What You're Reading the Week of 21 June 2008

I finished Ben Elton's, Dead Famous, very enjoyable; and moved on to George Crile's Charlie Wilson's War - completely fascinating, I'd seen the film but the book adds another complete dimension to the story.

I picked up a book I read several years ago, Nightfall by Isaac Asimov, and I'm still reading Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon. I'm also reading through Boom!: Voices of the Sixties by Tom Brokaw.

Nightfall and Boom! are very good but, I'm struggling with Dragonfly in Amber. I hope it gets better soon.

I continue listening to Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett and I am reading The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides.

Going to start in with my Chicago readings: I'm going to reread Devil in the White City, and I'm also going to pick up a collection of Chicago short stories from the library today.

coloradogirl,

You might want to include Chicago Poems by Carl Sandburg to complete your theme read!

You know, I think I might actually own that! I know I own a collection of Carl Sandburg poems, at the very least...

#2 GeorgiaDawn - stay with DiA, but I must admit, the first time I read it, it took me a long time too, I struggled with it, I think because I know the ending is a bummer. The 2nd time around was much better once you've read the whole series.

I'm reading The Color of Water by James McBride and Girls Like Us by Sheila Weller. I'm almost finished with the McBride, but I've just started Girls Like Us. I'm very excited about it. I always start out like this: Very excited about a book, then I lose interest, put it down and ... stop reading. I hope since this is about music and three very interesting personalities, I'll keep reading. I don't see how I could stop! The McBride is a book club choice. We meet Tuesday, so I have to be finished by then - I only have two more chapters to go.

Sticking with my light reading I am almost finished with Barbara Michaels Something In The House . I may read Someone Comes to Town Someone Leaves Town next...or not.

2, 7 - Dragonfly in Amber is a lot more straight-up historical fiction than Outlander, which I think is what threw me off when I read it. It's worth it, though... I cried SO HARD at the ending, even though I *knew* everything was going to be fine, because, well, four more fat books to come. I just finished Drums of Autumn this past week, actually, so I'm biased, since I obviously stuck with the series.

I'm currently picking at bits of The Outlandish Companion, which is interesting, but not really something to sit down and read, and Colors: The Story of Dyes and Pigments, which has pretty pictures but is textually totally unremarkable. I'm also listening to The Host, which thus far is enjoyable enough, but I can already tell that it's going to be longer than it needs to be.

This week I'm reading A House for Mr. Biswas by V.S. Naipaul which is ok - so far it's not bad, but it's not great either. Maybe it will pick up? Along with that, I'm reading a much more engaging collection of short love stories, My Mistress's Sparrow is Dead, that Jeffrey Eugenides put together.
So far, all of the stories are good, and some are wonderful, especially Nabokov's "Spring in Fialta", Chekhov's "Lady With a Little Dog", and a story called "How to be an Other Woman" by Lorrie Moore. The only story in the whole collection I've read before is "A Rose for Emily" by Faulkner, which I would never, ever have described as a love story.

I loved the Diana Gabaldon books. ( seriously, no touchstone?)
I have read them several times, but I no longer own them, as I passed them to my sister, and then she loaned them all out to a Non Returner! I suspect you have all met one or two of those. I am wondering if I should spring for a full set sometime. It may or may not be a true bibliomergency, not sure. Outlander is my favorite, I think.

2, 7, 10, 12 - I too am a huge fan of the Outlander series. GeorgiaDawn, definitely hang in there with Dragonfly in Amber, as the following books are well worth your perseverance. I will admit, I thought Voyager was a bit slow going, but sailed through the next three. I've gotten my grandmother, aunt and sister hooked on the series, and am working on my mom!

Thanks to a rotten summer cold this past week, I've gotten lots of reading done ('bout the only thing I've done...). After the books I noted on last week's thread, I finished The Geographer's Library by Jon Fasman in two days, which is a little surprising given how dense the story was. Although I initially liked the dual time period(s), by midway through I found myself willing the plot to move faster. I was also disappointed with the ending: to a degree, it was what I was expecting, except that it didn't have quite the twist or darkness I wanted. After taking so long to painstakingly build the suspense and details, the ending was anticlimactic. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable and easy to get through, and several times I flipped through the earlier chapters to clarify a point or reread a passage, which I always take as a good sign.

Now I'm reading Take This Bread by Sara Miles, which so far is quite engrossing.

Currently reading:

(Not started yet): 'Hamsun i Tromsø IV' (my tag: hamsun secondary)
David Copperfield (my second Dickens' read)
'Markens grøde' (Growth of the Soil) by Knut Hamsun (re-read).

'Hamsun i Tromsø IV' is the free book of the year from "The Hamsun Society", where I've been a member for about 7 years. Looking forward to this one :))

I'm on Chapter 7 of The Fallen Angels by Bernard Cornwell & Chapter 6 of Mesmerized by Candace Camp.

I finished Of Mice and Men today. It made me feel like an English major again...I ended not particularly liking it but wanted to write about it. What can I say, old habits die hard.

Still reading Princess Ben by Catherine Murdock, and enjoying it very much. I will probably finish that today as well and have the awkward in between books moment before I decide what to read next.

I just finished Stephen King's Cell, and I couldn't put it down! I didn't fall asleep last night until about 4 in the morning, and was almost afraid to fall asleep at all because I was scared of what I might dream!

coloradogirl14, I think you're the one that said you thought you remembered the book dragged in spots. It didn't exactly "drag", but it had lulls in between the high anxiety panicked sections where they regrouped and tried to understand what was going on and what to do about it. I finished this book in a day, so I don't think it drug at all.

Anyway, here's my review for Cell

Next up for me is Hope's Boy by Andrew Bridges.

Funnily enough, I am reading Outlander right now because of effusive recommendations here on LT. I'm a little more than halfway through and so far I don't love it as much as everyone seems to, but I'm liking it.

Also started The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale today, which is very interesting so far.

No Cory Doctorow yet after all, opted for the fluffy Mary Higgins Clark and
I Have Heard That Song Before

Started Small Island, which I'm already enjoying. Also started, again, The Zookeeper's Wife, which is very good. I'd taken it on vacation and "lost" it in my suitcase. I'm about 100 pages into Christine Falls, which isn't bad, but not exactly a page turner for me.

