inversion by Barbara Vine aka Ruth Rendell into my reading rotation in its place.
10framboise
In the second half of Before the Fall by Noah Hawley. Overall, it's fast-paced and keeps your interest. Never heard of the author before but he has a few other books out too.
11CarolynSchroeder
I finished, and loved, the novel The Arrangement: A Novel by Sarah Dunn.
I am now reading the thought-provoking but pretty weird The Stranger in the Woods, The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel.
I am now reading the thought-provoking but pretty weird The Stranger in the Woods, The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel.
12BookConcierge
The Coincidence of Coconut Cake– Amy E Reichert
Book on CD performed by C S E Cooney
4*****
Lou is struggling to get her French bistro Louella’s off the ground. Native Brit Al has landed in Milwaukee as a free-lance journalist, writing restaurant reviews under an assumed name. Al goes to Louella’s after receiving an anonymous tip, but it happens to be the same day that Lou found her fiancé with another woman and she is, frankly, a mess. The food suffers, and Al writes a scathing review. A few days later they meet in a bar – Lou is drowning her sorrows and Al is complaining about the “backwater” of Milwaukee. Lou challenges Al to see the real charms of the city, with her as guide. Her only requirement – NO talking about work.
What a deliciously delightful foodie romance! I liked the characters, and felt they acted reasonably (if somewhat improbably at time). I was invested in their story from the beginning and just flew through it. The food descriptions made me hungry, and I loved the way Reichert described the joys of this city (my current hometown).
C S E Cooney does a fine job narrating the audiobook. She has great pacing, and is a gifted voice artist who can easily differentiate the various characters.
Book on CD performed by C S E Cooney
4*****
Lou is struggling to get her French bistro Louella’s off the ground. Native Brit Al has landed in Milwaukee as a free-lance journalist, writing restaurant reviews under an assumed name. Al goes to Louella’s after receiving an anonymous tip, but it happens to be the same day that Lou found her fiancé with another woman and she is, frankly, a mess. The food suffers, and Al writes a scathing review. A few days later they meet in a bar – Lou is drowning her sorrows and Al is complaining about the “backwater” of Milwaukee. Lou challenges Al to see the real charms of the city, with her as guide. Her only requirement – NO talking about work.
What a deliciously delightful foodie romance! I liked the characters, and felt they acted reasonably (if somewhat improbably at time). I was invested in their story from the beginning and just flew through it. The food descriptions made me hungry, and I loved the way Reichert described the joys of this city (my current hometown).
C S E Cooney does a fine job narrating the audiobook. She has great pacing, and is a gifted voice artist who can easily differentiate the various characters.
13BookConcierge
West With the Night – Beryl Markham
Audio book narrated by Julie Harris
5*****
Beryl Markham was the first woman to fly solo east to west across the Atlantic, from England to North America. This is her memoir.
Much of the book chronicles her childhood and young adulthood in Kenya. Although she was married three times, not a single husband is mentioned, but she does speak of several of the men who were important to her: Tom Black (who taught her to fly), Denys Finch Hatton (with whom she had an affair), and Baron Bror Blixen (whom she helped by scouting elephant by air). What really stands out here is her love of Africa in the early part of the 20th century.
The book is full of vivid imagery, such as:
An encounter with a lionHe lay sprawled in the morning sun, huge, black-maned, and gleaming with life. His tail moved slowly, stroking the rough grass like a knotted rope end... The sound of his roar in my ears will only be duplicated, I think, when the doors of hell slip their wobblly hinges, on day, and give voice and authenticity to the whole panorama of Dante’s poetic nightmares.
Her new home: The trees that guard the thatched hut where I live stand in disorganized ranks, a regiment at ease, and lay their shadows on the ground like lances carried too long.
A peddler and his caravan: There were things made of leather, things of paper, things of celluloid and rubber, all bulging, dangling and bursting from the great pendulous packs. Here was Commerce, four-footed and halting, slow and patient, unhurried, but sure as tomorrow, beating the way to a counter in the African hinterland.
