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Pinky,Congratulations! Great news about your engagement. That is happy news. Are you going to set a date, or is this going to be a long engagement? Josh and Mary Ann are, as I'm writing this, on their way from Iowa to Colorado. They're taking 3 days to drive it because of the cats. The movers picked up their stuff yesterday. Did you get that dresser from Josh?Hannah and I want to go out to visit them, but we probably won't go until Josh finishes his academic year in May. What are the plans for Christmas this year? Any chance you will have it in Albany?As for books, I haven't read "Bright, Shiny Morning". I thought "Guernsey" was entertaining but mediocre. The best thing I've read lately is "The Lazarus Project" by Alexander Hemon, but it's very dark. I wouldn't exactly recommend it for everyone. love, Suzanne
What! You didn't like Donna Leon? I've read almost all of them. I love Guido and Paola and their kids and all the meals they eat. This series inspired me and Hannah to start drinking Prosecco. We love them. The stories don't matter - it's the characters, especially Signorina Elettra. Are you still reading the "Guernsey Literary etc. etc."? I thought you read that for your book discussion. What do you think of it? Did you throw it across the room?Read "Fieldwork" by Mischa Berlinski. It's my current favorite book I'm recommending to everyone. We're doing it in the book discussion next month.love, Suzanne
I'm not sure I'll read it. Maybe at some point. It turned up in that BBC list that everyone has on Facebook and I looked it up since I had never heard of it. I thought you might've though. Perhaps I shall read it one day. I was actually thinking the other day of re-reading The Eyes of the Amaryllis which I liked a lot when I was younger.
Hi! Have you read Swallows and Amazons?
That is so funny. I thought you'd read it because it's a big YA book, but you said it was for a book discussion. Ick. I told my coworkers, who are all reading it, that I would be more entertained to have them talk me through the other 2.5 books. they have a funny way of talking about them. I'm amazed that people are so eager to continue the series to see what happens. I am mildly curious, but there is no way I am going to slog through the other ones. A thesaurus would be a big help. Some of her adjective choices had me laughing out loud. They're books that could've each been about 200 pages shorter, which is sad. Where are the editors???
Ah, I figured you'd read Twilight given your interest in YA/Juvenile fiction. Are you going to finish the series? Everyone at work is hopelessly addicted to this. I could barely get through the second book. I told them they could read all of them and then have a good time telling me what happens, in their own words. I just can't take the 200 pages where nothing happens.
Yes, I liked the narrator in "Deaf Sentence". I loved his relationship with his father and the way he made the father funny but not pathetic. I think your book group should read whatever makes you happy! Having fun and getting together is a good goal. I have to be more "serious" with my group, because they look to me to introduce them to interesting books that they wouldn't read otherwise. I see you're still reading a lot of books at one time. I'm trying to get better at finishing books, although I still read a lot at once. I have ones I read for fun when I'm tired and don't want anything challenging, plus I have a book I'm listening to in the car, one on my Ipod I listen to at the gym or at home, and another one I listen to at home (usually a mystery or mindless thriller). I think it's a good exercise for my brain.
Ah, I see you are in a reading funk! I also start a lot of books and don't finish them all. I like to read a lot of things at once. I have a thriller I read when I want mindless entertainment, then I have my Proust which I'm reading in a discussion group with 3 friends, then I have nonfiction for when I'm in a mood to concentrate. Maybe you're just not finding the book that you want to read at that moment. Having a lot of books partly finished is only a problem if you think it is. Does it bother you that your book group is reading frivolous things? When I'm giving advice to book group leaders, I always say that a group should have "goals". Well, your goal can be just being entertaining and having a lot of social interaction (talking and drinking and eating) or you can have goals like reading a classic once a year, reading one or two award-winning books each year, reading books by foreign authors, or reading a mix of genres - anyway, whatever your group decides. Maybe you should suggest you alternate mindless entertainment with more "serious" books. As for Hemingway, I'm not going to say anything to Jason about books. "Five Skies" isn't that bad! Nobody talks like the characters in Hemingway novels, either. Tell him to recommend some manly books for me. I found "For Whom the Bell Tolls" riveting, but partly because I'm interested in the Spanish Civil War. Robert Jordan is a great character - but Jason will probably say he's too "sensitive", unlike the other Hemingway protagonists. The book could have used some editing, though.
Okay, "Cheap Motels and a Hot Plate" sounds interesting. Let me know how it is when you've finished it. Would it be a good book for a book discussion? What's your group reading now? We're doing "For Whom the Bell Tolls" on Wed. Each year we read a classic, and Hemingway is it for this year. I picked it after I read an article about how Barack Obama and John McCain both listed it among their favorite books.
