Book Lovers Club
Comments
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Anyone read Grief is the Thing with Feathers?
https://www.amazon.com/Grief-Thing-Feathers-Max-Porter/dp/1555977413
Today, I saw the play version of the novel with Cillian Murphy. Whoa..
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Devine - I just cut out a review last night of Gottlieb's book to add to my wish list. Thanks for the additional recommend.
VR - I had not read Grief is the Thing with Feathers but will add that to my list also.
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Oh my, I just finished one of the best written thrillers I've ever read. I was near the end last night, but not near enough to finish it & hardly slept a wink trying to figure out how it would end. Finished it tonight & was totally blown away by how it did end. Lots to think about (and discuss since it's my Book Club's selection this month). I'm copying the Amazon Review for you:
Defending Jacob by William Landay
Amazon Best Books of the Month, February 2012: A fast, compelling, and compulsively readable courtroom drama, Defending Jacob tells the story of a district attorney's son who is accused of killing a classmate. As the father attempts to prove his son's innocence, Landay explores uncomfortable territory. Can a tendency toward violence be inherited? Is the capacity for murder a genetic disposition? The author, a former district attorney, gets the taut nuances just right, capturing the subtleties of a trial in a packed courtroom, where a small rustle or murmur can signify a lot. In the end Landay pulls off a clever plot device that doesn't reveal itself until the final pages.0 -
I just finished the same book! I found it a fascinating way to see how therapy is supposed to work. Really enjoyed the read. I started the PBS “Now Read This” selection, An Odyssey; a father, a son and an epic by Daniel Mendelsohn. It deals with a man that teaches the poem The Odyssey In his college and his father takes the class. Good so far! Next is the bio of Barbara Bush. Lots of good reads out there.
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Defending Jacob is now on my list. Sounds like my kind of book.
Last night I got Woman in the Window from the library. I had put myself on the waiting list for the e-book and the library sent me an e-mail. I started the book last night. Already my mind is full of questions about the narrator.
I normally keep my kindle with the wi-fi turned off so that I can keep books on the carousel after Amazon has returned them to the library. So when I turned the wi-fi on to get Woman in the Window, all the borrowed books disappeared, including the ones I had not read! So I borrowed nine additional books. Ten books is the maximum. The books I have purchased stay on the carousel.
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Defending Jacob...the are presently filming the book....hmmm
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Happy Mother's Day to the moms in our group.
I finished “The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World"by Melinda Gates. It offers insight into gender equity and there are true life stories told like I've never read before. It has changed my way of viewing things in the world, for the better.
I'm currently reading Rob Lowe's autobiography, “Stories I Only Tell My Friends". I can’t believe how good it is! He isn't an actor I ever followed, he just seemed to show up in movies and tv shows I watched. I wasn't sure I even wanted to read the book but from the very first page, I can't put it down! Sometimes several books I have on hold at the library become available around the same time. I was in the process of reading two other books but my interest in Rob Lowe's autobiography edged them out once I started it! The man has had an amazing career, and his writing style makes for fascinating reading.
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I finished Woman in the Window. It was a very intense reading experience. Last night I started Gone Girl.
This is a sad time in my life. My 96 year old mother died in the early hours yesterday morning. Her health issues finally overwhelmed her strong spirit and will to live.
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Carole: Thanks for letting us know about your Mother. Holding you in the light.
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Carole: sending prayers. Losing your mom is a sad and emotional time
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I am so sorry, Carole. My mom has been gone for many years and I still miss her dearly.
I am reading some period books. I just finished a book about Queen Victoria's children, focusing on the fates of her 5 daughters. I had to write things down in a notebook to keep them all straight, so it won't be for everyone; but there was enough backbiting, intrigue, and strange family dynamics that it make a good & long running mini-series. I'm now starting a book about the Gilded Age.
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carole..my deepest sympathies
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Carole, my sympathies on the loss of your mom. Wow, 96 years old! That is a long life and I hope it was a full life for her. Longevity always impresses me, especially when one gets to the 90s as so very many people don’t see those years. I always imagine all the things a person who’s lived that long has experienced, all the changes and innovations. May your dear mother rest in peace.