Stalking elephant: One bull raised his head, elevated his trunk, and moved to face us. His gargantuan ears began to spread as if to capture even the sound of our heartbeats. By chance, he had grazed over a spot we had lately left, and he had got our scent. It was all he needed. I have rarely seen anything so calm as that bull elephant – or so casually determined upon destruction. It might be said that he shuffled to the kill. Being, like all elephant, almost blind, this one could not see us, but he was used to that. He would follow scent and sound until he could see us, which, I computed would take about thirty seconds.
On learning to fly: We began at the first hour of the morning. We began when the sky was clean and ready for the sun and you could see your breath and smell traces of the night. We began every morning at that same hour, using what we were pleased to call the Nairobi Aerodrome, climbing away from it with derisive clamour, while the burghers of the town twitched in their beds and dreamed perhaps of all unpleasant things that drone – of wings and stings, and corridors in Bedlam.
The book was originally published in 1942 and quickly disappeared. But Ernest Hemingway found a copy, praised her writing and it was re-issued. It became a bestseller in the 1980s, and has been in print ever since.
Markham was an independent woman who lived life to the fullest, and on her own terms. While there has been significant controversy over whether she actually wrote this memoir (vs her third husband ghost-writing it for her), I still highly recommend it!
Julie Harris performs the audio; she is a fine actress and has good pacing. But the production of this audio left a bit to be desired. Her breaths, swallows, and the occasional noise of turning a page on the manuscript detracted from the audio experience.
Audio book narrated by Julie Harris
5*****
Beryl Markham was the first woman to fly solo east to west across the Atlantic, from England to North America. This is her memoir.
Much of the book chronicles her childhood and young adulthood in Kenya. Although she was married three times, not a single husband is mentioned, but she does speak of several of the men who were important to her: Tom Black (who taught her to fly), Denys Finch Hatton (with whom she had an affair), and Baron Bror Blixen (whom she helped by scouting elephant by air). What really stands out here is her love of Africa in the early part of the 20th century.
The book is full of vivid imagery, such as:
An encounter with a lionHe lay sprawled in the morning sun, huge, black-maned, and gleaming with life. His tail moved slowly, stroking the rough grass like a knotted rope end... The sound of his roar in my ears will only be duplicated, I think, when the doors of hell slip their wobblly hinges, on day, and give voice and authenticity to the whole panorama of Dante’s poetic nightmares.
Her new home: The trees that guard the thatched hut where I live stand in disorganized ranks, a regiment at ease, and lay their shadows on the ground like lances carried too long.
A peddler and his caravan: There were things made of leather, things of paper, things of celluloid and rubber, all bulging, dangling and bursting from the great pendulous packs. Here was Commerce, four-footed and halting, slow and patient, unhurried, but sure as tomorrow, beating the way to a counter in the African hinterland.
Stalking elephant: One bull raised his head, elevated his trunk, and moved to face us. His gargantuan ears began to spread as if to capture even the sound of our heartbeats. By chance, he had grazed over a spot we had lately left, and he had got our scent. It was all he needed. I have rarely seen anything so calm as that bull elephant – or so casually determined upon destruction. It might be said that he shuffled to the kill. Being, like all elephant, almost blind, this one could not see us, but he was used to that. He would follow scent and sound until he could see us, which, I computed would take about thirty seconds.
On learning to fly: We began at the first hour of the morning. We began when the sky was clean and ready for the sun and you could see your breath and smell traces of the night. We began every morning at that same hour, using what we were pleased to call the Nairobi Aerodrome, climbing away from it with derisive clamour, while the burghers of the town twitched in their beds and dreamed perhaps of all unpleasant things that drone – of wings and stings, and corridors in Bedlam.
The book was originally published in 1942 and quickly disappeared. But Ernest Hemingway found a copy, praised her writing and it was re-issued. It became a bestseller in the 1980s, and has been in print ever since.
Markham was an independent woman who lived life to the fullest, and on her own terms. While there has been significant controversy over whether she actually wrote this memoir (vs her third husband ghost-writing it for her), I still highly recommend it!
