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Julie B

Julie B

has 16 followers and is following 12 people

I love to read and to talk about books.
  • member since July 5, 2008

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Public Notes

  • Christine

    Christine says

    Only 3 stars for The Book of Jonas? I am planning on attending an author event with Stephen Dau next month and thought I would buy the book at that time. What is your impression of the book?

    posted 23 hours ago. ( send a note )
  • Raine

    Raine says

    I read "PICTURES OF YOU" last year and it is one of my favorite books. Caroline Leavitt has a page here on Shelfari and I dropped in and told her how much I loved the book and she sent me an autographed bookplate for my copy. Let me know how you like it!

    posted 1 month ago. ( send a note )
  • rebelreader

    rebelreader says

    Not sure I know this one...By the way, not working at or for READ anymore. Diesel only!

    posted 5 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Christine

    Christine says

    Yes, I'm looking forward to reading the Dovekeeper. I'll see if I can find a copy before Oct.

    posted 5 months ago. ( send a note )
  • rebelreader

    rebelreader says

    LOVED that book! Yes, I think I'm going to be able to make it to the NCIBA thing for him. Free signed book by one of my fav authors?! Can't pass that one up :)

    posted 6 months ago. ( send a note )
  • rebelreader

    rebelreader says

    Hmmm...sounds like I'll need to make a date with 'Hector'!!

    posted 6 months ago. ( send a note )
  • rebelreader

    rebelreader says

    I was actually a pretty early reader of "The Dovekeepers" cause she's one of my top 5 authors--LOVED it!! Loved "calebs Crossing" too. Also loved loved "The Orchard", "Rules of Civility" and Sebastian Barrys new one. Tons of good stuff. Phew!

    posted 6 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Christine

    Christine says

    Hi Julie! Yes, I notice that we do have similar tastes in books. Have you ever been down to Tassajara where the monks fought the fire? It is one of my favorite places to relax and read! How did you think Dreams of Joy compared to Lisa See's other books?

    posted 7 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Darra W

    Darra W says

    Thanks for the recommendation, Julie. I definitely will check this out. Tolstoy has been haunting me lately: my husband read about his death a few weeks ago in Malcolm Forbes compendium "They Went Thataway" (which I'm reading now; great for short snippets of reading time). As a result, we just rented (and watched) "The Last Station" with Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, Paul Giamatti, and James McAvoy. It's about Tolstoy's "unusual" relationship with his wife, the Tolstoyan movement, and the battle for his copyright in the final years of his life. Loved it! Also, I'm in Rebel Reader's book group and am getting ready to dive into "War and Peace."

    posted 8 months ago. ( send a note )
  • rebelreader

    rebelreader says

    No, I really wanted to. Looks so good. Just never picked up a copy. Right now my shelves at home are jammed with galleys, and get this--my book club is reading 'War and Peace' over the summer! We're taking 3 months to read it, I sectioned the book off into 3 parts, which makes it seem not so daunting, I should also be able to read other stuff. Here's the next few things on my night stand: "The Night Circus", the new Michael Ondaatje, new Sebastian Barry, "The Angel Makers" and "Rules of Civility". What's your recent reads?

    posted 8 months ago. ( send a note )
  • rebelreader

    rebelreader says

    Hey Julie,
    Need an honest answer. I've been doing some shelf purging at home. Waaaayyyyy too many books at my house. Getting rid of some titles that are questionable, if I'll ever really read them. I have a book called "The New Valley" by Josh Weil. I may have bought it at your store, I know at least that I had seen it there on a feature table a year or so ago. Have you ever read it? Is it worth keeping do you know? It's by Grove Press, looks like maybe 3 novellas that might be interconnected? I'd love to hear from you or Cheryl if you guys know about it. Thanks!!

    posted 8 months ago. ( send a note )
  • rebelreader

    rebelreader says

    Thinking of coming. Haven't read it yet, but I do have an ARC. She usually signs those, right? I do have an appt. at 10:45 so it all depends on how that goes. We had her a few times in Lafayette, she's very nice. She's a very interesting woman, the mix in cultures makes for a fascinating family background. I'll try to come.