I am nearly finished The Ingenious Edgar Jones by Elizabeth Garner - delightful read

2,7,10,13 - Thanks! I will definitely finish the book even though I now know I need to buy more tissue. :)

I finished The Virgin Suicides and I am about to start The Road by Cormac McCarthy.

whymaggiemay, I also am reading Christine Falls, and I agree, it's not exactly keeping me on the edge of my seat. It's not bad, though, and I'm hoping it will pick up.

I also just started Homecoming by Bernhard Schlink. It seems interesting so far. I also have just been assigned The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay in "Go Review that Book." I think that one is still in my classroom so I will have to make a trip up to the school this weekend. (And I was so hoping not to have to go up there at all for at least another six weeks or so.) Lastly, I am still chugging away on Moby Dick via dailylit.net. I've been neglecting it and I am slowly catching up.

I thought my summer reading was dragging because I usually have at least ten or fifteen books down by now. From the looks of this post, perhaps not.

ugh~ good luck with The Road

The best thing I can say about it is, it's short.

Hmmmm, mckait!

Still reading Drums of Autumn and A Room With a View. I'm a bit surprised at how long it's taking me to read the latter, considering it's less than 200 pages...

mckait and hemlokgang:

I liked The Road. It was on my top five for the first quarter. It was very creepy. I agree that it's short; I read it in a couple days and a friend read it in 3 hours.

I liked The Road as well, although it is indeed creepy.

I'm currently reading Ayaan Hirsi Ali's memoir, Infidel, which I've been wanting to read for some time. I saw her on TV, and listened to a radio interview, about the time the book was published. Her story is truly fascinating.

I am half-way through Moloka'i by Alan Brennert - a look at Hawaii at the turn of the century; most of the characters are lepers; excellent read so far

I am reading Tess of the D'urbervilles this weekend. Quite enjoyable in a quiet way. I am on a classics kick lately. Read The Brothers Karamazov-- enjoyable yet a bit of a chore, Brave New World - pretty good, but not my favorite subject matter, To the Ligthouse -- elegant and beautiful, but also a tiny bit of a chore. So far Hardy is the best this month.

Working on Up High in The Trees by Kiara Brinkman. It's a bit on the odd side, though.

I'm also reading Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik. Just started this one.

jhowell: I reread Tess back in January. It's definately one of my favorite angst-romantics. It's something of a grown up Jane Eyre.

#29: Are you enjoying A Room With a View, despite it taking a while? I read it a couple of months ago and really loved it. I get a warm happy feeling just thinking about it.

I'm not reading anything today! (shock) I took the day off of reading so I could catch up on practical matters. And Doctor Who.

I finished Angela Carter's The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman yesterday, though, and it was brilliant. Dense, packed with so much meaning, truly great brain food.

#37: Oh, I loved The French Lieutenant's Woman. It's my favorite book of the year so far (well, it's tied with Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day). John Fowles is amazing.

LINDSACL: I loved Infidel when I read it earlier this year. Well, maybe "loved" is the wrong word -- as the book deals with such tragic and hot button topics -- but I'd like to make it required reading in my history classes. Have you also read Veiled Courage and Do They Hear You When You Cry?? These books are not quite as well-written as Infidel by well-worth reading to round out the experience of peeking into the world of some Muslim women.

BELL7: I'm sorry you didn't like Of Mice and Men, which was the book I picked for you to read in Go Review That Book! I hope your review goes into detail about what you didn't like about it.

I just finished Bram Stoker's Dracula. I had never read it, oddly enough, though I'm a fan of vampire and horror fiction. It was quite good and really grabbed my attention -- I started it yesterday and finished it today. Once one gets past the Victorian attitude about women it is really quite an interesting trip back into time. We've come a long way, baby!

I'm now reading Free Thinkers: The Story of American Secularism by Susan Jacoby, and Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts. I'm going to compare the two books for the group that does that, Book Compare (thanks margad). Roberts' book is chatty and very accessible to the every day reader -- a good pick for someone who doesn't know a lot about U.S. history. Jacoby's book is both scholarly and fascinating.

It was a good week for reading. I read through the following books:

The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson - I checked this one out of the library and discovered it sitting on the bookshelf right behind me. I thought it seemed familiar while I was reading.

Defining the World by Henry Hitchings - I am very fond of Samuel Johnson and this was about the writing of his dictionary.

Blasphemy by Douglas Preston - this was good fiction although if you are a christian I wouldn't go here.

Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell - this was an ER book and a bit to my surprise I enjoyed it.

The Book of Snobs by William Makepeace Thackeray - I discovered this one by accident and really liked it.

The Golden Lotus by Bret Nelson, ed. - this is illustrated erotica and if you like this sort of thing this is the sort of thing you like. (Touchstone not correct)

America's Hidden History by Kenneth C. Davis - untold bits of history told well. Very good.

Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips - this is a mildly funny book.

#11

That short story collection is excellent!!!!!

Okay, now everything I was reading before has been put on hold because my friend just let me borrow her copy of Eclipse, so I'm going to breeze through that sometime tomorrow! :D

I admit it's not a feel-good happy-go-lucky kind of book, but I really liked The Road. And I didn't think the ending was quite as hopeless as others have said they thought it was. BTW, it was surprising to me just how much I liked it, since I have so far hated every Oprah book I've ever read (or tried to read) before.

I am currently reading A Case of Two Cities by Qiu Xiaolong. It is a mystery involving corruption and murder in China. The main protagonist is the Shanghai chief of police, who is also a poet, and his investigations take him from Shanghai to Los Angeles and St. Louis. In the beginning, there was quite a bit of expostulation and explanation of the ins and outs of China's government and the way it is trying to modernize, and I was just about to give up on it, when it suddenly picked up & the characters got interesting, and now I am loving it! One of the best parts of it are the bits of Chinese poetry that are either quoted by the characters or inserted in the story.

