Mark's Reading Place: To Infinity and Beyond...Take 10

Wow! I'm finally joining LT Royalty, with the 10 Thread Club! I might still be working in the kitchen but I'm in! Yah! Thanks faithful visitors!

Books read so far...

1) The White Rhino Hotel by Bartle Bull ****1/2
2) A Good Fall: Stories by Ha Jin ****
3) Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith ****1/2
4) A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore ***
5) Tear Down This Myth by Will Bunch ****1/2
6) Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Hurston ****1/2 (audio)
7) Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter ***1/2
8) World Without End by Ken Follett ****
9) The Dogs of Riga by Henning Mankell ****
10) Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson ****1/2 (audio)
11) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro ****1/2
12) Open Season by C.J. Box ****
13) The Audacity to Win by David Plouffe ****1/2 (audio)
14) Spooner by Pete Dexter ****
15) Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro ****1/2
16) Small Island by Andrea Levy *****
17) The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley **** (audio)
18) Don't Look Back by Karin Fossum ****
19) Night Train by Martin Amis ****
20) Sleepless by Charlie Huston ****1/2 (audio)
21) Stitches by David Small **** (graphic)
22) Shanghai Girls by Lisa See **** (audio)
23) Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie ***
24) When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson ****1/2
25) Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving ****
26) The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein ***1/2 (audio)
27) The Magdalen Martyrs by Ken Bruen ****1/2
28) The Help by Kathryn Stockett ****1/2 (audio)
29) Horse Soldiers by Doug Stanton ****1/2
30) Fade Away by Harlan Coben **** (audio)
31) The Plague by Albert Camus ****1/2
32) Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins ****
33) Horns by Joe Hill ***1/2 (audio)
34) Walking to Gatlinburg by Howard Frank Mosher *****
35) The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick ***** (graphic)
36) Eye of the Red Tsar by Sam Eastland ***1/2
37) Tinkers by Paul Harding ****
38) Maus I: A Survivor's Tale by Art Spiegelman ****1/2 (graphic)
39) Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman ****
40) Chess: A Novella by Stefan Zweig ****1/2
41) The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova ***1/2 (audio)
42) The Wrong Kind of Blood by Declan Hughes ****
43) The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery **** (audio)
44) Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami **** (Group Read)
45) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot ***** (audio)
46) Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow ****1/2
47) The Privileges by Jonathan Dee ***1/2
48) The Big Short by Michael Lewis ****1/2 (audio)
49) Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder *****
50) Columbine by Dave Cullen ***** (audio)
51) The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon ****1/2
52) The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson ***1/2
52) Drown by Junot Diaz ****1/2
53) Bonk by Mary Roach ***1/2 (audio)
54) WAR by Sebastian Junger ***** (audio)
55) The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King ****
56) American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell ****1/2
57) The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness **** (YA)
58) So Cold the River by Michael Koryta **** (audio)
59) Expiration Date by Duane Swierczynski ***1/2
60) Crashing Through by Robert Kurson **** (audio)
61) The Chicago Way by Michael Harvey ***1/2
62) Joker One by Donovan Campbell **** (audio)
63) The Mistress's Daughter: A Memoir by A.M. Homes ***1/2 (audio)
64) The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell *****
65) The Once and Future King by T.H. White ***** (Group Read)
66) The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore ****1/2 (audio)
67) A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan ****1/2
68) The Nobodies Album by Carolyn Parkhurst ****
69) Bloodroot by Amy Greene *** (audio)
70) Ava's Man by Rick Bragg ****1/2 (audio)
71) The Uncommon Reader: A Novella by Alan Bennett ****
72) Star Island by Carl Hiaasen ***1/2 (audio)
73) The Passage by Justin Cronin ****1/2
74) The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield ***1/2 (audio)
75) The Liars Club by Mary Karr ****
76) Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas *** (audio)
77) Homer & Langley: A Novel by E.L. Doctorow **** (audio)
78) English Creek by Ivan Doig ****
79) 1776 by David McCullough **** (audio)
80) The City & the City by China Mieville ****1/2
81) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen ****1/2 (audio)
82) The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino ****
83) Little Bee by Chris Cleave **1/2 (audio)
84) The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst ****
85) Blindness by Jose Saramago ***** (Group Read)
86) Taroko Gorge by Jacob Ritari **1/2 (ER)

Good Morning Mark! Seems like no one else is around, so I'm 1st.

It's time to cook dinner here, but I hope your day is super!!

Waving hi!

glitter-graphics.com
Happy Day Off!

Mark! Did I ever congratulate you for reading 75 books! Sheesh, I didn't even notice until I saw it on this thread! Congratulations! :)

Good morning, Mark! I've found your new thread.

UNlike SOME people who advocate moving the thread bar up to some absurdly astronomical figure, I see you've elected to remain within hailing distance of the more dial-up-friendly 250. I laud this decision with fervor.

...how exactly does "lauding" work, I mean materially speaking...do I clap, or nod, or jump up and down...?

That sure is a good year's reading, Mark. I hope you end up liking The City and the City; to me it was the top sci-fi book of the year. Somewhere I saw it tied with The WindUp Girl for a book award.

Tammy- It's nice being Numero Uno once in awhile!

Susan- You have a great day too! It's nice here. Warm but partly cloudy and breezy.

Claudia- Big wave back!

Stephen- Thanks! Yeah, I'm kicking some book-butt! I know my audios are beefing up the list but even without 'em, I'm doing very good!

Terri- Have a nice holiday and thanks for stopping by!

Richard- "do I clap, or nod, or jump up and down...?" Can you do all 3?

Joe- Thanks! Yes, The City and the City is quite good but you really have to pay attention. Mieville has created a complex world...or worlds! Boy, I hope I can squeeze The Wind-Up Girl in someplace. I'm booked solid!

I was taking care of some lawn work and some other chores, now I need to hop in the shower and get ready for the "company"! Hope everyone has a great Labor Day!

Hi Mark. I also missed your 75th book so a belated Congratulations from me too. Have fun with your company.

Finally found you! I think I last left off on thread #3 so there's no hope of getting properly caught up...congratulations on thread #10! Wow!

Just wanted to say hello and hope you're enjoying the long weekend :)

Hi, Mark,
Congrats on both passing book 75 and starting thread #10 -- WOW!!! Hope you have a great day with your company!
--BJ

Hope you have a nice and relaxing Labor Day, Mark!

And here you are ... found and starred you, Marky-Mark. Hope you're enjoying the day off.

Pat- Thanks and hope you had a good holiday too!

Andrea- It's so good to see you, stranger! It's been awhile! Are you joining us on the Group Read of Blindness? It starts on the 15th. I sure hope you can make it!

BJ- Thanks! Great to see you too!

Anne- Thanks! I hope you had a great day too! BTW- Loved my first Ivan Doig! Have you read him yet?

Caro- Yes, I'm having a great day off! Our company does not want to leave though! I'm thinking of shutting off the lights and curling up somewhere with my book, which I've neglected today!

Hey, Mark! Hope you had a great day!

Hey Mark - Found you! And 78 books!! Yikes! Congratulations!

>16 msf59:, no, not yet, but I recently received The Whistling Season from Bookmooch, and he sounds like a perfect fit for me -- and you! Thanks for the recommendation. Hope you have a great week!

You'll love The Whistling Season Anne!

Thanks, Joanne -- I can't wait! But I will. At least until I have time to really enjoy it :)

Joanne- Yes, I'm having another good year of reading and the added pleasure of sharing most of them here, with my best buddies!

Anne- You will like Doig! Like you said a "good fit"! Have a good week too!

I'm looking forward to getting back to 1776 today! It's been very good!

I finished reading one book over the Labor Day holiday -for once I had a day off from work. I spent it drinking coffee with friends and laying around at the swimming pool. Usually we are open on holidays. I picked up Angel's Game and read about 50 pages in it before bed last night. I can't wait to find out what Zafon has in store of me in this book. Shadow of the Wind was so good I hope this one is in the same category. But always wonder if my expectations for sequels are too high.

*STARRED* as usual, my friend...

Homer and Langley is a latter-day version of My Brother's Keeper by Marcia Davenport...which my Mother forced me to read at a *tender age*..My Dad was a hoarder (wanna know how long it took my brother & I to clear the junk out of this house after Dad died?)....and mom was, what..trying to "teach me a lesson?" I don't know....didn't like the Davenport book...probably wouldn't like H&L (though i do like Doctorow as an Author)

have a good day, you!
;-}

so what time did your guests leave yesterday, Mark? One of our friends (but only when he's with company he knows very well)would have no qualms about getting up, yawning and wishing everyone goodnight so that they'd all leave.

By the way, I've just started on The Beekeeper's Apprentice - thanks again.

Ooh. Also v. interested in Homer and Langley, which I hadn't heard of. Hoarders fascinate me as well. I think it's a there-but-for-the-Grace-of-whomever thing. I've forced myself to curb my natural packrat tendencies since I live in a small apartment, but I can still identify. (Mostly. The food hoarders mystify me.)