Yes, I see you've added 36 books! Here's another Anna K. knock-off. "The Life Room" by Jill Bialosky. The New York Times said "In Bialosky's second novel, a scholar who studies Anna Karenina, approaching 40 and feling unfulfilled, has a passionate encounter with an elusive childhood friend that threatens her stable marriage and comfortable life." Hmmmm. I haven't read anything by this author. I haven't arranged my books in any logical order. If I decide not to read one, or start it and it's no good, I just delete it. I'm glad you had a good holiday. Happy New Year!love, Suzanne
Hi, Pinky, I see you and Hannah are shelfari-ing away in Vermont, and you've both added a lot of books. What's with the Anna Karenina thing? I read A.K. in high school, but I would like to read the new translation, which is supposed to be much better than previous ones. Happy holidays!Suzanne
I didn't read all those books this year. I sort of add them willy-nilly as I think of them. When I add something to "I want to read" I think of things by the same author that I already have read. I need to update the dates read for more accuracy. I am a bit harsh in my reviews, I guess. I only seem to give five for books that blew my mind and possibly changed my life. Four is more a very solid and enjoyable book where almost all the elements are perfect. Three is good book, fun to read. Two is sort of ho-hum, not necessarily sorry I read it. One is bad for the most part. If I didn't rate it it doesn't mean it was tinder though!
Don't worry - you're young. You have plenty of reading time left in life. Think about people my age! I have to read like a madwoman. And I'm cursed by having to read book reviews and book blogs and bookstore websites all day for my job. It is like a monstrous thing that grows and GROWS!Happy Thanksgiving out there in the midwest.love, Suzanne
I'm going to Greece in November, but no longer going to India. It's a long story - I'll tell you aaall about it.
Hm. I posted a note basically for Mom on your profile. sorry! How's it going? Let me know if you read Someday This Pain Will be Useful to You. I've heard it's good for adults too.
I bought a couple of books too, Mom. I have to admit it. They had James Bond in the used books section. I bought them thinking I'd bring them to India. That's not going to happen...
I have this addiction, which is buying books. I've tried to "dry out", but I can't seem to stop myself. Hannah and I went to visit my relatives on the Outer Banks in NC and in Richmond. We went to Barnes & Noble 3 times! I bought books. When we got back and took Hannah bank to Broolkline, I went to her local bookstore, the Brookline Booksmith, which is a fantastic independent bookstore. They have a lot of sale books, so when I can get pbs for $3.99 and a hardcover of a book I want to read for $7.99, I just whip out my debit card. Booksmith also has a floor of used books. I think Hannah avoids it - she goes to the library. I just have to own books. Also, some of the books I put in as owning I owned before. I have a lot of books. I pass on a lot of books to other people after I've read them. It's my mission in life to spread books around. Hope all is well with you and Jason.
Haven't you been reading Ordinary Wolves for a while? If it's not that good maybe you should stop it. I used to hate doing that, but there are usually too many things I want to read and I figure it's better to put it down than force myself to finish it.
I realized that I said the Martha Grimes book I am reading is called The Lamorra Walk, but it's actually The Lamorna Wink. I had no point of reference as to what that meant and Walk made more sense than Wink. It's now been put in context though - it's a pub. I think all of the titles are pub names.
The Old Wine Shades is the one she recommended to me. I liked it. I started the Lamorra Walk yesterday. It's good so far. I like the Melrose Plant character. Aunt Dimity is like crack. They're cozy mysteries set in England. The main character is rather obnoxious and most of the stories involve her jumping to conclusions about something. Aunt Dimity is her deceased benefactress who communicates to her through her old diary (words appear on the page) and through her pink flannel rabbit, Reginald. Actually, I'm not sure if Reginald moves on his own or if AD helps him. They are strange, wholly unbelievable and the last one I read was too heavy in one of the author's flaws - she adheres to traditional man=strong, woman=needs to be defended and held a lot stereotypes far too much. It's a little inconsistent there too. She's tried to create a strong female main character, but Laurie is really hapless and often dense. The portrait of England she paints is rose-coloured to say the least. Whenever she stops by someone's house, it's invariably tea time and the people are just so darn cute. With that review, it's hard to see why I like to read them. The last one irritated me so I'm putting them aside for now. I read a Colin Dexter instead. Enjoyable, but talk about misogynous!