>39 RachelfromSarasota: Rachel, I didn't hate Of Mice and Men or anything. It's just not my cup of tea...but at the same time, I could see that it was beautifully written, and I sat at the laundromat for about 10 minutes after I finished it not able to move onto the other book I'd brought just in case I finished it because I just had to ponder the ending. It made me mad/sad/thoughtful, but mostly I just didn't like what happened and wished the story itself was different...so I think my review is probably a little more neutral/positive, because my personal reaction to the story is separate from its quality. Does that make sense?

I finished Princess Ben and started reading The Mysterious Benedict Society today. I think I might reread Pride and Prejudice soon. I can't really explain why, but Princess Ben sort of reminded me of Elizabeth Bennett and I'd like to revisit Austen.

I'm barreling through the new Louise Erdrich book, The Plague of Doves - as usual for her, an excellent read.

I just finished The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman. It was okay, but I found the writing a bit awkward and dry. Parts of it were touching and frightening, but not edge of your seat gripping. It was obviously well researched and it's a good story about courage and a poignant lesson of what Warsaw underwent during the German occupaton of Poland.

Finished Thanksgiving Night by Richard Bausch. Great writing, quirky but loveable characters. If you are a fan of contemporary fiction, you will like this book. It was a nice read during a very busy week.

Just started Captain Saturday by Robert Inman. Enjoying it so far. Decided to put off Charity Girl until next week so that I am reading it right before book club and it is fresh in my mind.

Finished The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin. I understand why the people who really like this book really like this book. Unfortunately, for me, it was just this side of unbearably dull. Sociopolitical treatises just aren't my cup of tea. I've read accounting textbooks that were more engaging than this book was.

I've started The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski.

I'm still reading Brothers Karamazow by Dostojevski, Les Grecs ont-ils cru a leurs mythes? by Veyne and Orientalism by Edward Said. I love Dostojevski, his cynism and his comments on the Russian orthodox church.

>36 Medellia:: Yes, I am. I could strangle Cecil and countless other characters, but I like Lucy, and I think she definitely makes the story.

>39 RachelfromSarasota:: RachelfromSarasota, thanks for the recommendations; I have not read those other books. I actually finished Infidel last night ... a really compelling read.

I enjoyed Pillars of the Earth and World Without End (sequel to the first), although I do not think of them as "great" works. The strength of the women in the books really excited me. At first I thought this was literary license, but after doing research on the era's in which the stories took place, I found that many women during these periods really did take charge the way Ken Follett describes.
I'm presently concluding American Cassandra: the life of Dorothy Thompson by Peter Kurth.

#48 seitherin: Granted that The Dispossessed is not her best book, LeGuin chose to write about socially relevant topics under the guise of fantasy and science fiction. It was at the beginning of the 'new wave' of sf/fantasy writing that left ray guns and alternate universes, NAFAL drives and all that for the freedom to explore these topics. My all-time favorite of her books, period, is The Left Hand of Darkness a great story--which in addition to a marvelous "chase" sequence has as its main them the way a society would evolve if someone never knew, from month to month, whether "she" would be male or female and how the same individual could be both a mother and a father (of different children).

In that book, LeGuin defined the difference between "happiness" and "joy" which I've used ever since.

This week I've finished Oliver Twist and Pillars of Creation, and started Manifesto of the Communist Party and Naked Empire. I'm still working on Dark Visions, The Poems and Songs of Robert Burns, and The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

#27 > I think The Road is amazing. McCarthy's use of language is phenomenal. I find his writing to be horrifying, poetic, and staggering all at the same time. Vive la difference!

Just finished Granta 98 The Deep End and am now in the middle of Away by Amy Bloom.

In addition to the books I mentioned above, I started listening to World War Z by Max Brooks this morning. This audio version is amazing! The readers include Max Brooks, Carl Reiner, Alan Alda, Mark Hamill, Henry Rollins, John Turturro, Rob Reiner, and a few others not listed on the description. This is one of my free downloads from my public library. Yay!

I'm about to finish During Mother's Absence by Michele Roberts. Still listening to The Age of Shiva by Manil Suri while working out and driving.

I am reading The Giza Death Star Destroyed by: Joseph P. Farrell--- this is much better then his other Giza books, a bit better written....

Have been on a roll lately, devouring all the books I've picked up in the past week or so and enjoying them tremendously. After finishing A Case of Two Cities yesterday, I picked up Why Mermaids Sing, the third in the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series set in Regency England, and am finding it (so far anyway) the best of the three, with a new element of danger having been revealed which heightens the suspense.

#37 ekpyrotic - I read The French Lieutenant's Woman a few years ago, right after I first learned about postmodernism. I found it just fascinating. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

I'm currently taking a short break from The Virtu by Sarah Monette. I'm not 100% sure that I really want a break, but I figured I ought to do something else with my Sunday.

I'm still in the midst of Don Quixote, which I'm really enjoying. I am still reading the first part. I understand that the second part is a little darker. I'm really glad I picked this for my summer reading. It is funny and thoroughly enjoyable.

#57, GeorgiaDawn: I know zilch about audio, but World War Z is a knock-out novel, more fun than any real zombie deserves.

I just finished The Know-It-All which I really enjoyed but my copy was full of editing errors which I found extremely annoying. I just started Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian which I am enjoying so far although it is definitely a difficult read so far because of the subject matter.

Currently I am reading The Gravedigger's Daughter by Joyce Carol Oates. I then have lined up to read made in the U.S.A by Billie Letts.

I've started H. Rider Haggard's King Solomon's Mine. Totally and completely politically incorrect, but great fun nonetheless.

i am reading The Twist its a great and funny book

#65, Okbkldy: The Gravedigger's Daughter worked or me, and have My Sister, My Love coming up soon, a Jon Benet Ramsey story-rip that should be more than just grimly fun.

#63 LouisBranning - Isn't is great!! I'm learning so much about what to do and, even more important, what NOT to do around zombies. :)

Dear god, is David Wroblewski's Story of Edgar Sawtelle ever goiing to end?? Passing page 470 I'm concerned that I've been blinded by the hype and have wasted the last 5 days on this very stupid book.

I'm finishing up Matrimony by Joshua Henkin then on to The Fires by Alan Cheuse and The Laws of Manu for the Penguin Classics blog.