**Congrats on 75!**

found and starred!

Mark, I go away for a few days and you start a new thread. I hope you're not trying to lose me! You won't lose me as a follower, but you may pass me up in books read. I have several big library books that must be read soon -- The Girl Who Played With Fire and Faithful Place. Plus, I'm almost out of summer, and I promised Bonnie(Renzi) that I would read the chunkster The Colony of Unrequited Dreams before autumn begins. It sounded very reasonable in late May! All these books will be fast reads, but, oh so many pages!

Edited for runaway italics.

Benita- I was a big fan of Shadow of the Wind too! I have a copy of Angel's Game, so I'm anxious to see what you think. I believe it's gotten mixed reviews.

Jude- No wonder you don't like hoarders, you had to live with one!! I can only imagine how difficult that could be. In the Trib today, there was an article about another woman in her 70s, who had died in her home and had to excavated from the trash! How creepy!

Caro- The company was family, so they get a bit more leeway but they still didn't leave until after 7:30. We did start at one, hoping everyone would be on their way by 5. I guess the upside is, people find our house "comfortable" and they don't want to leave! Hope you enjoy The Beekeeper's Apprentice! It's a fun read!

Shauna- Give Homer and Langley a try! It's also not just about hoarding either! There's much more to it!

Kath- Big wave!

They don't want to leave because they're having a great time, so that's definitely an upside. But hey it could be worse ... they could have stayed until well after 10pm before leaving. I had dinner guests twice who didn't leave until 1am despite lots of hints from my husband and I that they should go.

Donna- Good to see you back and I would never intentionally try to lose you! Remember, we go WAY Back! As usual, it sounds like you're reading some terrific books. I have a new copy of Faithful Place waiting on a shelf and The Colony of Unrequited Dreams has been high on my wishlist forever, also thanks to Bonnie!

Caro- Don't you think that's kind of rude? Especially when you are dropping obvious hints. If it was a work night, I would have said "good night" and slipped off to bed.

Company that wears out its welcome is a very common problem. And what can you do?? Sure, maybe you could go to bed (really??) but then your wife would be left to try to push them out the door. But Caroline's right---they were having a great time Mark.

*I've* gone to bed before my guests have left. But I do tend to pumpkin early at the moment. (And when I'm tired, I tend to not give a fig for what other people think.)

Congratulations on the 10th thread, Mark!

Just caught up - for about half an hour. Mark, congratulations on reaching 75 books already.

I have been known to do the going to bed thing while guests are still here...

Bonnie and Donna, I'm one of the people who loved The Colony of Unrequited Dreams but it is long and dense. I hope you like it!

Caro I hope you like The Beekeeper's Apprentice I was kind of meh about it. Fine to read, but couldn't see what was soooo special about it -- maybe you can tell me :)

Bonnie- Yes, you are right, I probably wouldn't desert my wife in that situation! Thankfully, this is a very rare occurrence! To wrap this up, we love having "people" over, just don't overstay your welcome. Period!

Wookie (the pumpkin)- Thanks and good to see you!

Cushla- Thanks! I've had The Colony of Unrequited Dreams on my BM list for 2 years. I may have to make a library visit.

Does anyone here, watch "Mad Men"? It's been a terrific season and this last episode was outstanding. A showcase for Jon Hamm and Elizabeth Moss.

Just passing through~ Waving :)

Jon Hamm is one fine actor, and I am totally smitten to pieces with January Jones, despite her glaring wardrobe errors. Elizabeth Moss is Terrific!!

But my heart belongs to YoSafBridge, Our Mrs. Reynolds, the incomparable Christina Hendricks.

Richard- Of course I'm a big fan of Joan, for many reasons. I just wish they gave her a bit more attention on the show! Did you see this past episode?

I'm closing in on the end of both The City and the City & 1776 and both have been highly enjoyable.

Sunny and 70 today! Isn't fall wonderful?

Hi, Mark!
Fall is wonderful! My favorite time of year! I am chomping at the bit for the next group read. Are we just reading it all in one part?
--BJ

Hey, Mark! I hope you have a great day. I wish it was fall here in Texas. Can I steal your weather? Like BJ, fall is my favorite time of the year as well.

#31 : I don't think they were being rude, I think they were enjoying themselves and just weren't aware that hubster and I were ready for them to leave. And I am extremely bad about telling someone to go home and since those people were mainly my friends, hubster didn't feel comfortable telling them bluntly that they had outstayed their welcome. Come to think of it, some of the times some of our friends have stayed over were because I'd been openly yawning and they became sort of sleepy too ....too sleepy (or drunk) to go home, and would make camp at our house instead.

The person I thought was rude was an acquaintance who asked if he could crash at my house one night and said he was going out for dinner with a new date (he lives an hour and a half away and didn't relish the drive back only to have to come back up to the office the next morning and I live 10 mins from work). He said he wouldn't be late ....which for me (and I checked with a few people after) meant any time before 9.30pm. He showed up at 12.45am, ringing the doorbell and waking us up! And this after I texted him at 10.30 to say that I was really tired (which was the truth) so hubster and I were going to go to bed. He texted back saying he was just sitting down to a meal and wouldn't be too long. Gee... I was thinking he'd say oh ok, nevermind, I'll find a room at a hotel or something.

*ok, rant over*

#35 : Sus, I thought The Beekeeper's Apprentice was a fun read. It wasn't what I expected and I think I will look for others in the series now. I don't want to take up too much space on Mark's thread, so I'll just say that I posted my review if you are interested in reading it.

42 It goes like this...

*yawn* guys.. I am so sorry, I am so tired, I just have to hit the hay..
I had a great time tonight though... lest do it again soon.. as you head for the door

Alternate method

Sorry guys, time to go!

One of Edd's friends does this often because he likes to go to bed early. But I'd feel guilty and awkward.

I've heard of a few people with good lines. One woman said her father would turn to his wife and say "dear, let's go to bed so these fine people can get home"

Another was an old preacher who obviously wasn't afflicted with guilt or awkward feelings. He'd just stand up at 10 and say "it is time for me to retire, and all good gentlemen should be doing the same" or something like that.

We once had a couple show up about 45 minutes after the last person from the party had already left, they stayed for another 2 hours. But we had a great time visiting with them.

Caro..

just call me...
hand them the phone..
and I will take care of them for you :)

Caro- Fortunately, this happens very rarely, so it's not much of an issue! Like you and Bonnie mentioned, the guests must be having a good time in your house, how can you get mad about that?

Kath- Would you be available for me too, in this situation? Send me your number...hee hee!

Hope everyone had a good day!

The majority of our friends live in Manhattan, so I have the Long Island Railroad to bless for their early departures. "Oh look! If we don't get you on the 9:44, you won't be home until after 11:30! Here, that's *your* hat and here's *your* boa and I think this is someone's underwear under the dog...."

#48: Just what kind of parties are you having at your house that the underwear ends up under Stella?

#38> Mr Derus, I'm SLAPPING myself for not realising that the sexy redhead in "Mad Men" was also that sexy redhead in "Firefly"!!! It's bleedingly obvious, now it's been pointed out.

Mark, I'm glad you like The City and the City! I look forward to your comments!

Mark.. I would be happy to take care of showing your guests the door.. so to speak.

I had plenty of practice with that years ago with a particular friend. He was sometimes there so long that I began to feel the need to charge him rent. This is when I had young kids.. and needed sleep.. so finally, I learned to say GO!
People need to understand.. and mostly I think they do.

so you like The City and the City!?

Richard- That's funny! Cheers to the Long Island Railroad! But underwear under the dog? Have a great weekend, sir! I wish I could make it to the "bash"!

Wookie- I didn't watch "Firefly", so I missed the reference! Love all those curves! I'm just about 30 pages from finishing The City and the City and it has been a terrific ride. I'm sold on this writer!

Kath- Thanks for being there, when I need you! You da best!

I really enjoyed 1776 and will be starting the audio of Pride and Prejudice, which bumped the latest Harry Potter. This will be the slow start of me returning to some of the classics I've been neglecting. My first Austen and my first "classic" audiobook. I'll see how it works.

Mark - you simply MUST watch Firefly and Serenity. Series first, then the movie. You won't regret it.

Heck, we even named one of our kitties after one of the characters..... Inara, for those of you in the know.

Firefly...Serenity...*happy sigh*

You'll love them Mark.

Breezing in to say hello and to let you know how much I appreciate your kind messages!

I found your thread, but apparently forgot to star it! Great timing on the GR of Blindness this month, I just picked up a copy while on holiday with the hubby a couple of weeks ago. I will definitely try to join in with the group, thanks for the heads up!

I guess we should be glad that the underwear ended up under Stella instead of her wearing it. One has to be prepared for all possibilities where Richard's parties are concerned.

