Book Lovers Club
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The radiologist passed me this book after my yearly mammogram as she is very interested in integrated medicine.
Spontaneous Healing by Andrew Weil M.D.
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Finally got to Philippa Gregory's "Three Sisters, Three Queens. It takes place during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. The focus of the story is about Margaret Tudor, who becomes Queen of Scotland, Katherine of Aragon and Mary Tudor, the younger sister to Henry VIII and how not only were they a part of the Tudor family but also rivals and told from Margaret's POV. So far it's a very good read.
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Here's a fiction I will recommend:The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
I am copying a review from Amazon: In her haunting, evocative debut Eowyn Ivey stakes her claim on a Russian fairy tale, daring the reader--and the characters--to be lulled into thinking they know the ending. But, as with the Alaskan wilderness, there's far more here than meets the eye. On the surface it's the story of a childless pioneer couple running from their East Coast lives and struggling to survive in the harshest of climates while also attempting to reconnect with each other; but it's also the story of the spring of hope that bubbles out of new friendships, of the slow realization of love for a surrogate child, of the ties between man and nature. Ivey spares no words in describing the beauty and the danger of her native Alaska, bringing the sheer magnitude of the wilderness alive on every page. With the transparent prose of a fairy tale and descriptions to put nature writing to shame, The Snow Child immerses readers in a 1920s Alaska that will draw them back again and again. --
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The Fix by David Baldacci is the 3rd in the Amos Decker series. I usually like stand alone books, but am hooked on this one. Due to the main character being quite unorthodoxed.
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Half way through The Last Don by Mario Puzo, the guy who wrote The Godfather. Lost my original copy in a move and I found my replacement copy last month. So engrossing that I have a hard time putting it down!
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How is it that I just discovered this thread? I'm a voracious reader, mostly to escape. Love murder mysteries. I also sample the books on the NY Times bestseller list. Always on the lookout for new series.
Butterfly - hope you had a great birthday!
MJ
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Welcome Tapper
I love reading too!
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Has anyone read Here I Am by Jonathan Safron Foer? I only have 50 pages left and really enjoyed the book, wondering if others liked it as well.
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I'm half way through "The Buried Book" by P.M. Pulley. Here is the synopsis from Amazon. This story really pulls you into the time period and characters. Good read.
"When Althea Leary abandons her nine-year-old son, Jasper, he's left on his uncle's farm with nothing but a change of clothes and a Bible.
It's 1952, and Jasper isn't allowed to ask questions or make a fuss. He's lucky to even have a home and must keep his mouth shut and his ears open to stay in his uncle's good graces. No one knows where his mother went or whether she's coming back. Desperate to see her again, he must take matters into his own hands. From the farm, he embarks on a treacherous search that will take him to the squalid hideaways of Detroit and back again, through tawdry taverns, peep shows, and gambling houses.
As he's drawn deeper into an adult world of corruption, scandal, and murder, Jasper uncovers the shocking past still chasing his mother—and now it's chasing him too."
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So many books I hadn't heard of before - so little time to read! I like to have a couple lined up so I don't have a reading vacuum. Just about finished with "Big Little Lies" by Liane Moriarty. I still don't know who got murdered! Next I'm going to read "A Man Called Ove." I have to go back through this thread and make a list!
MJ
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I'm with you Tappersmom - this is a reader's goldmine!
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I just finished "A Man Called Ove" and highly recommend it. Took me a bit to adjust to the slower pace as I usually read suspense novels that move quickly. This is a delicious read!
MJ
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Voracious Reader - saw this and thought of you! https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/may/20/geoff-dyer-my-writing-day
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jelson...thanks for sharing. Dyer has this relationship with coffee and a doughnut that borders on insanity. I sometimes wonder how his wife can live with him...that said...I do enjoy his description of the force of how time flies....
Just finished the novella Ghachar Ghochar by Shanbhag. Excellent
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I pop in and out of this thread, so apologies if this is a duplicate, but I just finished reading The Rosie Project and the Rosie Effect, a two book series by Australian novelist Graeme Simsion. Sort of a romance, sort of a mystery, written from the viewpoint of an Aussie genetics professor, Don Tillman, who is probably on the autism spectrum and who is searching for a wife even though his track record with women is dismal....Book one (The Rosie Project) was very entertaining and parts of it were laugh-out-loud funny as Dr. Tillman searches for a mate and for the father of a friend. The sequel (The Rosie effect) was somewhat of a depressing slog for me because of its reoccurring theme of childhood neglect and dysfunctional relationships, although it does have a happy ending. Both are well written, IMO, with a nice dose of scientific explanations of the research the doc and colleagues are working on and/or that relate to his non-academic interests, (complete with references), a glimpse into academia in both Australia and the US (as far as I can tell, Deans face the same issues in both locales), and likeable characters.
So, I am heading off to Australia and Papua New Guinea in a few days...would love any additional ideas for Aussie (or PNG) authors or topical books that I can load on my kindle! Thanks all.