I am hoping to finish off The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene by the end of the week and perhaps Overthrow by Stephen Kinzer as well.

Who is it has the 50 page test? The Lady In Blue is failing me. I am more than 100 pages in and thinking I should have stopped at 50.
bleh

#70 Louis-I'm always a skeptic when it comes to a book like Wroblewski's that receives so much hype. I know many readers on other online reading sites are having a literary orgasm over The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. I almost picked it up last week but thought I'd wait. I may or may not get to it in the future, but it's definitely not a book I'm in a hurry to get to at the moment.

And finally a book we can disagree on! I'm talking about Sebastian Barry's The Secret Scripture, which I thought was a fine story. The only complaint I had was with the ending. Far be it from me to unplait Barry's carefully braided and intricately wrought, nay masterly, prose, but I thought the book should not have abruptly ended the trail of uncertainty he so carefully cut. In fact, all that came before it suggested that it would leave me wondering and surmising. Had Barry left me wandering in that haunting but deeply poetic place to which he never fails to take me, it would have been perfect. But I won't let that mar the memorable writing. Sorry it didn't work for you.

I'm now reading Maeve Brennan's collection of out of print stories that were republished as The Springs of Affection, which, thank God, the late William Maxwell rescued from obscurity back in 1997. Brennan was a big part of the New York literary and social scene from the 1950s up until the early 70s, but her last years make for one of literature's most sad and poignant stories.

I'm beginning The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield which I think I heard about here on LT, I've been looking forward to this one!

I missed the past two or three weeks (didn't have internet access), so catching up:

I put aside The Anthropology of Turquoise by Ellen Meloy. I might try again later. It's decent when I'm in the mood for it, but I was mostly not in the mood for it.

I read:
Letters from ALF by Gladden Schrock - Odd, interesting, but I didn't fully get it.
Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad - I could not help constantly comparing it to the movie Apocalypse Now. Obviously, you can't recreate the lovely language in a movie, but I think the movie has a nice take.

Currently reading Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson - I'm half way through and mixed so far. Somehow the writing doesn't seem to match the setting. What I mean is that the Vietnam War is a very wide reaching event that means several things at once. The writing however is about very personal and seeming private stuff - well, that's not exactly it, but it the best description I can come up with at the moment. I kind of wish the the author had somehow chosen a more obscure setting. I'm probably way off base, but anyway I really enjoyed the parts in Philippines, and I feel a little disconnected from the Vietnam parts so far. (apologies for the long, obscure comments)

I finished A Mist of Prophecies, #9 in the Gordianus series by Steven Saylor, and started #10 (Last Judgment of Caesar). I'll catch up on the first 7 next.

There seem to be tons of us reading or just finished the Outlander series. I enjoyed the first one, but didn't love it - some of the things that happened just seemed a little **too** improbable. Maybe it was the hype getting to me. They're hugely popular here in New Zealand. I'll keep going though, once I'm over my ancient Rome kick.

#21 whymaggiemay, Small Island is one of those books that I still think about ages after I read it. I have her Every Light in the House Burnin' in Mt. TBR.

#40 that is one big pile of books to get through in a week...

Fiction: one chapter left to read of The Turkish Gambit the second Erast Fandorin Mysteries by Boris Akunin- its a disappointment after reading the first - The Winter Queen (aka Azazel) which I thought was fantastic. Turkish Gambit is a completely different style it seems to me. I have to think about it some more.

I have to choose the next fiction book, boy this is tough - so many books so little time. Maybe The Kitchen Boy or perhaps Ursula Under or maybe perhaps could be another (light! maybe cosy!) mystery novel.

Non-Fiction: What Went Wrong: The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East by Bernard Lewis - finishing this also.

I got a bit sidetracked from What Went Wrong with The Lost: a Search for Six of the Six Million by Daniel Mendelsohn. I felt a bit weird laughing at his descriptions of his older relatives in Miami Beach but it is meant to be funny so it seems thus far to have some relief from this heartbreaking subject.

Good reading all!

I'm still reading Lord Jim and World's Love Poetry. Also started A Briefer History of Time because it's due back at the library soon-ish.

I thought the first 350-pages-or-so of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle were pretty enthralling, but somewhere around page 400 the whole thing jumped the shark, the book's credibility just completely vanished, and my interest in the characters and story evaporated right along with it. I managed to slog through to the end, a rather unpleasant chore as it turned out, but I still felt like an idiot for having wasted so much time on such an over-hyped, and very unsatisfying mess of a novel.

>65 KathyWoodall:, 68 I very much liked The Gravedigger's Daughter and also have the forthcoming one on order!

I'm loving Trezza Azzopardi's the Hiding Place at the moment (I loved her Remember Me also), but also enjoying an anthology titled Flash Forward Fiction : 80 Very Short Stories ...er...when I'm indisposed:-) I do have a few other books in progress (one in the car glove box, one a volume of poetry) and I recently finished a volume of poetry, The Anatomy Theater by Nadine Meyer. One of the most unusual poetry collections I think I have read.

I finished At Swim Two Boys on the way home from Rhode Island and am looking forward to something a bit lighter so I'll be starting the paranormal romance anthology, Shifter.

#81, Lois, I really liked The Gravedigger's Daughter too, and the new My Sister, My Love: The Intimate Story of Skyler Rampike looks like a good one as well.

I finished The Road, then finished Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance, and have just started Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey.

Fished Before the Dawn: Recovering the Lost History of Our Ancestors by Nicholas Wade. It's basically a summary of where genetic anthropological research is right now, and how it's shored up the 'Out of Africa' theory of modern man. Very interesting, but at times Wade (a NYT reporter) is curiously dismissive of dissention in favor of generalized and simplified theories that many experts have discredited to one degree or another, although this is mostly limited to the sticky subject of linquistics. Anyway, good, not overly long book.

Currently reading Patriot Battles: how the War of Independence was Fought by Michael Stephenson. I'm a American Revolution nut, and this book is a 'nitty gritty' of the war. What the soldiers ate, what the carried with them, how they were paid, etc. In other words, details that history tends to gloss over (and shouldn't). Good stuff so far.