Julie Harris performs the audio; she is a fine actress and has good pacing. But the production of this audio left a bit to be desired. Her breaths, swallows, and the occasional noise of turning a page on the manuscript detracted from the audio experience.
14hemlokgang
Finished reading two books, well, really a novel and an essay. I finished We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and an Early Reviewer edition of Human Acts by Kang Han, which is not for the faint of heart!
I am currently listening to a collection of short stories entitled, What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah. I am about to begin reading Chronicle of a Blood Merchant by Yu Hua.
I am currently listening to a collection of short stories entitled, What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah. I am about to begin reading Chronicle of a Blood Merchant by Yu Hua.
15Copperskye
I finished Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng which I thought was just okay.
I'm happily in Shetland now, with DI Jimmy Perez and Sandy in Ann Cleeves' Cold Earth.
I'm happily in Shetland now, with DI Jimmy Perez and Sandy in Ann Cleeves' Cold Earth.
16CarolynSchroeder
I finished The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel and it is one of the most interesting books I've read in years. Suspend judgments, pre-conceived notions and such, and give it a try. I learned a LOT. Despite that, it is an easy, quick read.
17PaperbackPirate
On Sunday I finished reading The Walking Dead, Vol. 6: This Sorrowful Life by Robert Kirkman. I'm starting to get used to the differences from the show, and I like it.
18alicemh
Currently reading Losing Mother Twice; facing the Alzheimer's Journey. Non-fiction book which documents one families experience and weaves in some of the research in the area. Interesting, easy reading, and not too long!
19nhlsecord
Just finished An Obvious Fact - great fun! - and I'm finishing up Andy Russell's Campfire Stories, the greatest holiday for those who can't climb mountains.
20JulieLill
Max Perkins: Editor of Genius
A. Scott Berg
5/5 stars
This is the biography of Max Perkins, editor for Scribner's who worked with Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Thomas Wolfe, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and many more authors in editing their classics. Berg does a wonderful job in writing this amazing tale of Perkin's life and his close relationships with some of the most influential writers of that time period. I had seen the movie based on this book and wanted to learn more and I was not disappointed. Highly recommended - I did not want this book to end!
A. Scott Berg
5/5 stars
This is the biography of Max Perkins, editor for Scribner's who worked with Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Thomas Wolfe, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and many more authors in editing their classics. Berg does a wonderful job in writing this amazing tale of Perkin's life and his close relationships with some of the most influential writers of that time period. I had seen the movie based on this book and wanted to learn more and I was not disappointed. Highly recommended - I did not want this book to end!
21CarolynSchroeder
I have been on an awesome-book streak after quite a lull. Now staring the behemoth Jackson Pollock: An American Saga and questioning my sanity on buying a used paperback. Huge book. I tend to avoid Kindle if books have maps or photos ... they just don't work in the Paperwhite. Questioning that now! The Van Gogh book was easily my favorite book in a long time, so I know I am in for a treat with this Pulitzer winner.
22Randy_Hierodule
Rereading Porphyry, On the Cave of the Nymphs. Basically a hermetic interpretation of an episode from Homer's Odyssey. The text first came to my attention in the bibliography of an old favorite of mine, Love's Body. Like Brown's, Porphyry's book is poetically true. It also (unlike Brown) possesses the virtue of brevity.
23seitherin
Finished Snow Woman by Leena Lehtolainen and added The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny into my rotation.
24dianamichele
I just finished re-reading Anna Karenina after a 40 year hiatus. The translation, by Pevear and Volokhonsky, is excellent. I really enjoyed all 800+ pages. I'm just starting The Sympathizer, by Viet Thanh Nguyen. It may not be my cup of tea, but it's for one of my book groups, so it's a "must read".
25wosewoman
Five minutes ago, just finished Exit West by Mohsin Hamid. Excellent.
26ahef1963
I'm reading two very good books, BUT.....I already have Netflix, and on Sunday I subscribed to a website called CraveTV, which has the first nine seasons of the 2005 Doctor Who reboot, as well as countless other shows, including an old favourite, Frasier, and an interesting show I'd never heard of before but am loving, called Huff.