Octogirl
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Austrailian - Kerry Greenwood! I just checked her list of books and discovered series and novels I knew nothing about!! what I do know is here Phryne Fisher and her Corinna Chapman mystery series the locals for which are Melbourne. Phryne is a daring, beautiful and newly wealthy flapper and Corinna Chapman is a modern day accountant turned baker with a weight problem and a gorgeous Israeli boyfriend. both are different and highly enjoyable series - one giving the early 20th C history of Melbourne and the other current events.
of course there is Lianne Moriarty who has written 6 novels all of which take place in Sydney - one is currently the basis for a tv series, big little lies.
although not Papua New Guinea, at least the South Pacific - the travel books of J. Maarten Troost (be prepared to laugh)
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I just started reading "The Plant Paradox" for healthy diet information. Fascinating read and will certainly be informative to make better eating choices!
Amazon overview - "Most of us have heard of gluten—a protein found in wheat that causes widespread inflammation in the body. Americans spend billions of dollars on gluten-free diets in an effort to protect their health. But what if we've been missing the root of the problem? In The Plant Paradox, renowned cardiologist Dr. Steven Gundry reveals that gluten is just one variety of a common, and highly toxic, plant-based protein called lectin. Lectins are found not only in grains like wheat but also in the "gluten-free" foods most of us commonly regard as healthy, including many fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and conventional dairy products. These proteins, which are found in the seeds, grains, skins, rinds, and leaves of plants, are designed by nature to protect them from predators (including humans). Once ingested, they incite a kind of chemical warfare in our bodies, causing inflammatory reactions that can lead to weight gain and serious health conditions."
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octo...i read both books and penned my opinion of them on this thread awhile ago. My understanding regarding the publication of the first book was that the editor and publisher thought that it would be a "better" book if more humor was written into the storyline. I am a tough person to please when it comes to fiction, but two of my cousins urged me and my mom to read the books because we have a family member on the autism spectrum. I must say that I had difficulty appreciating the humor because there has been little humor in our family member's life. Furthermore, what I found most difficult and so far fetched...was....the author was TRYING to get into the mind of the character and also tell us what the character was feeling with respect to others....I found that perposterous because many individuals on the spectrum, like my family member, have difficulty in understanding the feelings of others. Not that they themselves don't have emotional feelingas towards others....they do....but they express themselves in a manner far different from those not on the spectrum.
That said, I am glad you enjoyed the books. I know that there was some talk of developing the books into movies. Perhaps they can do a better job of showcasing the lives of autistics on screen than they can do on paper...
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Thanks VR: I have to say, I am no stranger to autism myself, with several close relatives on the spectrum, including my granddaughter and a nephew (both formally diagnosed). My husband has Asperger's in the opinion of many who know him, including me, though he hasn't been diagnosed. Then again, in the book Don Tillman hadn't been diagnosed either, other than by one particular social worker who had a bias and who didn't have complete or correct information about him; indeed Tillman didn't see himself as on the spectrum and didn't relate his situation to that of the kids with Asperger's he met along the way; if he had realized that the social worker had made a diagnosis that he was autistic, he would probably have disagreed with her (and cited evidence in support of his position). Even when she thanks him in the end of the second book for helping her get over 'a bias' he thinks she is referring to her 'bias' against bluefin tuna. But then, while the author was trying to get into the minds of others, I am not at all sure that the Tillman character was. He was trying to figure out how he could fit in (he did know that he was 'wired differently' than others), but that isn't the same thing...... In any case, I could relate to Tillman and didn't find his observations of his own situation or of others to be out of line, indeed, they struck a chord with me, which is why I thought they were funny. I was particularly amused by the fact that when Tillman made a list of characteristics that he would find unacceptable in a wife, it was almost exactly the same list that my husband would make if he were still looking! (Happily, none of the characteristics apply to me, except that I love sports and baseball in particular...but of course in the end Tillman himself becomes a baseball fan, partly because he loves discussing baseball stats with his friend Dave...and I've managed to convert hubby into a baseball fan too! :-))
But it is a spectrum after all, so I understand why your perspective varies. and again, while I loved the first book, I wasn't as enamored about book two for the reasons I mentioned. And also to be clear, while I could relate a bit to the Tillman character because of my own experiences, it wasn't the autism theme or angle that I enjoyed the most, (nor would I recommend the book as a way to understand autism, precisely because it is a spectrum and each individual on that spectrum is still an individual and different, IMO: what I liked most about both books was the fact that while it was at heart a romance, science actually had a respected role. Even the non-academic characters appreciate the evidence-based actions that Tillman takes in his approach to every day life. (Indeed, he saves at least one person's life with those actions). Nice to see respect for science even in fiction, especially in this day and age.
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octo...since the DH and younger DS are engineers, I have known a number of people on the autism spectrum. i am glad that you found some of the descriptions in the book relatable with respect to your DH. Speaking to the issue of diagnosis, for the longest time, our family member was in flat out denial that he was autistic. It wasn't until I told him that there are quite a few famous people, dead and those who are living, that have been suspected of being autistic, that he finally came around to the idea of having it. After reading autistic author John Elder Robison's book, Look Me in the Eye, he finally came around...now he is a proud self-identifier!
