Book Lovers Club
Comments
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The Zookeeper's Wife wasn't an easy read, but if you stick with it I think you'll like it. Amazing story, really.
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Just cracked open Stewart O'Nan's Emily Alone. The book is dedicated to his mother,"...who took me to the bookmobile.". Wow! I love the book already!
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I loved The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio: How my mother raised 10 kids on 25 words or less.
It's a daughter's memoir about her mom 'contesting' and winning cash, appliances, etc to support her family. Haven't seen the movie but loved the book.
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Badger... The book and film are both terrific!
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Anyone read Land of Painted Caves, the latest of the Earth's Children books by Jean M. Auel?
I am thinking of starting the series from the beginning (Clan of the Cave Bear) and reading it all the way through. Love my library! Just got a PIN so can browse the entire library system and reserve books, etc.
Pretty low-brow but just reserved U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton. Wonder what she'll do after Z.
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Voracious: God, I remember the Bookmobile. It used to park across the street from my house every Friday morning. I loved being able to take my toddler and infant to look through books without having to pack everyone into the car to head over to the library.I'll have to check out that book.
Badger: I read all the Jean Auel books except for this last. I remember loving them when I read them. I may download a digital version of this last since as I recall her books were huge, and I'm trying to cut down on the weapons grade weight of my bag these days. Re: Prize Winner, Loved the movie with Julianne Moore I think, and also the book.
I'm reading Someone Else's Daughter by Elizabeth Brundage. So far, pretty good story. Birth father slides back into his daughter's life 17 years after giving her up to a rich family unbeknownst to her. Also some dark secrets in the adoptive parents' background. Good quick reading.
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- I just spent sometime with sisters up in Grand Marias, Michiganon on Lake Superior. While there I read a good book, called South of Superior, writeen by Ellen Airgood, a local woman who owns the diner in town. It was a great summer read! xo
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I'm just finishing The Help and really enjoying it. Next is Sara's Key. I don't like to see a movie before reading the book
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hrf - I'm with you. I would always rather read the book before seeing the movie. When you read, you populate the people and places from your own imagination but a movie is the director's vision.
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When my mother was a young girl, Jane Eyre was her favorite book, and she had a crush on Edward Rochester, the brooding lord of the manor. She was horrified when the movie came out and Orson Welles was cast as Mr. Rochestor. Ruined the whole thing for her!!0
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In my house thats the rule! No ready book, no see movie. I started it as soon as my kids were born. My oldest is 23 and keeps to it and my 20 year old is back to doing it also. The girls were just deciding who was going to read The Help first so they can be ready for the movie. This was something I shared with my kids. And if the movie was a remake, it was a whole adventure. We read the book, we see the original movie or movies and if there was a play, off we went to see it. Then they could see the new version. I have even been known (when we lived in New York) to take them to see places where they did some of the live scenes. Had some excellent conversation that start off about the books but made it everywhere else. Needless to say they are avid readers. The oldest boys will still do it but neither are big movie fans, the youngest goes by the rule and joins the rest of us, though he won't be reading or seeing The Help I am sure!.
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I rarely watch films based on books. Nor will I read a book because it has been optioned for a movie... BTW....Tropper is writing a screenplay for This Is Where I Leave You. I hope he doesn't ruin the story... I will tell you what I also dislike. I hate when foreign films are remade by American filmmakers. We might think we can duplicate magnificent foreign fiilms, but most of the time we can't.JMHO.
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exactly, it's our own vision - nice to know I'm not the only one who feels that way. Dream, what a great idea to involve the family!
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Daydreamernh...Here's a terrific link: This guy is a movie location scout in New York and often matches NY locations and movies. Last week, he was mentioned in The New York Times about the 20th anniversary of the book American Psycho and 10th anniversary of the film. Both were great! Not everyone's cup of tea, of course, but my family unanimously enjoyed both!
When JD Salinger passed, he did a scouting in New York of all the places that fictional character Holden Caldfield visited. Turns out, The Seton Hotel, mentioned in Catcher in the Rye, is a few steps from my son's co-op apartment.....
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I suppose I should be ashamed to admit I have been dedicating my reading time to vampire stuff lately. I finished New Moon and then got Eclipse from the library.....and to think I said I would never read Twilight. I am in the middle of Dead and Gone by Charlane Harris and also brought Dead in the Family home with me...all of these are easy reads so maybe when I take them back I will get something with a little more depth. Previews for The Help did not look that good, but I liked the book.
A friend of mine's mother used to enter all those contests....she won a car writing a jingle and was always winning trips, a year's supply of corn flakes, things like that.
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I recently read State of the Union by Douglas Kennedy. I really liked it. It was a good story and kept my interest thoughout. It makes you think about how past bad judgements can haunt you many years later. This is the first of his books I've read and I think I've got another on hold at the library.
I also read Conquistadora by Esmeralda Sanitago. I like historical fiction and this takes place in the 1800's when Spain colonized Puerto Rico. It's a family saga centered around a sugar cane plantation, slavery and the hardships of that life and time. It started off well but lagged in the middle. My favorite Latin author for this genre is still Isabel Allende. Her storytelling is magical.