This afternoon at work we had a discussion about the popularity of the Stieg Larsson books. I said that his popularity was on par with that of Dan Brown because both authors now have walking tours of the sites mentioned in their books. Some of my colleagues were just flabbergasted that this might happen. I told them that there was an Ann Rice walking tour in New Orleans Interview with a Vampire days, and that there were walking tours of the Dan Brown sites for both angels and Demons and Da Vinci Code in Rome and Paris, and now there was a walking tour in Stockholm for the Millennium Trilogy books. In this tour there is a stop at the 7 Eleven mentioned in all three of the books that is complete with a peak into the freezer case to see if there are any Billy's Deep Dish Pan Pizzas in there. Does anybody know if there are any more walking tours in cities based on authors? For instance is there a Willa Cather walking tour of Red Cloud, Nebraska? Or a No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency walking tour of Botswana? I am reading Angel's Game and was thinking that a walking tour of Barcelona based on the Zafon books would be fun.

I know (and probably Mark does too) that there's a walking tour of the sites in Chicago that are featured in The Devil in the White City.

Karen & Joanne- Thanks, I will add both those shows to the list!

Linda- Hope you have a great trip! I am jealous! See you when you get back!

Andrea- It's so good to see you and right in time for the Group Read! Perfect!

Caro- Yes, lets not think about Stella and underwear! Poor baby!

Benita- I read somewhere about the Larsson tours! Could you imagine flying to Sweden for this? And one highlight is a 7/11? I'm sure there are several other examples of these "book tours". Bonnie mentioned The Devil in the White City, which I heard about it but have not tried. At least that one has many historical references. I think there might be a Zafon tour in place!

I haven't seen Firefly but we love Serenity.

>61 suslyn: - Then you will also love Firefly! :) It's the short-lived, ill-treated TV series that the movie was based on.

Please cover your eyes Caro, but I had oatmeal this morning and it really hit the spot. Instead of attending a party on Long Island, I will be working. I'm sure they will have a fantastic time. Although, a bunch of us are taking a bus up to Milwaukee tomorrow, for a Cubs & Brewers game. It's a very nice stadium and we get to tail-gate, which we can't do here!
I started Pride and Prejudice and I'm rather liking it! Terrific narrator!

I started Pride and Prejudice

Pfft..show off!!

=P

Hi, Mark. So glad you ended up enjoying The City and the City so much, as you posted elsewhere. I'm not a big Un Lun Dun fan - it's a YA title that for me wasn't up to the level of his other books. I found Perdido Street Station particularly good (the first one of his I read), with The Scar as runner-up.

I am a huge P & P fan; I think you'll be blown away by the wit and insight. If you're like me, you'll want to read the rest of her books, too.

The oatmeal hits the spot because it's like cement ..solid and thumpish! *gag*

Yaaay.... I'm glad you're starting P&P ...it's one of my top 10 all time favorite re-reads. I think I've lost count of the number of times that I've read that book.

Stephen- Yes, I guess I'm showing off a little, but I need to get back to my neglected "classics" and hopefully this will kick-start me!
BTW- I'm really enjoying Pride and Prejudice. It's very smart and fast-moving!

Joe- Yes, I'm sold on Mieville! I think I will track a copy of Perdido Street Station down and that'll be the next of his, I will try. What a smart and inventive writer!
BTW- I did start that new Japanese crime novel by Keigo Higashino and it begins very well. A nice fresh approach.

Oh I'm glad the Austen narrator is doing a good job. Maybe I should pull that one off the shelf for a re-read :)

Hey reading twin! As soon as I finish listening to The Last Stand, I have Persuasion all ready to go. I think the same woman narrates them all.

Caro- Where do you get these gifs! They are hysterical, even at the expense of my beloved oatmeal!

Susan- This is my first Austen and it's been terrific!

Joanne- The readers name is Emilia Fox, an English actress and she is doing a wonderful job on P & P. I'm not sure if that's the same narrator you are referring to but I know I have seen Fox's name mentioned before. Funny, I'm starting to get backed up on my audios too! This is becoming ridiculous. I just picked a memoir called Heart in the Right Place, that looks highly enjoyable! I can't remember where the recommendation came from!

Heart in the Right Place ... I loved it.. read it twice.

I, every now and then, when I find some quiet time, listen to an audio of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. It's a silly piece, but it's a *fun* piece. The reader is Anna Massey, not Emilia Fox. She's got a great voice though.

I should fire it up now, the kids are out with their Dad at the playground, leaving me in a nice quiet house to get some cooking done.

Over on my thread, I recommended Un Lun Dun as another good Mieville read (with the caveat that it does take a while to kick into gear), but I also agree with above, Perdido Street Station is a corker. Oh heck, just read all of his stuff. :)

Kath- I'm glad you loved Heart in the Right Place. I think I requested it from the library a couple months ago. I probably won't get to it for a few weeks but it does look good!

Wookie- That reminds me, I need to knock out a review of The City and the City. It's a very tough book to describe.

A bunch of us from work are taking a bus up to Milwaukee, this morning, for a Cubs & Brewers game. It's going to be a beautiful day. Sunny & 80. Perfect weather for tail-gating. Since both teams are playing so poorly,we might not even make it inside...just kidding!

An outing with work people?!?!

huh. fancy that .. lol Have fun ! :)

I use free gifs from Glitter-Graphics and Gif Animations mostly. Since I don't have the necessary skills to create these on my own, I am grateful that there are sites with gifs they let me use for free.

Enjoy the day. Glad to hear you have work buddies you enjoy hanging out with. It does make going to work all the more pleasant if there are people there you like as well.

Have fun, Mark! The weather sounds perfect.

I want to know how you like the Higashino book when you finish it. I have had City and the City on my TBR list for some time. Maybe someday I will get to it.

Take me home from the ball game..
take me home from the field..

lalala

Kath- I've been working with most of these guys for over 20 years and we really have a good time together. It's management that's evil. Yes, I'm kidding or maybe not...BTW- Thanks for the lovely song! I got choked up a bit!

Caro-Yes, some of my co-workers are my friends too, which works out well. My son tagged along too and really enjoyed the grown-ups goofing off!

Pat- It was a beautiful day! The dome was open, so I got some sunburn sitting in the left field stands. Cubbies lost, which was no big surprise, but at least the Bears won!

Benita- The Higashino book is very good so far. A fresh take on the crime novel, which actually applies to City and the City as well!

>78 mckait: LOL That's how I usually feel!

>53 karenmarie: WAAAY back up there...Horrible, I tried *hard* to get my daughter to name her daughter Inara. No dice. I still wish she had...I'd've named *my* daughter that, I pleaded...I got a very odd look, and a firmer-than-ever refusal. She's so fossil fuel sometimes.

Hi Mark! I've got to say that The City and the City has been a treat. I'm savoring it because I love alternate history so much, and I get so little. Publishers don't seem eager to bring out great floods of it. Another reason I need to win the lottery...I'll start an alternate-hitory-only press.

#81 richarddear - ah, kids! Mine is now 17 and I'm learning more and more that I can control her less and less. So what did she name the kidlet?

Hi, too, to Mark! I liked The City and the City but I didn't love it. I've got Perdido Station sitting on my shelves but haven't felt the urge to crack it.

I'm on a Stephen King binge right now - just finished listening to Under the Dome and am reading probably the heaviest book I own (excluding reference books) - The Stand. It's a doozy too.

I finished reading Angel's Game last night and enjoyed it. I couldn't decide if it was a mystery, a literary mystery, or a Stephen King knock-off.

Seriously, I think it is twist on the Dr. Faustus story. At any rate it was inventive and kept me reading. I can see that there are soon going to be walking tours of Barcelona based on these books. Zafon said that he was going to create a series where the city of Barcelona was one of the main characters and he has succeed to the point where he might have elevated it to cult status. It seemed to me that in this book he went out of his way to describe every route his character took to get anywhere. It was almost as detailed as what Larsson did in the Millennium books except that there were no 7 Eleven's.

>82 karenmarie: Horrible, my granddaughter's name is Genevieve, after my daughter's maternal grandmother. Nice enough name, I guess, but so much less *oomph* than her PATERNAL grandmother's name...Winter...or Inara.

Perdido Street Station won't seduce you into the Mieville cult because it's a little less...accomplished...than The City and the City is.

Richard- I'm so glad you are reading & enjoying The City and the City. It's such a terrific read and has instantly made me a convert. It's such a hard book to describe but I'm sure you will nail it perfectly. How many Mievilles have you read?

Karen- Yes, I'm guilty of loving The City and the City but I'm happy in my guilt. I'm so glad you are discovering Mr. King's earlier works. That's what I would recommend: Go back to the beginning! Start with Carrie!

Benita- I need to bump up Angel's Game. You've made it sound very compelling and I did love Shadow of the Wind

Hi there, Marky-Mark, I need to bump up Angel's Game in my TBR Tower too ... I don't know why I haven't read it yet when I loved Shadow of the Wind so much.

What Caroline said.

Hi Mark!