For those of you who are newbies to this thread, I am a harsh critic of fiction. So, Octo, I tend to pick apart novels...that is, if I can get through them. That said, those Rosie books, for me, are up there in the awful department along with Bridges of Madison County....Had the author of the Rosie books stayed close to his original intent of making the book a drama instead of a comedy, I think i could have better tolerated it. But then again, the book might not have been as popular had it been a drama....so I guess the editor did a pretty good job of editing the book...
Glad you enjoyed reading them....maybe some other voracious readers who haven't already read them might now take a peek at them and offer up their opinions..
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Just found this thread, so glad! Tappermom383, I'm a mystery lover too. Big on the classic mysteries especially Ngaio Marsh, Patricia Wentworth, Dorothy Sayers, Josephine Tey. Of course Agatha Christie I can reread a million times (except for a couple that just aren't too great...) Catherine Aird, Eilis Dillon are a few less well known writers of similar era that come to mind at this moment. From slightly more recent years, Patricia Moyes, Dick Francis, Jane Langton. These days I tend toward the lighter fare as there is enough drama in my life :-) I also love Georgette Heyer, her mysteries as well as her Regency romances. (I am not a fan of pretty much any other type of romance novel but Heyer's are really historical fiction.) Elizabeth Peters' series with Amelia Peabody is fun.
Coming up to the present day, I've recently read several Amish mysteries by P. L. Gaus that I liked. Jacqueline Winspear has the Maisie Dobbs series set in post WWI England; some of those are less escapist than others. So many others I could recommend if I could think of the names right now....well, something for the future!
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Welcome, Wordlady!
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I just finished a terrific book, Lincoln's Greatest Journey: Sixteen Days that Changed a Presidency, March 24 – April 8, 1865 by Noah Trudeau is a wonderful book that describes the 16 day trip Lincoln took to be with the men at the front just before his assassination. It researches what he did, said, who he saw in great detail. It contains not only the remembrances by other historical figures, but also those of the soldier's he reviewed, the wounded whom he comforted in the military hospital, the captain who piloted his boat, the ordinary people he met up with along the way. Here is a good reviewer who can describe it better than I :
"I have read quite a few books on the Civil War and I have never read such a narrative of battles through the eyes of the president such like this... Words cannot describe how much I recommend this book. It has been some time since I have been emotional reading a non-fiction work and yet as these days were described, I could not help but get emotional not only from the president, but from the soldiers who were fighting this waning war. Lincoln's Greatest Journey is a welcome addition to the Civil War world, but also, it is a welcome addition to those who want to study Lincoln himself. Trudeau's narrative is amazing; it evokes a different type of narrative in recent studies. It touches you on a scale which, as I stated before, I cannot describe." (Gettysburg Chronicle)
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Welcome Wordlady. You will love this thread. Ah Dick Francis. I read most of his books in the 90's. I just recently found some that I'd not read.
I
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Wordlady - welcome.
Ruth - great review.
I just realized this week that I've only read one book since my friend & neighbor died the end of March - two months ago. It wasn't a conscious decision, but we did trade books all the time. It's not like I quit reading. I've been catching up on my magazine subscriptions & reading the local paper every day & the Washington Post on line. And it's not for lack of books, since I have at least 4 full bags waiting. In fact I have an Ann Patchett sitting on my night table that I've opened and read 2 or 3 pages as least twice, then promptly dosed off. Very weird. I've always read 4 books a week & often been known to read all night if I'm on a roll.
Monday I'm scheduled to go to her house & sort through all the books. Her husband is not a reader and I do know most of the initial codes in the books so I can get them back to their real owners. I'll box everything else for him to take to the library, since that's what she would have wanted. Wonder if that will break the jinx?
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Minus....you are the BEST!
Almost finished reading James Rosen's A Torch Kept Lit. Rosen compiled columns written by William Buckley. He chose columns written about people. While one might disagree with his political orientation, no one could argue his mastery of composition. A supreme wordsmith. Likewise, even if you don't know, nor ever heard the names of some of the people he wrote about, you will appreciate his descriptions.
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Currently reading Everything I Never Told You (fiction) by Celeste Ng. Published a few years ago.
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I am reading a couple of great non fiction books: Sheila Nevin: You don't Look Your Age and other Fairytales. and the book by former Dallas Police Chief David O Brown. Two very different but thought provoking books. I needed a break from my Fiction obsession with mysteries.
Minus repeating you are the best. I know your friend cherished your friendship and her husband will appreciate your efforts.
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Thanks ladies. It was hard. I packed up 7 big boxes for him to take to the library. In addition another box goes to a group of ladies that she played Bunko & Tripoly with, and one box for a group in our neighborhood that played Chickenfoot. And I brought a box home with me of books I'll eventually read.
I think I'm going to re-read "The End of Your Life Book Club" by Will Schwalbe. I was in treatment the first time & suffering some 'chemo brain'.
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Finally finished The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. Just loved this book, first thing I had read by her, I'm sure it won't be the last. Now I'm reading The Zookeepers Wife. Finding it slow going and hard to get into, I'm hoping it will pick up. I'm fond of WWII stories, and wanted to read this book before the movie came out.
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