So not much reading is happening. When I can tear myself away from the screen, I'm enjoying The House at Riverton and All the Light We Cannot See. Maybe I'll finish them someday. :)
So not much reading is happening. When I can tear myself away from the screen, I'm enjoying The House at Riverton and All the Light We Cannot See. Maybe I'll finish them someday. :)
27sebago
I just started The Two-Family House: A Novel it was recommended highly. I seem to be struggling lately finding books that keep my interest.. so unusual for me! Does anyone else experience reading slumps? Happy Wednesday all! :)
28komunley
I've begun Radiant by Karina Sumner-Smith. So far, I can tell you that it has a really kinetic, engaging opening that's setting up a lot of story threads. I'm only through the first two chapters, but so far, I'm really enjoying this read.
Last week, I finished up Neil DeGrasse Tyson's Welcome to the Universe - an outstanding work of science writing!
Last week, I finished up Neil DeGrasse Tyson's Welcome to the Universe - an outstanding work of science writing!
29CDWilson27
Taking a class on diversity in YA lit this semester, and getting ready for next year's Bluestem Reader's Choice competition, so reading a lot of kid lit. Two that really moved me:
Fish in a Tree, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt: The story of a dyslexic 6th grader whose family is in the military. Their constant relocations mean that she changes schools every 12 -18 months, so no one has had the chance to evaluate her and deal with her problems. The dyslexia has led to a defeatist attitude, and she has learned that she prefers being known as a troublemaker rather than someone who can't read. Finally she has a new teacher who realizes the problem and steps in. The book is so well tuned emotionally that I couldn't put it down until I knew that Ally's emotional needs were being met.
Two Boys Kissing, by David Levithan: this is a YA book with gay and trans main characters. The action centers around two boys attempting to break the Guiness World Record for the longest kiss. The other characters are in the community around this event. The boys experience not only the anxieties of being LGBT - when to come out, when to tell about your transition, etc. but also the normal teen anxieties - does my hair look alright, does he like me, we're broken up but I still love him, etc. What lifts these stories above the other LGBT titles I've read (arguably, not many) is the narration by the voices of all the men lost to AIDS in the 80's and 90's. Characterized as a Greek Chorus, these voices reflect on their own experiences, identify with the boys' current struggles, and look forward what the future holds for them. Truly an uplifting and informative read.
Fish in a Tree, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt: The story of a dyslexic 6th grader whose family is in the military. Their constant relocations mean that she changes schools every 12 -18 months, so no one has had the chance to evaluate her and deal with her problems. The dyslexia has led to a defeatist attitude, and she has learned that she prefers being known as a troublemaker rather than someone who can't read. Finally she has a new teacher who realizes the problem and steps in. The book is so well tuned emotionally that I couldn't put it down until I knew that Ally's emotional needs were being met.
Two Boys Kissing, by David Levithan: this is a YA book with gay and trans main characters. The action centers around two boys attempting to break the Guiness World Record for the longest kiss. The other characters are in the community around this event. The boys experience not only the anxieties of being LGBT - when to come out, when to tell about your transition, etc. but also the normal teen anxieties - does my hair look alright, does he like me, we're broken up but I still love him, etc. What lifts these stories above the other LGBT titles I've read (arguably, not many) is the narration by the voices of all the men lost to AIDS in the 80's and 90's. Characterized as a Greek Chorus, these voices reflect on their own experiences, identify with the boys' current struggles, and look forward what the future holds for them. Truly an uplifting and informative read.
30Travis1259
Finally finished The Travelers an ER thriller by Chris Pavone. It's a novel I have mixed emotions about, but I did end up liking it more than originally thought. Now back to Alexander Hamilton, a biography I admire.
31hemlokgang
I finished the excellent Chronicle of a Blood Merchant, and I am about to begin reading Aracoeli by Elsa Morante.
32nrmay
Finished In Farleigh Field by Rhys Bowen. Historical fiction, spies in WWll Britain. Liked it.
Now reading Girl Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen, about the author's time in a psychiatric hospital as a teenager.
Now reading Girl Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen, about the author's time in a psychiatric hospital as a teenager.