    posted 9 months ago. ( send a note )
  • rebelreader

    rebelreader says

    well, it's actually not as impressive as it may sound! I'm always reading 1 main novel. Then I'll also have a non-fiction going, like for instance, "The Mind's Eye", which I'll read 1 or 2 chapters of in between my fiction books. I just can't seem to read a non-fiction book from cover to cover without fitting a novel in somewhere. I start missing character development and dialogue too much! Also, short stories; instead of just sitting down and reading a book of short stories, I'll fit a couple of stories in between novels. Then I have a book of poetry going all the time, but I only read 2 or 3 poems every morning, that's why it takes me so long to read an entire book of poems! I also always have a book on CD going in my car. Which I have to be careful about or else I'll get books mixed up. Like I can't be listening to a mystery, while I'm also reading a mystery. I'll get clues and findings totally confused!
    So you see, it's not entirely so impressive :) I could probably get more books read altogether if I literally just read one book at a time. Maybe just keep poetry separate...I might have to rethink all this!
    LOVED "Caleb's Crossing"! Just finished it this morning. Reading Joan Didion's new one, and will be starting Will Allison's new book "Long Drive Home". I've borrowed Alison's comp so I have to get it back ASAP. Then I'll be starting my next book club book "An Atlas of Impossible Longing". Over the summer I'll have to work in "War and Peace" for book club in September. Phew. So many books...How about you? What's new and exciting?

    posted 9 months ago. ( send a note )
  • rebelreader

    rebelreader says

    There ya go :) See ya Tues.!!

    posted 9 months ago. ( send a note )
  • rebelreader

    rebelreader says

    Actually, I DID know that Amanda was coming to your store. Wendy had invited me to an author dinner with her on Sunday the 15th, but Sundays just arent good for me. It's the only day my husband and I have off together. So I was thinking on maybe coming on the 13th. And if the Ann Packer event is the same one that you and Cheryl and Liz are doing a book group talk, then I'm signed up to come to that as well! I talked to Cheryl on the phone the other day when you and Michael had stepped out.
    Why oh why did I not give you guys a resume'? I would have loved to do all that book club stuff with you. It's funny though, that's exactly the reason why I didn't give Mike a resume', is that I figured he had the handselling, book clubbing part of things taken care of with you there, and that's what I do, so it seemed like he was covered. IF for some reason Cheryl decides to move on...But it sounds like you all have a great thing going now. Looking forward to that book club talk!!

    posted 9 months ago. ( send a note )
  • rebelreader

    rebelreader says

    Well, it's my turn to pick in my book group next week. We usually bring 3 choices for voting when it's our turn. I'm thinking of "22 Britainia Rd", "Caleb's Crossing" and "The Love of My Youth". Might be hard for us to vote on just one, huh? LOL

    posted 9 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Kelly S

    Kelly S says

    Hi Julie -- I know there are a ton of college-aged Kelly Simmonses!!
    I am "kellyatbubble"
    not sure of your last name?

    I visit lots of book groups, either in person or on Skype or speakerphone. If you are ever interested, just ask!
    Thanks for the friendship.

    Kelly

    posted 11 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Kelly S

    Kelly S says

    If you found Still Alice interesting, you might be intrigued by The Bird House (Simon & Schuster) which the Library Journal called “a great title for book clubs, and especially fans of Lisa Genova’s Still Alice.”

    Thanks so much – happy to connect on Shelfari if you’re up for it.

    Kelly Simmons

    posted 11 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Number One Novels

    Number One Novels says

    I've not yet ventured into the world of Twitter. You're one more temptation to join, though. I can't wait to read The Oracle of Stamboul, too!

    posted 12 months ago. ( send a note )
  • Darra W

    Darra W says

    Oh my gosh! I live in Walnut Creek. What a small world! Rakestraw is fabulous...he has some of the best speakers there.

    posted 1 year ago. ( send a note )