Right now, I am reading Neverwhere, which is fun. Also reading New Moon, also a lot of fun. I am going to start Life of Pi and The King of Lies when I am done with the others.

I finished The Age of Innocence for the Group Read. I loved it. I've had a streak of good books that I'm hoping to continue this week with The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

Finished The Invisible Wall: a Love Story that Broke Barriers by Harry Bernstein and started reading How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn.

I started The Mirador by Sarah Monette this morning. The third POV is throwing me off a bit, but I'm still enjoying it quite a lot.

Today I will be reading the essay on Charles Mingus in Gary Giddens' excellent Visions of Jazz: the First Century.

I just couldn't get into The Tipping Point even after reading the reviews on here, and having a friend who doesn't read much mention it was what she just finished.
While perhaps I should have picked up a non-fiction title since that's what I abandoned, I picked up number six in the Stephanie Plum series, Hot Six. I love how I laugh outloud when I read books from that series!!

Finished Away by Amy Bloom. Next to read are
Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill and
The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill. I think that Hill's book was released with a different title in the US.

I finished reading Hope's Boy by Andrew Bridge. It's a sad book, but hopeful. I cried quite a few times for Andy, as well as other children who came through the foster home. It's my top non-fiction book this year.

My review is here.

Starting my Jane-a-thon next. Sense and Sensibility is up first!

borrowed Special Topics in Calamity Physics from my best book buddy. inhaled it. down to the last 30 pages or so. intellectual romp meets juicy mystery. bit digressive at points, but overall well worth it.

I'm about 1/3rd of the way through The Poisonwood Bible and it has lived up to the hype, I am happy to report.

Nearly done with Henry James' The American ... it was just his second novel, and that shows, but I'm turning into a bit of a James completist, so ...

Mostly done with Judge Sewall's Apology. Might have been done sooner if tourism on foot were less draining (mentally as well as physically).

>87 nancyewhite:: nancyewhite -- oh, you'll continue your streak of great reads with The Omnivore's Dilemma! I'm a dozen pages from finishing and it's excellent (engaging) ... should be required reading, I'm definitely going to tweak my food-sourcing habits.

I'm also about 1/4 of the way into The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, an epistolary novel about a writer communicating with post-WWII UKers for her next writing project.

Memoirs of a Geisha. I'm enjoying it but it is taking me f-o-r-e-v-e-r to get through...

>97 AnnaClaire: So annaclaire, what did you think of the book about Sewall? I picked it up for my Salem collection but have not had a chance to read it yet.

Read Bookmark Now over the weekend (fun to read, for sure!), then started The King's English, but I find it so lackluster I'm going to go back to volume one of Anais Nin's diary. :/ Oh! And I'm changing my emergency/back-up book from Jeeves in the Morning to The Golem's Eye by Jonathan Stroud-- I've got a bigger purse now, so I don't have to worry about size for the moment. :D

#21 whymaggiemay I enjoyed the Zookeeper and hope you do too. I met the author at the National Book Festival in D.C. last year. I think the book is a great reminder of what people have went through and their bravery to help others.

I just finished reading Reaching for the Invisible God by Philip Yancey. He is quite an author, very deep but very good. His books give you suggestions for books or people that you want to read about.

I was going to read A Clockwork Orange but ended up reading The Alchemist which was normally not something I would have chosen but I liked it even though it was short. Now I think I am going to start on The Island of Dr. Moreau.

#75-The Thirteenth Tale is great! I really liked it!

I am finished with Moloka'i and am now totally engrossed in Resistance by Owen Sheers.

Just to echo: The Thirteenth Tale was a GREAT book!

I finished The Mysterious Benedict Society last night. I stayed up a little late to read those last hundred pages or so...

Read volume 1 of Naruto today. Definitely different from what I would normally pick up, but it was fun and I'll continue reading the series for now.

Started Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett today. I've really enjoyed other books I've read by him, but I'm thinking that it may have been the wrong choice as the first book I've read in the Discworld series. (Oops)

I just posted my current list of 18 books I am currently reading in Book Talk: Do you read multiple books at the same time? I don't set out to read multiple books to try to impress other people, myself or to make it look like I'm smarter or better than anyone else because I don't think like that. I have been doing this for years as I explained in the other group it just happens. But as far as some habits go it's better than others and it isn't hurting anyone.

beatles1964

#107 I do read multiples, but not 18 at the same time! Generally I'm reading 2-3 for classes that I teach, plus an audiobook, plus 2-3 for my own pleasure and/or edification. Generally, if I'm reading any more than that, it's because nothing I'm reading is grabbing me, so I'm testing out several books at once with hopes that something will engage me.

I am in the midst of A Confederacy of Dunces, a book I've started several times but am now fully immersed. This has to be one of the funniest and best written books I've read in a long time. I am sorry I haven't read it sooner.

With me I think it's because I see a book I've never read before and will pick it up impulsively, one I haven't reread in a very long time, or one I have started several times in the past and was never able to finish the book. The fact of the matter is I just love to read books.

beatles1964

>109 jeffreybrayne: Glad to hear it about A Confederacy of Dunces. It's been in my TBR pile for a while and I've heard so much negative vibe about it I keep putting it off.

#111 Who's been speaking ill of A Confederacy Of Dunces? Who?! I will cut them, I say! I love that book. Either it makes you insanely happy, or you just don't get it. But if you do, it's one of the the best reading experiences of your life.

This weekend I read:

A Dirty Job
The Book of Lost Things
The Thirteenth Tale while on vacation.

Now I'm reading:
Snuff
Bright Shiny Morning

* wonky touchstones.

#112 ellevee: Amen, sister (I assume). That book is hysterically funny--or else you have no clue to the point that you wonder what language it's written in. I can't remember when I've laughed so hard while reading a book!

#107 - I'm sorry that you had to explain your love of reading multiple books at once. I've never read 18 books at once, but if you can keep everything straight and enjoy it, more power to you! I used to be able to read a billion books at the same time when I was little, but that ability seems to have died off in recent years. If I'm reading a book for class, I can also read a book for pleasure, but that's the extent of my multitasking ability. I think the problem is that I only want to multitask when the first book isn't as speedy or as engrossing as I had hoped, and I'm always afraid that I won't be able to finish it if I start in on another book.