I haven't started another book yet. I'm working on my new O magazine and my dad's issues of Cooks Illustrated.
I agree with reading the book before seeing the movie, too. The movies never seem to meaure up to the books. Since I never finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or the sequels,, I may break my pattern and rent those movies. I do plan to see The Help and Sarah's Key. Gina
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I really liked An Exclusive Love. It was very sad but one I would recommend as well to others.
Ruth- I just started The Fiction Class and am about 75 pages into it or so and like it quite a bit. I like the authors distracted way of writing. She writes the way I think!
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Laurie, I am glad you enjoyed reading An Exclusive Love. Reading it was so painful, but so compelling.
Just finishing up Emily, Alone by Stewart O'Nan. Don't read much fiction, but have to say, it's probably among the best fiction books that I read all year.....
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Voraciousreader's mom is visiting. VR's mother swiped Emily, Alone from VR's hands as she finished reading the book. VR now knows, for sure, where she got the "voracious" from. VR's mother read the book in one day...AND loved it!
Did I mention before that she's a fan of Geoff Dyer and Jonathan Tropper too! 0 -
Good for your mom! I am going to visit an 86 year old friend today, who is also a voracious reader. We often e-mail our thoughts back and forth about the various books of the day. Good role models for us 'younger' ladies. 0
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Hi Ladies,
Just found this site thanks to Voracious Reader!
Just finished the book, Maine, and am now starting Started Early, Took My dog by Kate Atkinson. I usually download books to my iPad, but once in a while I need to "touch" pages and go to the library Vikki
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Welcome,vikki!!!
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Yes, welcome Vikki!
VR- lol at your Mom that is fantastic!
Ruth- I finished The Fiction Class and really liked it. Thanks for the suggestion.
So I went to the library today and made some requests and picked up a couple of books while I wait. I started 22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson. So far it is about a man and woman who fall in love in Poland, get married and have a child and are then separated for 6 years due to the war. They reunite and are trying to find their place with each other. The story so far is based in Poland and Britain.
It was on the 7 day book shelf of new titles that they have added. There is some woman at my library (#383) and every time I like a book her number is written on the inside cover, we seem to like the same types of books. (I actually asked the librarian one day if she could look up and tell me what 383 had read lately- she thought I was a little nuts and said no.) Well, here number was on the inside of the book so I figured I'de give it a shot.
I also picked up The Yellow House by Patricia Flavey- anyone read it?
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Hi Ladies,
I am fairly new to these boards and just found this readers forum. I am so excited! I have read many of the books that all of you have recommended and I saw many that seem intriguing. I live within 1 block of a library and sometimes think it is one of the reasons I bought my townhouse.I read a wide variety of things but read almost anything by Indian and Indo-American writers. I am fascinated by the immigrant experience and culture change/conflict. This book my have already been mentioned but it was one of the most interesting and disturbing books I have ever read, We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. NOT light reading but very powerful and will provoke endless discussion. I am considering buying an e-reader or iPad as I thought it might be nice to have after BMX (9/7). Any thoughts? -Caryn
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Laurie, I was curious about the 22 Britannia book and read about how they escaped into the forest. It reminded me of the film Defiance with Daniel Craig. The film is based on the Bielski Brothers and how they saved 1200 Jews lives while living in the forest. Several of their decendents are my neighbors. I marvel at their resiliency and heroism of their ancestors...Sounds like a terrific book.
BTW... VR's mother, sharper than a tack, is 86. Also is being treated for a favorable lung cancer!0 -
Caryn... You live a block from the library???!!! I am sooooo jealous!!! Welcome to the thread!
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Patty, I love books set in India too. For non-fiction, try Sideways on a Scooter by Miranda Kennedy. An interesting look about how the West and India's entry into the tech world is changing Indian culture (or not!). Author lived in India for several years and this is her story. Also worth reading is Miss New India by Bharati Mukherjee. Not her best book, IMO, but a fictional look at the changing society of 21st century India. Set in Bangalore amid high tech companies and call centers. Lastly, a great book about American born daughters of Indian families. The Hindi Bindi Club by Monica Pradhan. The story weaves the tale of mothers and daughters and the slippery slope of growing up between two cultures. All of this is interspersed with delicious Indian recipes. Disclaimer: the author is a friend of mine. Lastly, if you haven't checked out www.librarything.com, you should! You can catalogue the books you've read, read reviews and even sign up for free advance copies of soon to be published books. Happy reading! -Caryn
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I'm a Thrity Umrigar fan (The Space Between Us, and The Weight of Heaven, both good) -- all focused on India. The Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda is another good read. I'm partial to Indian, Asian, and African authors because I also enjoy looking at things through the lens of a different culture. I'm going to check out the books exbrnxgrl suggested too.0
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I started New Miss India. Didn't float my boat either. I just thought it was me because I don't usually read much fiction.
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Yes, I love Thrity Umrigar too and have read Secret Daughter. I also like reading about British Raj era India, both fiction and non-fiction. Don't know why I am so fascinated by India but I had the good fortune to travel there, as well as Pakistan,Afghanistan and Sri Lanka many times in the late 1970's and early '80's. Would love to go there again and see how it has changed. -Caryn
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