79) 1776 by David McCullough ****

This could have also been titled “Against All Odds” or a “Snowballs Chance in Hell”. You get the idea. Washington’s rag-tag army was a mess: plagued with disease and desertion, fighting against one of the most formidable armies in the world. Even though the war raged on for several more years, McCullough focuses here on the pivotal year of ‘76, a time when the lowly rebels finally started turning the “red tide”. This is a solid, well-researched book, by one of our most treasured historians.

Caro- Maybe we'll read The Angel's Game together, at some point!

I'm enjoying my Japanese crime novel, The Devotion of Suspect X and P & P has been very good. The audio is working out really well.
I have my copy of Blindness, nearby, bookmarked and ready to go. The Group Read launches tomorrow.
Have a great day,everyone!

Still tired.. I first read this thread title as Marks resting place, infinity and etc

oops

Don't worry Mark, I still have Walking to Gatlinburg on my bedside table. It won't be long and I will be reading it.

LOL ... good one, Kath!

Marky-Mark ... I might be persuaded to join you in a Group Read of Angel's Game. ;-)

Kath- Yes, please don't rush me along to much! I plan on being around for a long time! Way to many books to read first!

Benita- Yep, I'm just anxious to hear your thoughts on Walking to Gatlinburg!

Caro- I'm not sure I'll do an actual Group Read of The Angel's Game, unless I'm heavily persuaded but I do plan on reading it in the next couple months.

I received a package from Japan today, it took nearly 2 months but it did contain a couple promising books: The Brooklyn Follies, I have still not read Paul Auster and this makes at least 3 of his I have in the stacks and Chabon's Summerland. I intend to read all of Chabon's work. An amazing writer!

Yay for Summerland! I love that one. It is different than the other Chabon books that I've read- although I think all of his are different! Hope you enjoy it!

>93 msf59: I loved The Brooklyn Follies. I think a lot of Auster's fan base was disappointed by it, but I wasn't. I'm surprised you couldn't find a closer source...;)

I have his two most recent, still to be read.

I haven't read any Auster. Well, I did read his tiny Auggie Wren's Christmas Story, but that barely counts. He's one of those authors I keep meaning to try. I do love Chabon, however.

>96 TadAD: Auggie Wren's Christmas Story is one of my favorite quirky Christmas books!

Chabon is another reader that I have neglected. I loved The Yiddish Policeman's Union so after I read it I ran out and got The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay but there it sits, on my shelf, waiting.

Haven't read anything by Paul Auster though. Should I?

I like your blurb on 1776!

Mark, didn't realise you were a Chabon fan as well! He's a great writer, I love his stuff. Auster's also a great writer, I hope you enjoy his books too!

Joanne- Yes, I remember when we were LT newbies and you were praising Auster way back then! Why haven't I read him yet? Who the heck knows! I also have The Book of Illusions. I think the closest I've got to Auster, is the film Smoke, which I really liked.

Tad- Auggie Wren's Christmas Story sounds good too!

Bonnie- I loved Amazing Adventures! It's a big sprawling book but worth it!

Susan- Thanks! I was keeping it pretty simple! Good to see you!

Wookie- You have impeccable taste, my friend!

Morning, Mark. I am going to pretend that I really have been here for the past 5 days :)

Stasia- You were here in our hearts, my friend! I did miss our early morning chats!

Amy- Sorry, I missed you up above! Glad you liked Summerland and it was nice that you stopped by!

The Group Read kicks off today, so I plan on reading a few pages of Blindness, really looking forward to it!

I am looking forward to finally reading Blindness too, Mark. I think I have only owned it for 2 years or so now.

Well here you are. I thought you hadn't posted in awhile but I guess I overlooked that little matter of a new thread (now, not so new anymore).

I know you like the Cubs but are you a Bears fan as well?

ACK!!!!! The C-word in September?!?!?!?

Linda- I'm glad you found me, I always enjoy your visits! Yes, I'm a Bears fan too, but they've been pretty frustrating over the years, so I kind of keep 'em at arms length. It's healthier!

Kath- Great point! What a wasted season!

I finished and loved Pride and Prejudice. Also started Blindness, which is going to be amazing!

>107 msf59:: Blindness is rather amazing.

Re the Auster...we should all do a Christmas read one of these years. Instead of picking big monumental tomes (who has any time for that in December?), we could to a bunch of short one. There's the Auster, Edna Ferber's No Room at the Inn, O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi, etc.

I like the Christmas read idea, Tad!

MY EYES!!!! MY EYESSSSS!!!! the C-word again...

Kath- When you first mentioned the C-word, I thought you were talking about the Cubs..ROTFL!!

Tad- That's a good idea! Maybe we can get a few more choices and take a vote!

80) The City and the City by China Mieville ****1/2

This is a tough book to describe, so I'm not really going to try, I'll leave it to my more savvy cohorts. It's a perfect blend of a tough police procedural and a smart urban fantasy. Murder in the twin cities! Some of it is a bit mind-boggling but it's endlessly fascinating.
I love this blurb from the LA Times: "If Philip K. Dick and Raymond Chandler's love child were raised by Franz Kafka..." Wow, I think that nails it perfectly!

One that's been recommended to me, and that I've been wanting to read, is Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory. (Sorry, Kath)

cubs??? yeesh!

>113 phebj: I read A Christmas Memory for the first time last year and loved it.

>108 TadAD: Oh I'd love to read The Gift of the Magi again.

The Gift of the Magi is one of my favorite short stories. I haven't read it since college (and that's a long time ago!). Hmm. I wonder if it's hiding on my shelves somewhere, buried in an old textbook or anthology?

See you later Mark.. when all of this C stuff has gone...
it isn't even Samhain/Hallow'en yet! eek!

Hope you have a great day, Mark!

111: I thought the same thing, thought Kath just really hated the Cubs for some reason. :P

The Gift of the Magi does sound good! I'll have to add it to the list!

Kath- Please come back! It wasn't me! Other people kept bringing up C-stuff! Come on, will just talk H-stuff!

Stasia-Have a great day too! See you on Sunday!

Stephen- Always a pleasure, sir! Don't be a stranger!

My next audio is Little Bee, which once again bumped Harry Potter, (Sorry Harry), but I will get to it after this one. I'm also starting Spies of Warsaw. I have not read Alan Furst and I've heard great things about his books.

This looks like a month of firsts: My first Doig, Mieville, Austen, Saramago and Furst. Cool!

Congratulations on so many firsts this month, Mark!

That's an impressive list of firsts. I too have not read any Furst and he is on my list. I have several of his books in my collection so it is time to get going on them.

I'm late to the party but I second, third and fourth the Christmas read suggestion! :-)

Benita- I'm really enjoying Spies From Warsaw. Furst is a first-rate writer! I have a couple more of his in the stacks also!

Caro- You come to this party anytime you want, my friend! The C-word Read is gaining popularity! Everyone just remind me, ok?

I started Little Bee and it's very good so far, even though I have no idea where it's taking me. The narrators are terrific!

Once you get to Harry, you will be sad that you kept bumping him...
you will *flees*

Harry Potter will definitely suck you in! I decided to reread the whole series this year and so far, I've got the first four under my belt. I'm itching to get to #5 (Order of the Phoenix) but have get through a few others first. The pacing of the stories isn't always consistent but stories themselves and the characters are great!

Mark

Message #103

I kidnapped Stasia for the weekend. Sorry you all didn't get to enjoy her Sunday posts, but we had a blast in NY and in PA.

It was so wonderful to spend time with such wonderful people.

I hope to meet you as well.

Kath & Andrea- I have read the 1st six Harry Potter books but I have not got to the last one, for various reasons and I've heard such good things about the audiobooks on these, that I'm going to try that format for the finale.

Linda- I hope you'll consider making the trip to Manchester Vermont, next April. This way we'll have a whole weekend to visit and yak about books!

>115 Copperskye:: I've never read that one, Joanne. I always try to read something Christmas-y in early December, so that will be my choice for this year.

>117 karenmarie:: Yes, it is a wonderful story. But, then, I think so many of his are—he's definitely one of my favorite authors. I have a collection of his complete short stories and I go back and dip into it at random time after time. A Retrieved Reformation (not a Christmas story) is one of my favorites.

OIC Mark.. Guess I hadn't remembered that .. and I am far to lazy to check.. lol

Do you think Tad is using the C word just to irritate me ?

*flees again*

81) Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen ****1/2

There is a multitude of reviews on this one already, so I'm just going to share a few quick thoughts. This is my introduction to Austen and I was very impressed. Her deft use of language was an absolute joy to hear and she has crafted some memorable and vivid characters. My favorite being Mr. Bennet, the father of the five unmarried girls, followed by the evil Lady Catherine. Her showdown with Elizabeth is a wondrous piece of writing. My goal is to start reading more "classics" and this is a perfect place to begin.
A few of us are going to read Jane Eyre, later on in the year. It's another one I've sadly over-looked.

As I love both Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice, I hope you enjoy the former as much as you did the latter, Mark!