I'm reading City Adrift New Orleans Before and After Katrina by Jenni Bergal Thus far I'm learning a lot about the hubris of the Army Core of Engineers, about the natural occurence of the disapperance of Louisiana's disappearing coast and many details contributing to the destruction of New Orleans.

#113 Yes, indeed I am of the sister persuasion. And me too - I got into much trouble for laughing hysterically at inappropriate moments (although why anyone let me bring the book to a friend's recital is beyond me).

Woohoo! for Confederacy of Dunces........in my opinion a fantastic book!

#116: Darn!! Some people have all the luck! Why don't I have that kind of creative imagination for disruption?

109, 111, 112, 117 - I tried reading Confederacy of Dunces and really struggled getting into it. Last week, I finished the audio version and it was hilarious! I listened mostly while walking and I received more than a few strange looks when I laughed out loud! The reader was amazing! I highly recommend the audio version if you struggle with the book.

I started The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson at the end of last week. I've read others of his books and loved them, but for some reason this one was annoying me at the beginning. I guess it was just a bit too much gross "boy" stuff. I know it's a rite of passage for boys, but it sure does make me wonder how the sexes ever end up getting together! After about a third of the way through I put it down because we had a long drive to the beach.

On the way there, I read What We Keep by Elizabeth Berg, which was a fast read, but only so-so. I found some of the characters' reactions to events just a bit too unbelievable. Didn't actually read on the beach (two small kids), but on the way back re-read Forever by Judy Blume which was so much fun, especially since I was in junior high when I read it last!

Now I'm back on the Thunderbolt Kid, and I'm liking it a lot more now. I've gotten to my laugh-out-loud funnies, which is what I've come to expect from Bryson.

I'm reading The Vanished Pomps of Yesterday: Being Some Random Reminiscences of a British Diplomat by Lord Frederic Hamilton, published 1921, and The Aviary Gate by Katie Hickman.

I think I'm also going to start another Agatha Christie.

Still making my way through Devil in the White City and finding it much more enjoyable the second time around! A slow read, but extremely entertaining. Although I am itching to dig into The Dead Zone by Stephen King, which I've never read before.

>100 avaland:
It's pretty interesting, but mostly about not Salem (though probably helpful in a bigger-picture way).

#122
Hi Coloradogirl14.
I tried to read Devil in The White City but lost interest. I see this book is read by many LT members. Maybe I'll give it another try. I highly recommend The Dead Zone. There is an older movie with Christopher Walken as the main character. It is very good.

#121 coloradogirl14 I'm so glad you're liking it. I usually can't stand non-fiction, but the book reads almost like fiction so I was hooked.

I've finished Colors: The Story of Dyes and Pigments which was, in fact, totally unremarkable (review here). I've also finished The Outlandish Companion by Diana Gabaldon, which had some really interesting bits and some parts which were total overkill (full review here).

I've got Mudbound out from the library, and I've heard good things about it here and elsewhere, so I think I'll pick that up when I go home.

#124, 125 - Reading a book becomes much more enjoyable once I don't have to write an essay on it! And what makes it even more interesting the second time around is that I've seen some of the areas of the fairground that still exist today since reading the book for the first time. And I can't wait to get started on the Dead Zone! It's been a while since I've read something new from Stephen King (new to me, at least).

#127, coloradogirl14: AND you get to pick what you want to read. I think most of us are programmed to instanty hate anything we're told to do. "Here, you'll read this and LIKE IT!" we're commanded. The thought of it makes me need to stretch my right middle finger. It's a knee jerk reaction!

Dead Zone is one of my SK favorites, by the way. :-D

#128 - The fact that I had to give up valuable summer time to read that book didn't help either. I think required summer reading should be outlawed as a crime against humanity.

I had to return Dead Watch back to the library because I ran out of renewals, so unfortunately I didn't get the chance to finish it. But I'd like to go this weekend and possibly pick it up again. Otherwise, I'm currently reading both Year of Wonders, which is really good so far but I'm not that far into it, and The End Of The Affair which I'm about halfway through and also enjoying.

I am reading Friday Night knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. Since Saturday I have finished Twilight, New Moon and and half way through Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer, the last one I have to read after my daughter has gone to bed, as she is still reading it during the day. (I think I love Edward, not too embarrassing eh?)

#131 - Eclipse is my favorite out of the Twilight saga...I just finished it a couple days ago, and I can't WAIT for the fourth book to come out!

#131 - How do you like the Friday Night Knitting Club? I have it because I'd heard good things about it, but my mom stopped reading it because she thought it was boring. So now I'm conflicted and would love another opinion. Is it just too much knitting??

On the agenda for this week: The Life of Pi by Yann Martel, which I am greatly enjoying, The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason, Elizabeth: The Struggle for the Throne by David Starkey, We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed with Our Families by Philip Gourevitch, The Girl from Botany Bay by Carolly Erickson, and I am listening to The Geographer's Library by Jon Fasman.

I am also in the middle of Friday Night Knitting Club and so far, so good. It isn't the best book I ever read but it came to me highly recommended and I am enjoying it.

102> investory, I agree about Philip Yancey. I really enjoyed his Soul Survivor, which is definitely one for getting more reading suggestions, but also a great book in its own right.

As well as the group re-read of Deathly Hallows with the Hogwarts Express group, I'm also reading The Italian Girl which is my first Iris Murdoch novel.

#111, #112, 113, etc. I must be one of the ones who didn't "get it" because I just couldn't get very far in A Confederacy of Dunces when I tried to read it years ago (when it first came out and was so widely praised). I disliked it so much it's one of the few books I ever got rid of!

I just finished Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out by Mo Yan, funny, sad, very creative, and maybe a little on the long side.

Am about to start Dear American Airlines based on all the LT praise.

>131 sydamy: Over on Hogwarts Express is a thread dedicated to who can carry Edward off first, so I'd say you're not alone!!

