Hi everyone...sorry so long...

Hi everybody. Sorry I've been gone so long, but I have a good reason. It's been a crappy summer and probably the worst year of my life. But in light of others having gone through much worse in the world, I'm not going to dwell on it too much here. It's good to be back. :-)

I've been re-reading Memoirs of a Geisha. Stopped that in the middle and started Atonement after watching the movie and loving it, started Little Women and Dead Lucky. I read A Survivor's Road to Healing (Restoring Hope After a Death by Suicide) and that is a great book for those who have had a loved one die by suicide. I highly recommend it.

Other books in my near future are: The History of Tom Jones by Henry Fielding. Autopsy of a Suicidal Mind by Edwin S. Shneidman. Here, There and Everywhere by Geoff Emerick about the Beatles.

I've been having a hard time concentrating on any one book for a long period of time lately.

-Tracey

Hi Tracey,

I am sorry you have had such a bad summer. From the looks of your reading list, you are still not back in a happy place. I hope you can find some healing over time.

I just downloaded a sample of Nelson Mandela's autobiography called Long Walk to Freedom, which I hope will be interesting as well as inspiring.

Best wishes,

Ellen

Hey Tracy,
So sorry that you have had a hard time this summer. I hope things are getting better for you.

I just finished the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer , I didn't think I would like them but I really got pulled into the story.

Sincerely,
Bill

Was the sampe of Long Walk to Freedom interesting, Ellen? I think my sister would really love to read that if it's good.

Bill, can you tell me a little about the Twilight series? Why didn't you think you would like them and how is it that you ended up with them?

love,

Tracey

Hi Tracey,

Yes, I am enjoying the book - had to buy it yesterday so that my father could continue reading! I have not gotten very far, but it is interesting to hear about South Africa from Mandela's perspective. He relates the story of his "coming of age" ceremony with a group of other boys. One of the elders gave a speech saying that education and the training of black children to be professionals, landowners and other good jobs was meaningless because there was no more land that belonged to the native South Africans, no jobs for them except mining, which destroyed their health etc. Being trained in "white" operated schools, Mandela was angry at this speech, but later came to share its view. Thus, a leader was born.

Certainly worth a sample!

Tracy,

The Twilight series is ...well a human/vampire romance with werewolf friends. Now I like otherworldly books so that isn't why I didn't think I would like them. I normally don't like romance novels but the story in the Twilight books was very good and it really pulled me in.

I ended up reading these because my wife was reading them and I picked up the first book and thought I would just read the first chapter...then 4 books later I was done "sampling". :)

I also found out the first book has been made into a movie and will be out in November... of course they are never as good as the book. They are not really deep thinking books but they are great fun and a great escape and it was one of those stories that I was sad it was over when I finished reading.

Bill