82) The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino ****

Sneaky, crafty and deceptive. No these are not new dwarf discoveries, but three words that came to my mind, as I read this fresh, engaging Japanese crime novel. The crime and it’s participants are revealed early on, involving a single working mother, her teenage daughter, a kind neighbor and a nasty ex-husband. The investigation is led by a Detective Kusanagi and he’s assisted by a college friend and physicist, Dr. Yukawa. The doctor, with his brilliant deductive mind, reminds me of an Asian Sherlock Holmes. It first appears to the reader, that this intrepid team will quickly piece this murderous puzzle together, make an arrest and move on, but suddenly the case begins to unravel and some twisty mind-games begin. This is a smart crisply written story, by a Japanese author who is not well-known in the US but is very popular back home. Hopefully this book, which will not be released until early next year, will change all that.

#134: That one looks right up my alley! Thanks for the recommendation, Mark. I will look for it when it is available.

Morning Stasia- Yes, I'm really looking forward to Jane Eyre. I need to start drawing up a "classic list". It's going to be huge. Glad you liked the sound of the Higashino book. It was very good and something I forgot to mention was how much I loved the title, which is rich with meaning.

Back to P & P: I watched the film version, last night, with Keira Knightley, as Elizabeth. It was a good faithful adaptation. Also Donald Sutherland as Lizzie's father was well cast, along with Judi Dench as nasty Lady Catherine. I just wish her scenes went on longer. She can really tear it up!

>136 msf59: I haven't seen the version you saw Mark but I can tell you that the mini series with Colin Firth was pitch perfect. It didn't seem to leave out one thing that was in the book which of course made it almost 4 hours long but it was excellent.

Colin Firth

doesn't know it yet, but he and I are running away together.

That would be after I meet Armond Assante


And before I see Andrea Bochelli

Bonnie- I'm going to get that version, as well! Have you ever seen the old Laurence Olivier & Greer Garson version? I don't think I have!

Linda- What, no LT hunks posted? Sorry, but I'm somewhat offended!

Geesh, Linda....you make me blush!

Thumbed your review of The Devotion of Suspect X...since I am thoroughly enjoying Out in all it twistedness.....

Glad you enjoyed P&P...it's been years since i read Austen.....if you're going to watch BRONTE movies...try to find Wuthering Heights with Merle Oberon and Laurence Olivier...all other versions pale by comparison *she opined*

;-}

Hi Mark, maybe you should start an LT Hunks thread. You could pose in your uniform to start things off. ;-)

I'll be interested in seeing your long list of Classics. I've been trying to read a few every year for the past decade or so and I still have so many that I want to read.

>138 Whisper1:: Linda, please don't let Colin Firth sing to you. My granddaughters have made me sit through Mama Mia a few too many times, and I always cringe at his singing!

Jude- Thanks for the thumb! Much appreciated! Yes, I'm a big fan of the original Wuthering Heights. The leads were wonderful!

Donna- Maybe I should get a picture of myself soon, while I'm still tan and in shorts! Actually, I haven't started the "classic list" yet, it's mostly jumbled in my mind. My goal is to read one classic every two months or so. It might only make a dent but it still qualifies as progress.
I recently watched a Colin Firth film, called "The Single Man". He plays a gay professor. He's very good in it!

I'm taking it easy today. I have the Bears playing in the background and I plan on getting a nice chunk of reading done. Blindness is phenomenal! It might be the best Group Read book, I've participated in and could be the best book I've read this year.

I'm still listening to Little Bee. I'm liking it but not loving it. Anyone else read this? I am loving The Spies of Warsaw though. I will have to put Furst in my author rotation.
I watched the pilot of Boardwalk Empire last night. It was very good. The period detail was wonderful. An authentic Atlantic City, circa 1920.

Sorry, Mark, I have not yet read Little Bee. I have read a couple of Furst's books though :)

#129 Mark - I'm re-listening to the 7th Harry Potter book in anticipation of the first of two movies of book 7 to be released in November. (Just watched the preview and it is wonderful!)

Jim Dale is an excellent reader and I'm sure you'll loving the last book in this format.

Well, I loved the first paragraph of Little Bee, but I thought there were many flaws to that book. Loved the cover though. You made that novel by Higashino sound interesting but I'm just not a good match for the Japanese authors I've read so far. Enjoyed your review though. But...No! No! Donald Sutherland as the father? I thought he was totally wrong for the part, both visually and in terms of his acting. He was too depressed, too mean-spirited--he just sucked all of the humor out of Austen's great lines! Take it back, Mark! ;-)

P.S. Do you have link for the Blindness group read, Mark?

Both Little Bee and Furst are in my queue. My daughter borrowed the Bee last month, and I probably won't get it back til I see her at Christmas, and I have several by Furst and really want to get at least one done sometime this year. I can dream can't I?

Hi, Mark. I read Little Bee and often found myself annoyed with the book--things that didn't seem plausible to me mostly but I think I was also rebelling against all the hype too. I ended up giving it 3 stars because I liked it but just couldn't totally get into it.

As soon as you mentioned the Keira Knightly version of P & P, Mark, I knew you'd hear from threaders about the Colin Firth one. Wait till you see it! It's got it right in so many ways. The exchanges with Darcy on his first proposal and the climactic scene with Catherine de Bourgh are absolutely amazing.

A partner of mine says that in the Greer Garson one (I haven't seen it) Lady Catherine is de-fanged and that aspect is given much more of a happy face treatment.

BTW, in addition to Jane Eyre, you've got some more good Austen to read some day. You'll find that fans of her have different favorites, and in my mind each of her novels is wonderful (I can't comment on Lady Susan, the Watsons or the unfinished Sanditon}).

I almost bought Little Bee yesterday but then I needed something to eat so I bought myself a little sandwich and a drink at the Starbucks in B&N, picked up Little Bee and started reading it. I didn't like the first 10 pages I read, so I put it back on the shelf. Whew - a nice bit of change saved ..... well, not really since the money went towards The Elephant Keeper which just grabbed me after I started reading a bit of it after ditching Little Bee.

btw, weighing in on the P&P movie adaptations, I haven't yet seen an adaptation that I hadn't liked. I did think Donald Sutherland a little miscasted in the part of Lizzie's father though .. he didn't seem kind and doddering enough.

#138- And Linda .. sorry, but I'm going to have to wrestle you for Colin Firth.

just passing through.. interesting discussions here..
hope your day went smoothly Mark.

Stasia- You might want to put Little Bee off for awhile. I think I'm going to be a bit lukewarm to it! Although, others have loved it!

Karen- I plan on starting Deathly Hallows on Wednesday. I can't keep treating Harry this way. I'm looking forward to finally trying the audio version and of course I hope they do a respectful job with this last film.

Bonnie- It's so good to see you! You just made my day, although I'm not backing off the Sutherland disagreement. I thought he was very good. Please don't get angry and stop visiting me! I would be Sad Mark! I'll send you the link to the Blindness G.R.

Tina- I would leap-frog Little Bee and get straight to the Furst book!

Pat- I thought it started out pretty good, I liked Little Bee's narration but then it became high-strung & heavy-handed. I still have over 2 hours left but I probably will go with 3 stars too.

Joe- I'm looking forward to the Firth version of P&P. That was the only real problem I had with the Knightley version was that they shortened the Lady Catherine & Elizabeth showdown. Why did they do that? I could have watched Judy Dench be a snobby b**** for an hour!
And yes, I'm looking forward to getting to some more classics!

Caro- Smart move on Little Bee! Funny, I liked the beginning of the book, it just starts to wear thin after awhile. Hope you enjoy The Elephant Keeper! I'll be waiting for your comments. And I'm not going to wrestle you for Colin Firth! He's just not my type!

Kath- Yes, I had a good day! We had a sudden fall shower and I got a little wet but I survived. I didn't melt or anything.

I read Little Bee (although we called it The Other Hand here), and while I rather liked it while reading, we pulled it apart fairly efficiently in my book group. Not a great book, but had some good moments.

My favourite Colin Firth movie so far is Easy Virtue, based on a Noel Coward play. Good fun, and he was very attractively rumpled. He's far less rumpled in A Single Man or Pride and Prejudice and, hence, not as attractive to me (although they are both excellent adaptations and I enjoyed them both very much).

I did start Blindness last year, but found it too bleak and did not continue. I'm glad I'm in the minority!

And the kids have been talking about Christmas since June. *sigh*

Hey Mark, I watched Boardwalk Empire last night too. I think I'm hooked. I did have one small quibble though - why was the boardwalk so clean? They should have used older boards or stained them darker, something. It looked like a Disneyland-type boardwalk.

I have a mad craving now for Fralinger's salt water taffy, though, teaberry...

Little Bee was one of those books I picked up, read 10 or so pages and put down again, never to be mentioned again...I don't get all the acolades.

>155 wookiebender: wookie - Bleak is an understatement...

Wookie- Yes, it looks like several of the Group are having a tough time with Blindness. There is no question, it can be very dark and disturbing but it still is working for me. I'm also hoping for something positive to happen.