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Oh Carole, so sorry about your Mom. It is never easy.
I finished Half Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls. It is sort of a prequel to her book the Glass Castle, which I really enjoyed. Primarily about her grandmother's life and eventually her mother. While I didn't like it as much as The Glass Castle, it was a good read, and very interesting look at how hard life was out west in the early 1900's.
Now reading One perfect Lie by Lisa Scottoline - nice little mystery/ who is going to do it story - first time reading this author, and the book is enjoyable.
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pat01 - Lisa Scottoline is one of my favorites. I envy you reading her for the first time.
Still reading from the shelves. Last week I finished The Nun's Story. I remember seeing the Katherine Hepburn movie back in the 50's. I forgot that all the religious & philosophical discussion about whether to stay in the convent or leave the order is set against WWII. That put an entire new wrinkle in the angst.
Now reading The Robe. Again, I remember reading it in the 50's but haven't thought about it in years. I don't watch TV, so never see the re-runs of all the old movies. That means I'm really coming fresh to all these old books.
I broke down & treated myself - ordering 16 books this week. Most are from series that I'm missing selections. Some are individual books that have been on my list for a LONG time. Several are recommends from this thread. It will be better than Christmas.
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I am absorbed in Gone Girl. I definitely do not like Nick, the husband. Amy could have done better.
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Just finished a psychological thriller, "Fierce Kingdom" by Gin Phillips. It is about a young mom and 4 year old son (and others) trapped in a zoo with 3 terrorists. You ask yourself throughout the book what you would do to survive..what exactly is human instinct.
Good book..just hard subject matter.
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I just read The Pioneers by David McCullough. In it he tells the story of the settlement of the Ohio territory. What makes it interesting is that he tells it through eyes of five of the early settlers and reads like a novel because he uses a rare and all-but-unknown collection of diaries and letters by the key figures as the basis of his story.
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This book moves fast..read in 2 days. A Lisa Scottoline book, "After Anna". Focuses on the trial of a father accused of murdering his stepdaughter.
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I'm currently reading The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough. He's a wonderful storyteller!
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Just finished re-reading 'The Robe' - 1940's book. Lots of interesting thoughts - such as how the later Cesars did such crazy things to rile up the masses. Caligula's comments went - they're on our side so who cares if they riot & drink & fight & kill the senators & trash the businesses. His aide said - well yes, until you don't feed them. Caligula explained that you just drove the dogs back to the kennel when they no longer cheered for him.
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Now reading Tara Conklin's "The House Girl". Will let you know..
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Just ordered Sunset Beach by Mary Kay Andrews...will see how I like this writer.
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For my Fiction read i am reading Two kinds of Truth, a Bosch book by Micheal Connelly. I love the show but had not read the books, it is very good, different from the show a bit. For my nonfiction i am reading "the Longevity Solution" by Dr. Jason Fung, very good I love learning and he puts stories from history in his books which i love and find enjoyable to read.
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I posted this on a different thread but couldn't resist sharing here.
I took my niece to a great play yesterday afternoon. One of the things it focused on is the difference between "real" books and electronic media. Early in the play the guy (who is 15 years younger) picks up a book, puts to his nose and says "smells like a library". Once the women gives in & publishes her book as an 'e-book', rather than the hard cover copy she always dreamed of seeing on her bookshelf, she picks up the tablet and smells it. Funny moment.
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just finished reading, 1000 books to read before you die! It should be called, 1500 books to read before you die because so many more books are mentioned. My favorite author, Geoff Dyer gets mentioned twice..kudos!
I don't recommend reading the book's 900 pages, because, if you do, you will make your book reading list...EXPLODE!
I suggest, though, if you are like me....cheat! Find some of the books that were made into films and watch them....while reading books...
Summer is almost here and I am sure there will be some great recommendations. Ruth...The Pioneers was already on my list, so you know what that means....