33daniellevmason
Currently reading Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman and loving it! I'm fairly certain he's the one doing the audio reading which is amazing. Beautiful telling of a mythology that I thought I had a good understanding of, but absolutely did not.
34ahef1963
I just finished Kate Morton's The House at Riverton and liked it well enough. It was her first novel, and it shows. There is some polish missing, and plot devices that don't work as well as in her later books. Still, it was a good story.
I think I'm going to read Barbara Vine's A Fatal Inversion next. I think a creepy novel is just what the doctor ordered.
I think I'm going to read Barbara Vine's A Fatal Inversion next. I think a creepy novel is just what the doctor ordered.
35Cricket2014
I'm reading As Mad as Hell: Do You Want to Know a Secret by Paul Casselle.
36VikiBridge
Just finished 100 Years of Solitude - magical realism - a bit confusing but good.
Reading The Arrangement - on lists of the funniest books of the year - not very funny.
Reading The Arrangement - on lists of the funniest books of the year - not very funny.
37framboise
Finished Before The Fall on the weekend. Very engaging and compelling novel but I was disappointed by the ending. After googling it, I found a lot of people were. Nevertheless, I am now reading another of Noah Hawley's novels, The Good Father.
38mollygrace
I finished Hisham Matar's profoundly moving The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between. It is heartbreaking and spirit-lifting all at once.
Next up: Grief is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter
Next up: Grief is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter
39nrmay
Almost halfway through The Dry, a mystery/suspense novel by Jane Harper.
Setting is rural Australia during a devastating drought. Good story, fast-paced; I'm liking it a lot.
I'm certain someone on LT led me to it!
Setting is rural Australia during a devastating drought. Good story, fast-paced; I'm liking it a lot.
I'm certain someone on LT led me to it!
40BookConcierge
Baking Cakes in Kigali – Gaile Parkin
4****
Angel Tungaraza is living with her husband and grandchildren in a compound in Kigali, Rwanda, where she had a cake-making business she operates out of the family’s apartment kitchen. Angel is frequently privy to her customer’s secrets, and as a “professional somebody,” she know that she must keep these confidences. But there’s nothing to say that she cannot act to try to help her customers as they negotiate the pitfalls of life, and celebrate the joys of living.
This is a delightful debut novel. I love Angel – she’s wise, discreet, confident, compassionate, decisive and a great friend and mentor. There are several humorous episodes (Capt Calixta’s belief that a white woman will marry him if he presents her with a cake!), and several touchingly sad ones (the unhappiness of a young bride married to a serial philanderer, or the women who feel they have no other choice but to become prostitutes to earn money to feed their families), but Angel deals with any situation with aplomb and compassion. In the process, she learns something about herself and strengthens her own marriage by opening a conversation about a very difficult subject.
Parkin peoples the novel with a wide array of characters from many walks of life: native Rwandans, Americans, Canadians, Indians, Germans, etc. Some are wealthy, some are impoverished. They all form a community and celebrate together with one of Angel’s excellent cakes, of course!
I’ll definitely read more from this author.
4****
Angel Tungaraza is living with her husband and grandchildren in a compound in Kigali, Rwanda, where she had a cake-making business she operates out of the family’s apartment kitchen. Angel is frequently privy to her customer’s secrets, and as a “professional somebody,” she know that she must keep these confidences. But there’s nothing to say that she cannot act to try to help her customers as they negotiate the pitfalls of life, and celebrate the joys of living.
This is a delightful debut novel. I love Angel – she’s wise, discreet, confident, compassionate, decisive and a great friend and mentor. There are several humorous episodes (Capt Calixta’s belief that a white woman will marry him if he presents her with a cake!), and several touchingly sad ones (the unhappiness of a young bride married to a serial philanderer, or the women who feel they have no other choice but to become prostitutes to earn money to feed their families), but Angel deals with any situation with aplomb and compassion. In the process, she learns something about herself and strengthens her own marriage by opening a conversation about a very difficult subject.
Parkin peoples the novel with a wide array of characters from many walks of life: native Rwandans, Americans, Canadians, Indians, Germans, etc. Some are wealthy, some are impoverished. They all form a community and celebrate together with one of Angel’s excellent cakes, of course!