Joanne- Glad you liked Boardwalk Empire too! I thought the same thing about the "new" condition of the boardwalk. I'm wondering if it was new. I'll have to look it up. How about the scene with the "incubator babies" store? Creepy!

Yes, definitely creepy.

They recreated the boardwalk along the waterfront in Brooklyn.

Glad you liked your first foray into Jane Austen! My personal favourite has always been Emma, though I seem to be in the minority on that one. I also really enjoyed Mansfield Park but again, in the minority there. It might be that my taste in Austen is a little warped ;)

Movie wise, Sense and Sensibility (Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet/Hugh Grant) has to be one of my favourites. There's also a version of Emma that stars Kate Beckinsale and Samantha Morton, before they became well known, that is very good. I think that movie might actually be why I love Emma so much.

I'm looking forward to your thoughts on Jane Eyre, it's been on my Re-read stack for a while now. I didn't love it the first time around but I'm older and wiser now, so maybe I'll appreciate more a second time around!

So now that you've ventured into Jane Austen, which is going to be your next JA read?

#159 - Andrea, have you seen the version of Emma with Romola Gerai, and Michael Gambon? I think that's my favorite version followed by the Emma Thompson/Kate Winslet version.

just checking in to be sociable. Totally unable to think of anything worthwhile to say.

First of all, I was a bit irritated, that I could not enjoy LT early this morning, while savoring my first cup of java! What's up with that? Please don't make it a habit, LT Gods! Sits back down and resumes "catching up".

Joanne- I heard that too! They did an incredible job, recreating it!

Andrea- It's good to see you! Yes, I plan on reading all of Austen's work, eventually. I saw Sense and Sensibility quite a few years ago but don't remember much about it, although I'm a big fan of the leads.
You should join us on Jane Eyre. There's a few us planning to read it, maybe the beginning of December. Kind of a unofficial G.R.

Caro- I like to space my authors out, so it might be quite awhile before I try another of hers. Possibly Persuasion? Hey, I like the sound of that. Reminds me of a song title.

Kath- "Totally unable to think of anything worthwhile to say". Don't short change yourself, my friend. You can be quite the "chat-master", when you set your mind to it.

I am totally irritated with LT too, Mark. This will be the third night in a row they have taken the site down! I cannot handle that much LT withdrawal :)

Hey Mark. Sorry I couldn't participate in the Blindness group read, but I do plan to read it soon because it sounds like a fantastic book, and something that I would really like. I'll be reading nothing but horror in October, so I'm going to try to borrow it from the library in November I think.

Stasia- I didn't realize they were down 3 nights! Bummer, especially for you night owls! Have a good day!

I finished Little Bee, it tainted my winning streak, so I'm holding a grudge. I'll start the audio of Deathly Hallows. I've neglected Harry for at least 3 years. Also being blown away by Blindness.

Drive-by Wave!!!

;-}

Oddly, Persuasion is my least favorite Austen book. I think I'm in the minority on this one though.

I had problems logging in to LT late last night and gave up, watched tv instead.

This always happens with Austen fans, doesn't it? Her books are so good that fans rate them all highly, but disagree about favorites. I loved Persuasion, and would put it behind only P & P. All the others, including Northanger Abbey (which I found to be surprisingly funny), have their advocates.

If the Persuasion plot looks good to you, you can't lose with it.

Stephen- I wish you could have joined us too! I'm not quite done but it truly is amazing, so do yourself a favor and grab a copy of Blindness from the library and dive in!

Jude- Big wave back!

Joe- It'll be awhile before I get to another Austen, but I'll keep my pals here posted, when I do! How's the Follett book coming? I hear he has a new book coming out, called Fall of Giants, the 1st of a historical trilogy.

I finished and loved The Spies of Warsaw and started the audio of Deathly Hallows, both helped cleanse my palate after Little Bee.

Oh, I'm a fan of Persuasion as well, I love the fact it's an older, wiser heroine. :) I re-read Sense and Sensibility just last year (previous read would have been 20+ years ago, so it was practically new), and was totally charmed.

Only Austen I haven't read is Mansfield Park, and I think I may tackle that one sooner rather than later. I've always put it off because it's her least funny (or so I'm told), but I'm beginning to think that my Mum's wisdom that "even a less-funny Jane Austen is still a Jane Austen" might just be right.

And it's about time I re-read Jane Eyre. December, you say...?

And think of us in a different time zone: LT was out for three afternoons running! What else was I supposed to do while goofing off with my afternoon cuppa??

83) Little Bee by Chris Cleave **1/2

There is a few things that irritated me about this book, but the biggest might be the blurb I read comparing this to The Kite Runner, which I thought was a great book. Let me make myself clear, this book is NOT The Kite Runner and Hosseini should sue the publisher for slander!
The story involves a 16 year old Nigerian refugee, the title character (and the only one I liked), who ends up in London and gets involved with an English family. I'm not a fan of whiners and all the men in this books are incessant whiners and deserve a good butt-whooping. Even the boy in the story is a cry-baby but at least he's only four. There are some positive reviews, here on LT, but I say skip it and reach for something else, anything else!

I read in Time magazine that HBO created a brand new boardwalk somewhere along the East River for Boardwalk Empire. So yes, it is new. Maybe it won't look so new after they get a 7 season series out of it.

I am totally amazed that Mark - yes you - rated a book at a 2 and 1/2. Thank goodness there is one book in the world I won't have to buy, or borrow. Thanks for the heads up on this one. I admit that wasn't sufficiently attracted to the book to add it to my TBR list before and your comments just confirm my decision. (not that I base my reading decisions on your recommendations. But they do help narrow things down a little.)

My book club has decided to do something a bit different. We are going to read one of those big behemoth biographies. You know, the 700 page kind that is a real tome. It can't be a memoir or an autobiography as we are trying to rediscover the biography and discuss the differences between memoirs, autobiographies, and biographies. We are giving ourselves four months to read it and each person gets to pick their own. Then we are going to get together and talk about our choice. I am having trouble picking out something. I keep thinking I should read Walter Isaacson's biography Einstein:His Life and Universe. I am also thinking about Ataturk: A Biography of Mustafa Kemal, Father of Modern Turkey by Patrick Balfour Kinross, but neither of these is firing up my imagination. Got any suggesstions? Maybe Will in the World? It won a Pulitzer.

Wookie- Good to see you! Yes, I think I'll start Jane Eyre around the 1st of December and if anyone else wants to jump aboard then, come on down!

Benita- Yes, 2 & half stars is a very unusual rating for me. I thought I was going to give it 3 but just couldn't pull the trigger.
I have Isaacson's biography of Benjamin Franklin, which I have not read but have heard great things about. Most of my other bio recs, would be on presidents and include Truman and Lincoln and both are outstanding. Let me know what you pick!

You guys are all talking me out of Little Bee ...I think I have a lot more interesting ones to read, and have moved it way down in the queue.

Mark, I totally agree with you about Little Bee especially the injustice of the comparison to The Kite Runner which I loved. The marketing for this book seems to have gotten out of control.

LT is really trying my patience these days, Mark. It was down again tonight.

Sorry Little Bee was not a better read for you. I am putting it on my 'do not read' list. I hope your next read is a dandy to make up for it.

Finally, Harry is getting your attention ! As you know, I don't do audio books..
but I hope you enjoy this one. Sorry about Little Bee.. I will not be reading that one.. or Blindness!

Tina- Once again, I know others have praised it but it just did not work for me!

Pat- Yes, very tacky move and it probably sold a ton of copies because of it. My local library is doing a Book Discussion on Little Bee. I wish I could attend, with sword drawn.

Stasia- Of course I'm finishing Blindness, which is on the other side of the spectrum from LB and then I need to get to an E.R. book I've been neglecting. I also should be starting Mockingjay very soon, I should be getting my copy back today. It's been circulating at work for a couple weeks. Everyone seems to love it!

Kath- I can't believe its been over 4 years since I read Book 6! (Bad LT) But this one sucked me right back in and I'm really enjoying it!

Mark, happy to remove Little Bee from the teetering tower. You know Bonnie didn't like it either.

Hey, Mark. I've been wondering about Little Bee, too, so thanks.

The Follett book, The Key to Rebecca, is an okay WWII spy novel but not the intense ride The Eye of the Needle was. I also liked his The Pillars of the Earth, and thought I'd give another of his thrillers a try. I still may try Triple at some point.

>171 msf59: Whew! Tell me, Mark, did you have coffee that morning or was this a decaffeinated day? *shivers before the mighty wrath of Mark*

Marky-Mark, I'm glad that you've gotten back to Harry and that it's taking your mind off Little Bee.

Hey everyone- I'm off for a long camping weekend! I'll be back later on Sunday! Adios!

Have a great trip, Mark.

Have a wonderful time, Marky-Mark. Don't forget to string your food in a bag and hang it up so the bears don't get to it. And don't forget to bring marshmallows for toasting around the campfire.

Have a great time camping, Mark!