I most highly recommend, Victory City. Dragged the book with me coast to coast and all the time had the DH reading it over my shoulder. Four thumbs up!
Haven't been reading adult fiction in a while except for Shakespeare with one of my literacy students. Reading lots of kiddie books to the grandchildren and enjoying it. This summer I will be taking training in the Orton Gillingham method of teaching reading. Will be working with dyslexic children come September.
Until then..let the summer reading begin
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VR - Ten+ years ago a friend gave me "1001 Books You Must Read Before you Die" published in 2006. It's 959 pages and set up by eras but only goes up through 2005. Since I was an English major in college & actually taught Jr. Hi English for awhile, I skipped the earlier periods for the time being (Pre 1700s, 1700s, 1800s). Even so, I agree about my book list exploding. The 1900s and 2000s are bristling with yellow sticky notes. Sorry to say your hero Dyer isn't in there. But then neither is Atul Gawande.
Well I gave in and actually counted the books on my shelves. Sort of like a dare to myself because I kept estimating over 800. It's more like 1200. That doesn't include books in closets or boxes. It's actually sort of embarrassing - but books are my only indulgence. I could care less about clothes or jewelry - but a book...oh my. Even though there are two shelves of children's books (so shorter in length & easier), if I were to complete one book every day - it would take me almost four years to re-read them all. This is after the first purge several years ago when I took as many as 10 boxes to the library for donation and another 20 boxes to the used book store. I just shipped 25 cookbooks to a friend. I have another 5 boxes in the garage ready to go - so I really am trying. I have a big picture of me in the "old folks home" - one room with a bed - surrounded by books on all four walls.
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minus...what i found so interesting about the book, I found at the end....
He explained how he arrived at the list....it took 14 years to create. 14. He mentioned the people who helped him...BUT....what is so fascinating is how he writes about each book and why it is so special. It was a joy to read what makes each book so special...and then for further reading..whew.....
Imagine, if you will, for a moment....explaining in a few paragraphs, why each of those cookbooks that you had were so special....and then....explaining in just a few paragraphs why the rest of the books you read were so special....a herculean task and a gift to others....
Recall, my mom recently passed. My sibs and I rummaged through most of her books a few years ago and hauled most of them off to greener passages. I kept some on her bookshelf and told my sibs not to get rid of them because the ones that were left were special. Most of them were autographed by the authors. Geoff Dyer held a special place in my mother's heart. There were several of his books on her shelf. When she passed, I collected the few remaining books that I thought were “important." My sibs knew nothing of the connection that those books had between our mother and me. Nor did they know why the remaining books were so special to her. That was a connection that she and i had that was ours and ours alone. When my sister visited my home and saw the books, she was curious why they were so special. And then i told her and she went quiet. They were almost hallowed and she had never known to ask our mom about the books. The books were a part of our mother's being and a partof my special bond with our mother. And now that she was gone, sharing the specialness of those books were comforting to her. And now, she felt a connection to the books and our mother.
Imagine all of the book lovers who write such books....they leave such a wonderful gift to their loved ones and to us as well. In my wildest dreams, I can never believe that I could write such a book. Perhaps I have read, at most, 50 of the books mentioned. Could I possibly read another hundred in my lifetime and then write about them with such ease and grace? No. Could I try? Hmmmmm.....probably not....
Interestingly, one of the most recent books that i read was, in fact, mentioned. 84 Charing Cross Road. If I were to write about it...all I would write would be ..."It is a gem.”
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I had to come here to post my sadness at the passing a few days ago of one of my very favorite authors: Tony Horwitz. He was only 60 years old (cause of death not yet announced, but it was probably a heart attack). I loved all of his books, but a few standouts for me were: Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before, a re-tracing of Cook's journeys, and Confederates in the Attic, which looks at Civil War re-enactors. As in all of his books, he gets the history right, and makes it fresh. Indeed, I just recently finished reading Confederates, published in 1998, but the divisiveness it portrays still seems particularly relevant given today's headlines.
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