I’ll definitely read more from this author.
41BookConcierge
The World’s Strongest Librarian – Josh Hanagarne
Book on CD performed by Stephan R Thorne.
4*****
The subtitle is all the synopsis anyone needs: A Memoir of Tourette’s, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family (hardcover subtitle) or : A Book Lover's Adventures with Tourette's, Faith, Family, and Barbells (paperback subtitle)
I really enjoyed this memoir of one man’s struggles to come to grips with his Tourette’s, and to find balance in his life, his work, his family and his faith. Hanagarne has a wonderful sense of humor, but is still quite honest about the difficulties and challenges of living with his condition. And, of course, I loved all the literary references!
Stephan R Thorne does a fine job performing the audio version. He has good pacing and I thought the way he portrayed the various people in the book was very believable.
Book on CD performed by Stephan R Thorne.
4*****
The subtitle is all the synopsis anyone needs: A Memoir of Tourette’s, Faith, Strength, and the Power of Family (hardcover subtitle) or : A Book Lover's Adventures with Tourette's, Faith, Family, and Barbells (paperback subtitle)
I really enjoyed this memoir of one man’s struggles to come to grips with his Tourette’s, and to find balance in his life, his work, his family and his faith. Hanagarne has a wonderful sense of humor, but is still quite honest about the difficulties and challenges of living with his condition. And, of course, I loved all the literary references!
Stephan R Thorne does a fine job performing the audio version. He has good pacing and I thought the way he portrayed the various people in the book was very believable.
42Illiniguy71
I'm reading "Heyday: The 1850s and the Dawn of the Global Age" by Ben Wilson (Basic Books, 2016) It is always instructive to get a non-American perspective on events described elsewhere by American historians.
43mollygrace
I read Max Porter's Grief is the Thing with Feathers. This little book is amazing -- beautiful and touching, thought-provoking and challenging. Such an accomplishment. I know I will return to it again and again.
Next up: The Emigrants by W. G. Sebald
Next up: The Emigrants by W. G. Sebald
44cdyankeefan
#40- hi book concierge I read baking cakes in Kilgali and loved it
45godman-gomel
I read increadible story by Alexander Ray Island of the Giant Tree. If you intersting free book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZZC6WLG
46seitherin
Finished The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny. I've become quire an Inspector Gamache fan. Haven't decided yet what will take its place in my reading rotation.
47snash
I finished the LTER of Roots, Radicals, and Rockers, a history of the musical genre of Skiffle in England. I have read several books about the history of popular music but all focused on the US until the Beatles. I had never heard of Skiffle and was fascinated to learn of it. The book is well written with numerous pictures so that the many names and threads do not overwhelm. Besides the history of a musical genre, it's the history of the emergence of the adolescent as a force in society.
49BookConcierge
The Route – Gale Sears
2.5**
From the book jacket: Carol, a middle-aged wife and mother, is pondering the meaning of life. On a trip to the grocery store she sees a sign asking for volunteers to deliver meals to the elderly. When Carol decides to take a chance and help out, she’s in for a life-changing – and route-altering – experience.
My Reactions:
This was okay, but I found little substance here and I felt it was predictable. Some of the patrons on Carol’s route were charming, some were irascible. A few needed more help than Carol could provide, and a couple of them helped her more than she helped them. Along the way, the reader learns a little about Carol’s background. I grew tired of her constant reminders to herself that “I can do this.”
2.5**
From the book jacket: Carol, a middle-aged wife and mother, is pondering the meaning of life. On a trip to the grocery store she sees a sign asking for volunteers to deliver meals to the elderly. When Carol decides to take a chance and help out, she’s in for a life-changing – and route-altering – experience.
My Reactions:
This was okay, but I found little substance here and I felt it was predictable. Some of the patrons on Carol’s route were charming, some were irascible. A few needed more help than Carol could provide, and a couple of them helped her more than she helped them. Along the way, the reader learns a little about Carol’s background. I grew tired of her constant reminders to herself that “I can do this.”