I'm almost done with Shifter but received Shadows Return yesterday in the mail and had to sit right down and read all 522 pages last night. I'm doing quite a bit of yawning today, but it was worth it.

Edited to correct the group the Edward thread is in. Now I'll have to close out and return to get the right touchstones for Shifter and Shadows Return. Hope it works this time.

Last night I started Amulet by Roberto Bolano. I had never heard of the author, but the book caught my eye during a trip to Stacey's Books in San Francisco. I get back to LT and do a quick "Conversations" search to find that Bolano is a hugely famous South American author. Every time I think I know a little bit about literature it turns out I don't know squat! Anyway, the first few pages of this book have already drawn me in!

finished Tess of the D'Urbervilles which I loved. Now just starting Bonfire of the Vanities which I've never read before. I loved I am Charlotte Simmons so much decided I should try out Wolfe's most famous -- OK so far, but I think its just going to feel dated for obvious reasons.

Just started reading Gone With the Wind, and thus far I'm enjoing it.

I just finished Promise Not To Tell by Jennifer McMahon, and I really enjoyed it! If you're interested, here's my review:
http://skrishnasbooks.blogspot.com/2008/06/promise-not-to-tell-jennifer-mcmahon....

Boswell's London Journal, the Folio edition.

Last few days: After the Quake by Haruki Murakami (pretty good, though I still like most of his novels better), and The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula LeGuin.

Today I'm starting The Famished Road by Ben Okri.

#140, rocketjk: Bolano's Amulet was pretty good, but I didn't think it was as impressive as The Savage Detectives.

Bolano's last novel 2666 comes out in Nov., and I'd already pre-ordered a copy at Amazon, but canceled it yesterday, because I've read 3 fairly scathing reviews of this 1000-page behemoth, and decided it was wiser to take a pass on it this time around.

#141 - I loved Bonfire of the Vanities when I read it way back when, when it was first published. I remember I couldn't put it down. I will have to re-read it and see if I am still as impressed with it now. (Hated the movie, by the way.)

#148, CatieN, I was about to post the same thing about Bonfire of the Vanities, with the exception that I never went to see the movie because it was so miscast. But I think it might not hold up, because it was so much of its time.

I think that you have to look at Bonfire of the Vanities as being sort of a period piece, rather than being dated. It is so very 80s and it illustrates a certain sector of society very well. I always thought Bruce Willis would have been better as the main character rather than the reporter.

Last night I stayed up way too late to finish Beginner's Greek. It was very sappy sweet and I loved it. I have put aside The Homecoming by Bernhard Schlink to continue with the love story theme and I have picked up Loving Frank. I can't comment on this one yet but I've been looking forward to it.

I just started to read The Given Day by Dennis Lehane. I'm about a hundred pages into it, and it is shaping up to be a very interesting historical novel. I'm enjoying it thoroughly. It is much different from his other stuff so far.

#150, emaestra: I loved Beginner's Greek too, easily one of my favorite novels this year

I plan to start Interview With the Vampire on my afternoon break. This'll be my eighth reading.

#153, I'm one of the only people I know that can't stand Anne Rice. I feel like she's the Danielle Steel of vampires. Everyone I know tells me I'm crazy.

i put down harvesting the heart by jodi picoult to read the history of love by allison krauss and i am so glad that i did! the book is fantastic! i am also reading the portable dorothy parker in my downtime at work. as soon as i finish love, i plan to finally start two books i have been eager to read for a while: the thirteenth tale and a thousand splendid suns.

Amanaceerdh - I hope you like The Portable Dorothy Parker. I think I read it cover to cover. She's so very funny, I wish we could be friends. Does that sound weird? A little Tiger Beat fan for Dorothy Parker :).

I just finished Skeletons at the Feast which I absolutely loved although I cried many times during the book. I am about to start Snow Flower and the Secret Fan which I believe I heard about on this website - go figure! I hope it is not as emotionally draining as Skeletons at the Feast.

I am going to have a hard time finding something to read after Skeletons at the Feast...so far my favorite of 2008.

I'm done with Sense and Sensibility, here's my review: In the Shadow of Mt. TBR.

Funny thing: I googled "Jane-a-thon" to see how many other people might be doing the same thing, and I found out that there's a charity skiing event called a "jane-a-thon", held at Mary Jane Mountain. I thought that was funny... they hold their Jane-a-thon by skiing down a mountain, and I'm doing mine by clearing off a mountain. heeheehee. :-))

Anyway... Pride and Prejudice is up next.

finished Memoirs of a Geisha this morning, now starting on Theft:A Love Story

157 & 158 Glad to hear that Skeletons at the Feast is so good. I've just moved it up on my TBR pile.

Finished Deadly Pleasure by Brenda Joyce : am now into Sur le Seuil byPatrick Senecal - who some consider Quebec's answer to Stephen King - not seeing it so far but then again it's still early...

#133 I'm not too far into Friday Night Knitting Club, around page 50 or so, but so far so good. I am a knitter so I guess there can't be too much knitting for me. I just got a call from the library, Comfort Food, Kate Jacobs next book is ready to be picked up, and seeing as how I love eating, I'm sure there can't be too much food talk in that one. lol!

I'm finishing up with The Poisonwood Bible today, excellent book. I'll be starting The English Patient sometime tonight.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri (dipping)
Gibson Girls and Suffragists: Perceptions of Women from 1900 to 1918 by Catherine Gourley
The World Without Us by Alan Weisman

and a few others. They're all so different, it's not hard to multi-task.

Finished Devil in the White City this morning, and now I'm going to dive into the Dead Zone and my collection of Chicago short stories...I need to get these back to the library, so I'm doubling up my books now.

#145 - read The Famished Road ages ago and enjoyed it a lot. i'm a big fan of magico-realism, so perhaps it's not a surprise. i found the prose simply beautiful. hope u enjoy it as much as i did.

i'm in a sort of reading lurch since summer came around but this week, trying to pick up where i left off...

The War of the End of the World by Mario Vargas Llosa - a sweeping historical novel by one of the greatest Latin American authors today, based on the bloody uprising in the hinterlands of Northern Brazil in the late 19th century of a group of fanatics opposed to the Republic and anything that symbolized progress and modernization, regarding them as evil and a sign that the world is coming to an end.