Hope the camping is great, Mark!

You know, Australia may have deadly spiders and snakes, but at least we don't have to deal with bears. :)

Camping? Jeesh, you're a braver man than I......haven't been in years and...well...my house is pretty much surrounded by Woods (& Nature).....hope you have decent weather...and have some fun..(but, Jeesh!)...

Have had Little Bee on the Kindle for a while...haven't read it yet...so, the jury is still out. Sorry it was a bummer for you...Haven't read Deathly Hallows yet.......but liked all the others to varying degrees..

;-}

Camping??? but... there might be stink bugs.. :-/
careful

190- We don't need to go camping for THAT...there's an infestation of stink bugs in our house right now!

They are all over the doors to our place. When we walk in and out the doors, they get inside. Or...they fall on us - eeww! Yesterday, three of them fell into my purse as I ran out the door!

If I didn't react to chemicals, I'd call an exterminator.

Have fun Mark...and I hope NO stink bugs for you!

What is a stink bug???

A rather obnoxious pest that invades homes all across America at this time of the year.

Thanks, Tad. For some reason I've never heard of them. They don't look that unusual but I can't think of any bug that "stinked" that I know of.

Hmmm never heard of stink bugs either. I wonder if they have another name although I can't think of a bug that actually stinks anyway.

Stink bugs have the power of superman, ie able to leap tall buildings in one jump.

The building where I work at Lehigh University, is one of the oldest and tallest on campus. Yesterday, as I walked down the steps of the third story, I saw a stink bug creeping up the window. I could not believe my eyes!

They don't stink all the time, just when you piss them off—kind of like a skunk. Or when you squash them.

They are hideous monsters who do not die. Even if you kill them and kill them again, they survive. They are hideous beyond belief and sound like a helicopter when they are flying at you to land on you and laugh in your face. They wer brought to this country to control LADYBUGS. A swarm of ladybugs is as big as a half dollar. A single stink bug is big as a nickel. You choose ... GAK
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/261337
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/lifestyles/s_696925.html

And a swarm of ladybugs is such a wonderful natural pesticide.

that is exactly right...

I swear I have dreams of finding the moron who imported these minions of satan's boss and locking him into a room, into which all of the stinkbugs from all over the country are lured.

I started reading the Ataturk biography. I have carried that book around with me for years and figured that since I was trying to get rid of the TBR pile (an impossible task) that it was time to read it. It was published in 1964 and for many years it was THE biography of Ataturk, so it will be interesting to see if the information in it is relevant. I also thought that since Turkey is trying to get into the EU and at the same time voting for a more conservative Islamic style government that it would be good to read something about that part of the world. If it is true that books help readers gain understanding then that is what I am hoping for in this book. I'll let you know what I think when I am done.

Also, Mark, I too gave a book a two-and-a-half star rating this week. One Thousand White Women was somewhat of a disappointment to me. It had a good premise and the ending was outstanding, but most of the characters were one dimensional and there was a romance in it that wasn't even plausible given that it was set in 1875. I wish the book had lived up to the ending.

Hey everyone! Thanks for holding down the fort! Had a great time, no annoying bugs or bears! I don't think I've ever seen a stink bug and I'm pretty sure they're not very common in the Midwest. I appreciate all the info on them, they sound nasty.
We went to Turkey Run State Park in the eastern part of Indiana and the weather was very good. Some rain last night and this morning. We did some nice hiking, on a couple long, rugged trails and did a little canoeing on Saturday.
We stayed in a camper with friends. My wife WILL not sleep in a tent on the ground but did not mind this comfy set-up. We had some great campfires, no marshmallows, a few smores and a lotta beer and a ton of laughs! Life is good!

Sounds like a great time was had by all! Glad to see you back safe and sound, Mark.

Yaay.... welcome home, Marky-Mark! I'm so glad the bears and stink bugs didn't get you. It sounds like you guys had a wonderful idyllic trip.

glad you are safe home.

Stasia, Caro & Kath- I appreciate it and as always, I miss my LT pals and look forward to "catching up", however daunting that can be!

Of course, my book reading suffered. I did finish Blindness, (there are advantages to being an early-riser) and it was outstanding. I started a big graphic novel called the Essex County trilogy, easier to read in small bursts, and it's quite dark and wonderful.

Benita- The Ataturk biography sounds interesting. I am not familiar with him. And it sounds like I don't need to bother with One Thousand White Women. Thanks!

Essex County looks good! Thanks for the mention, Mark. I will try and track down a copy.

Glad you're back, Mark. I just finished Blindness and am so glad to have read it as part of a group. I'll post some comments about it later over on the GR thread.

Just curious here...how do you have a s'more without marshmallows? Did I miss something here? Glad you had fun, Mark.

You can't Donna. I think there was more beer than s'mores;-)

That is to funny! I wasn't even realizing that when I was typing it. I guess I was just thinking of marshmallows on a stick. Bonnie, might have a point about the beer freely flowing! These LT people are a sharp bunch!

Stasia- Yes, Essex County is very good. It's set in Ontario Canada. I hope I can finish it, it's due by the end of the week.

Pat- I'm glad you enjoyed the Group Read! I know some of the readers had some problems with the difficult subject matter but I thought Blindness was a great book, possibly my favorite of the year so far!

I'm glad you liked Blindness, and that you had a great camping trip! Welcome back to LT!

We have stink bugs in Australia, and they are quite beautiful. (Unless you squish them and then they stink. Easy solution: don't squish them.) Common or garden ones are a nice cheerful orange, but sometimes in our neighbourhood I see them in iridescent blue and red. I once wore one on my t-shirt as a brooch (was rather disappointed when it flew away).

Ahah, have Googled, and now know why ours are less offensive than yours: they're only *related* to stink bugs and have the much prettier name of jewel bug. http://www.saveourwaterwaysnow.com.au/01_cms/details_pop.asp?ID=1161

They still stink if they're squished, but that's a lot less hassle than permanently stinky bugs!

And why on earth would anyone want to keep ladybird numbers under control?? They eat aphids! Brilliant little beasties!

Donna, glad you asked.. I was just going to remain uninformed, and pictured crackers and hershey bars.. lol

wookie... ewwwwwwwww
and I have no idea!

Wookie- Good to see you! Now that's a pretty bug! I could see why you might wear it as a broach! Glad you liked Gorky Park. Polar Star is excellent too!

I started an ER I needed to get to, called Taroko Gorge. It's a mystery set in Taiwan and involves three missing school-girls. Also plugging away at Deathly Hallows. Cool day today. Low 60s.

It is cooler here in Texas this morning than it is up your way, believe it or not, Mark!

I will be interested in seeing what you think about Taroko Gorge. It sounds pretty good. Have a great Monday!

Polar Star is apparently available at the library! Next weekend, it shall be mine!

Stasia- It looks like it will be cool all week! As long as I keep mobile, I'm just fine. And yes, Taroka Gorge is interesting so far!

Wookie- You will love Polar Star. I saw that the new Patrick Ness, the last of the trilogy, is coming out soon.

The Bears and Packers are on tonight! I'd like to see the Bears go to 3 and 0.

Ah, one advantage to being in Australia: we get British books earlier than you! Monsters of Men has been on the shelves for some months, my library's just dragging its heels getting a copy in. (They've bought a copy now, but it's in limbo before being catalogued properly. And I've got my request in already!)

Tempted to just go and buy it, but it's hardback and therefore a bit pricey... (And, mostly, because then I'd have to go and buy the two first books as well, because I am a completist!)

Hmmm... plugging away at Deathly Hollows does not sound promising, Marky-Mark .... aren't you enjoying Harry? :-(

Caro- "Plugging away" was the wrong choice of words, it wasn't meant for the quality, just the length. It's been fun. First the smores screw-up and now this! I better get my butt back on track!

Wookie- I still need to get to the 2nd book in the trilogy! Maybe, I'll jump on and reserve it, although I do have Mockingjay and Matterhorn waiting patiently.

Matterhorn Matterhorn Matterhorn

The Bears and Packers are on tonight! I'd like to see the Bears go to 3 and 0.

I must admit I'm surprised the Bears managed to win that game. I'm impressed!

Woo!! How 'bout them Bears!!

Richard- Good to see you sir and before my thread was reaching it's forbidden limit! Yah! If you are cheering me on about Matterhorn, good news, my mind has been set on that one for awhile. It sounds like my kind of book! I will have Mockingjay to knock out first, most of my family and work friends have read it, so I have no choice.

Stephen- I went to bed just after Cutler & company failed to score, inside the one, late in the 3rd, so I was very pleased to see they pulled out a win. Good teams find a way to win and the Bears are getting it done!

Joe- I've been very happy with the Bears so far! It's helping to wipe away a dismal Cubbies season, from my memory!

84) The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst ****

I'll keep this one short and sweet. If you are a fan of spy fiction or would like to experiment in this genre: give this one a shot! It's a deftly-written, well-researched tale, revolving around a group of German, French and Russian spies, plying their trade in pre-World War II Warsaw. This is also my "first" Furst (I did not stutter) and I plan on reading them all. Highly recommended!

Mark

Hello..The Spies of Warsaw sounds great!

I am voting for Matterhorn too. I thought it was excellent.

Linda- It's so good to see you! I'm not sure "Spies" is your cuppa but it is a cracking good yarn!

Stasia- I'm planning on starting it next week! I remember how much you liked it! Once again I'm glad you joined us on the Group Read. I had a great time with it!

Have a great day, Mark!

ETA: I appreciate you starting the group read of Blindness. I owned the book already, but am not sure that I would have made it through without the group.

That's a helpful recommendation re Alan Furst, Mark. I enjoy good thrillers, and have wondered about reading him.

I hope you weren't too drenched today during your rounds, Mark? I'm bracing for our turn with the torrential rain tomorrow. I hope it's bad enough so I get to stay home instead of going in to the office.

Torrential downpour ?

me too !

Stasia- Once again, I'm glad you enjoyed the G.R.! It was a perfect book for that format. I'm always up for ideas for a Group Read, so if you ever think of anything, run it by the Captain, okay?

Joe- Give Alan Furst a try! I think he has 9 or ten books out, I believe all stand alones and most of them seem to be under 300 pages, which is a plus for me. I plan on starting Mockingjay tomorrow!

Caro- It was beautiful here today! Sunny, mid-70s! Perfect! I don't think it is supposed to rain all week, although the temp plunges into the 50s for the weekend.

I finished an ER book called Taroko Gorge. It was just okay! Someone mentioned this on another thread about the hit or miss quality of the ER books, with the hits just trickling in. Anyone else feel this way? I have Chef in the stacks but due to lackuster LT response, I 'll probably skip it. I have to many potential winners, waiting in the wings.

I've actually had some good hits with ER books. I've had a few duds, but I think for me, the the ratio is still larger on the good vs the mehs.

I've had a couple of okay, but nothing great books from the ER program, and one complete dud.

Unfortunately, we just don't get the same books that other countries do, none of the big name authors get their books sent to Australia on the ER program! And only a couple of Australian publishers have taken part. *sigh*

Can I mention two Louise Penny books in the last year that were in the ER books?
Just sayin'

Morning, Mark! I hope you have a wonderful day!

Wookie- How are you? Reading anything good?

Kath- Good point! The most success I've had with ER, have been with established authors. I do have The Wave, sitting nearby too! I know you liked that one!

Stasia- Have a good day too! I am loving the graphic novel, Essex County, you should see if you library has that one!

I am **finally** catching up on here and saw you've just read an Alan Furst novel. I read The world at night last year, really really really liked it, swore to read everything he's written, then didn't. But now I have The Polish Officer out of the library, and I'm going to start it soon.

I also really enjoyed The Eye of the Needle but couldn't get into Pillars of the Earth - had to suspend disbelief within the first 20 or so pages, and gave up soon after that.

I am about to do a Very Late Early Reviewer review for an almost unfinishable book - a brief life of Goethe. You'd think that at 103 pages I could read to the end, but I just got so bored! The choice of books over here in Switzerland is pretty limited. (But wookie, it's better than when I was in NZ!) My last one was good though - On Travel by Charles Dickens, also from Hesperus Press.

I loved The Eye of the Needle. That was soooo good.

The Eye of the Needle sounds like I might need to read it.

Did not like Pillars of the Earth .

Just stopping by to say hello! I won't pretend to have read every post, because I'm way too far behind to do that . . .

Have a nice evening!

Cushla- Good to see you! I have The World at Night and Blood of Victory in the stacks, so I plan on reading more of Furst's work. I also loved Eye of the Needle and a couple more of Follett's earlier spy thrillers. I was a late-comer to Pillars of the Earth but I did enjoy it quite a bit.
Speaking of Follett, I recently read a scathing Chicago Tribune review of his latest epic, Fall of Giants. I hope this reviewer is wrong!

Kath- Yes, I highly recommend Eye of the Needle too! It's very well-crafted and is actually a pretty good romance too!

Terri- Thanks for dropping by! Don't be a stranger!

85) Blindness by Jose Saramago *****

A man waits at a red light and as the light changes, the other cars surge forward, but this man does not move. He has been suddenly struck blind, which kicks off a chain-reaction of blindness, plunging the population into their own milky white sea. A fascinating, utterly disturbing story, about a society being stripped of sight and being left to grope in their own aimless vulnerability. An interesting cross between “The Plague” and “The Road”, filled with beautiful, haunting, prose. This will be a book I ponder over, for a long time to come. Highly recommended!

Aah, I love it when you recommend books I've already read, it means one less book being added to the wishlist! :)

I'm currently reading Room by Emma Donoghue which is getting pretty good buzz. It's narrated by five-year-old Jack, who has lived for his whole life in Room with his mother (Ma).

Took a bit to get into it at first, because of the strange narrative voice, but it's incredibly compelling now. One of those books I dislike being away from. I'm only 1/3 of the way through, but I think it's worthy of a recommendation already!

I also just finished my first J.M. Coetzee book, Boyhood, which was an *excellent* read, and not at all scary, even though I was scared going in because of the Nobel Prize and his reputation.

#238: I already checked the local library and am out of luck regarding Essex County.

ACK!!!! “The Road” *flees*

Morning, Mark! I hope you have a great one.

(I loved The Road personally, lol)

Wookie- Room is very high on my WL! I might have to reserve it for the end of the month, right after Matterhorn. So glad you are reading it. I also added Boyhood to the list. It sounds like a perfect audio for me and I've never read this author.

Stasia- That's a bummer! Mine's a library copy too, otherwise I would send it to you! It's an amazing work and has got me pumped about graphics again.

See? I made Kath flee again! Hopefully right into the arms of a good book!

I started Mockingjay. I'm sure this will be a fun & fast read! BTW- I'm picking up the audios of both Packing For Mars and American Gods from the liberry today! Yah!

#249: I just finished Packing for Mars in the wee hours, Mark. I think you will like it.

Here's a little voice from the past ... I have missed being able to follow your threads and your reading, Mark.

I love the pictures you have added to your profile page.

I will *star* you here on thread #10, and I think I will probably have to update the star soon, as it appears you may be at the limit established by *you know who*.

I think of you with fondness and best wishes for you and yours.

Hi Mark! Hope all is well with you.
Here's a strange thing... I actually loved The Road and still shudder from Blindness. I personally don't think the stories are much alike... except they are both bleak survival themes. Perhaps I saw more hope for the future in the little boy in "Road" than I did in the young boy in "Blindness"... ??? Maybe Saramago's writing made more of an impact on me. Also, I have zero tolerance for abuse of women (or anyone in a powerless role) - very vivid in Saramago's book. He is an awesome writer... but just a little weird. I'm kinda attracted but afraid to read anything else by him.
Have a good one! :)

Hi Mark! Looks like its about time to start another thread. . .

Strange thing about books. I loved Blindness and cogitated over it for months. I simply abhor the very idea of reading The Road and probably under no circumstances would I pick it up to read or see the movie. Of course, I have not ever been much of a fan of Cormac McCarthy but the idea of another On the Beach or Hiroshima just turns my stomach. Same reason why I don't read Holocaust literature unless I am forced to. The simplest way to get me to close a book permanently is to put excessive violence in it. I simply can't stomach it. I don't care if others read it but it is not for me.

I liked Follett's spy novel Triple and I liked Pillars of the Earth. I don't think that either of these books are the best I have read in either genre but they were good books. It does not surprise me that Follett's new book is being trashed. I don't think he is the best historical epic novelist out there but my guess is the new book will be a best seller. That being said, I did like Pillars of the Earth but I had a hard time understanding the enthusiasm for it. My guess is that since Oprah recommended it that was reason enough for people to read it. Once they read it they liked it. And because they haven't read much they were easily satisfied. Because they read Pillars they will read Giants and like it. It will be a best seller. And that won't be wrong. I don't plan on reading it myself. Not that I don't read mediocre stuff. After all, I just finished Juliet. Gave it 2 and a half stars!

Stasia- I picked up the audio of Packing For Mars and plan on starting it early next week! I only have a very small chunk of Deathly Hallows left!

Ruthie- It's great see you stranger! I thought you might be upset with me or just plain got tired of this mailman and moved on to someone younger and cuter! It looks like you've been reading some good books! Keep it up and stop by again!

Claudia- Thanks for your comments on Blindness and The Road! And yes, I was only making a very general comparison between the two! The styles are much different!

Hi leperdbunny- Are you one of RD's deputies? Deputy Bunny? Hee hee!

Benita- Does that mean you would re-read Blindness? I definitely plan on it, at some distant point! I plan on tracking his other books down, as well.
Also liked your thoughts on Follett! I do think his earlier spy books are superior thrillers but I think a lot of his other writing was a bit inconsistent.

I hope you enjoy Packing for Mars when you get to it, Mark!

Morning Stasia! Hope you have a great weekend!

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