Somersault by Kenzaburo Oe - inspired by the Aum Shinrikyu cult (of the notorious sarin gas attacks in the Tokyo subway), this is the Nobel awardee's lengthy account of the "rebirth" of a Japanese religious movement a decade after a drastic, public renunciation. The story, though, is too deliberate and slow paced for me. Interestingly, I happen to be reading simultaneously 2 novels based on actual facts with apocalyptic themes. Makes for an interesting comparison.

Dictionary of the Khazars by Milorad Pavic - a challenging and unusual read
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - i love Dickens, what else can i say?

and a couple of non-fiction
Distant Voices by John Pilger - a collection of the author's articles and essays written in the early 90s, the highlight of which is a section on the recent history of and genocide in East Timor

Development as Freedom by Amartya Sen

#167 I have tried so many times to pick up Somersault but I just can't seem to get through it. I loved A Personal Matter though.

I'm still working on The Unabridged Edgar Allen Poe.

I've also started Peter Straub's Shadowland and Borges' & Bioy Casares Nuevos cuentos de Bustos Domecq.

And I'm still making slow progress on Simmons' Hollow Man.

#167: If you like Dictionary of the Khazars, you should make an effort to pick up Pavic's other books ... I've also read The inner side of the wind and Landscape painted with tea and really enjoyed both.

#167: I am LOVING it so far. I'd be interested in hearing your final thoughts when you finish Somersault. I've been considering it for a while, after reading Murakami's Underground and Philip Gabriel's Spirit Matters (Amazon link, not on LT? will have to remedy that). But I've heard lots of mixed reviews, so I'm not sure.

#168
yes, it is a bit of a drag...i still have to reach any redeeming part. while fiction, it does however, give one an idea of the psyche of cult followers, and more important, of the self-styled "saviour." if i do manage to finish it, promise to reward myself with a good short fast-paced novel along the lines of Chronicle of a Death Foretold. wonder what it will be, everything on my TBR is on the dense side...

#170 thanks for the suggestions. it's my first Pavic. will certainly look those titles up...and perhaps others when i get to visit Serbia later this summer. other Serbian authors or titles u might want to suggest? perhaps those which are not so easily accessible outside Serbia?

>151 pstotts: I liked The Given Day a lot.

I finished The Hiding Place by Trezza Azzopardi last night which was excellent! I finished the poetry collection Leaving Yuba City by Chitra Divakaruni which was very good. Now, I may read Blueback by Tim Winton and then Transported by LT author Tim Jones (senjimito) IF IF IF I can overlook the new Joyce Carol Oates which just arrived on my doorstep . . .

Two books; Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro which quietly unfolds a man's life with subtle regrets and social commentary. Still thinking about it a book later.

Remembering Babylon a story of Gemmy, a white feral child-man who had become irreversibly Aboriginal and his effect on a family and a pioneering white settlement in early colonial Australia. Touching and beautifully told. If you liked Secret River you will like this also.

# 146 & 147 > Louis, thanks for the input on Bolano. When I first got the book I looked him up via Amulet's "Conversations" links here on LT. There was a whole discussion going on him in the Latin American Writers group. I'll probably put Savage Detectives on my short list. For now, I'm about two/thirds through Amulet and enjoying it quite a lot.

Finished Captain Saturday by Robert Inman. A story of a good man who makes some bad decisions and then tries to make things right. Also delves into his past quite a bit to help explain why he makes the decisions he does make.

I am now reading Charity Girl by Michael Lowenthal for book club. So far, an excellent read.

I just finished The Lady In Blue by Javier Sierra. I feel like I have been banging my head against a wall, and now it feels so good because I stopped.

It was excruciating.

ETA The subject matter was fascinating, the story as presented, was not.

I finished The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski. I think I'll read The Android's Dream by John Scalzi next.

My Life In CIA by Harry Mathews was totally brilliant and so I've gone back to Tlooth written about 40 years earlier and just as absurdly wonderful!

I'm still reading the moonstone which is picking up a little. I'm going to the book shop tonight to spend my gift card so might do a '3 for 2' deal and get lots of new novels - I don't tend to read much modern fiction. Although, I'm always so tempted by jasper fforde...

I am reading the second book in the His Dark Materials Trilogy, it's called The Subtle Knife and I'm also reading a book called Martin the Warrior by Brian Jacques. It's the 7th book I'm reading in the Redwall saga.
I've also recently finished the book A Wizard of Earthsea and it was amazing. I'll be buying the second one soon.
The next book I'm going to read once I finish the ones Im reading is The Amber Spyglass and after that I'll start reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy

Cya

Today I am reading House of Many Shadows by Barbara Michaels

I started The English Patient last night. 20 pages in and I'm already engrossed. *sigh* I'll have to go to the bookstore tonight just so I'll have something to read after I finish this one. Which will probably be tonight.

bazooka: I hope the book is better than the movie, because I thoroughly detested the movie with a passion.

thekoolaidmom, I've never seen the movie. I was going to watch it when I finished the book. I'll let you know how they compare.

Currently reading:

Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow
Black Angel by John Connolly
The Proof House by K.J. Parker
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
A Fortress in Shadow by Glen Cook

#184 koolaid - I'm with you, I never liked the movie either! (although I did like the Julia Binoche storyline) I couldn't understand how everyone was going on and on about how great the movie was at the time it came out. I felt like Elaine in a funny Seinfeld episode they did about it at the time.

I started reading Mudbound by Hillary Jordan I'm noting that many LT members liked this book. Thus far, it is holding my interest and I appreciate the writing and unfolding of the characters.

Good choice, Whisper1. I thought it was very well done.

Hi
I note from your library that you read The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox. I finished this a few months ago and really liked the book. What were your impressions?

I loved that book Whisper. Just read it a couple weeks ago. I thought it was brilliantly crafted and it held my interest from start to finish.

I'm reading Janeology by Karen Harrington and loving it - almost halfway through.

#191..
If you liked The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, you might want to read another of her books -- After You'd Gone. I really liked this one as well.