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A place to discuss books that you are reading with other members

Love it!

If I had been able to pick a group read this time, I would have picked Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain. It was funny but had some good insights especially about our military.

Anyone read it?

I think I just spent the last 2 hours looking at all the Playaway (the mp3 player format I can borrow from the library) books in my library regions collection. And added another dozen books to my season....

So, i finished The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare yesterday. Have I just read too many books so I could quickly see what was going to happen, or was it really obvious?

I know a few of you have read this recently, and was wondering what you thought.

Amanda wrote: "So, i finished The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare yesterday. Have I just read too many books so I could quickly see what was going to happen, or was it really obvious?

I know a f..."

I didn't read it recently, so have only somewhat vague memories. This is one sentence in my review: Written at a time when anarchy was a true movement, Chesterton uses it to represent evil, and, conversely, the police to represent good. In this context, I wasn't expecting to know what "happened" so much as to see the political/societal context in which Chesterton had something to say.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I didn't read it recently, so have only somewhat vague memories. This is one sentence in my review: Written at a time when anarchy was a true movement, Chesterton uses it to represent evil, and, conversely, the police to represent good. In this context, I wasn't expecting to know what "happened" so much as to see the political/societal context in which Chesterton had something to say. "

Perhaps the point is the duplicity, the yin-yang of good and evil, anarchy and order, thetis represented in all of the characters, excepting Gregory.

As I wrote in the completed task thread, perhaps it would have made more sense to me if my religious education was a bit more and I had understood the final scene and Sunday's final words, "can ye drink of the cup that I drink of?" better.

This morning I have read a third of The Boy in the Book, which I found randomly whilst trying to complete my letters in HaH.

I am loving this book. It's perhaps not the best written book, and perhaps it is only because I loved Choose Your own Adventure books also, and am around the same age as the author and the subject, but the lengths the author goes to in trying to find out about his subject, including Skyping Edward Packard that just amaze me and make me giggle at the absurdity of it.

I wish I could remember all the books in the series I had read so I could mark them off as read. Whilst all my friends were reading Sweet Valley High I was making my way through this series.

Amanda wrote: "So, i finished The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare yesterday. Have I just read too many books so I could quickly see what was going to happen, or was it really obvious?

I know a f..."

I was underwhelmed. I don't remember the end specifically but I wrote in my review "it rapidly turns into farce and then some kind of religious allegory which went completely over my head."

Two books posted in the last 24 hours, with reviews, that are of interest to me. Thanks to Deedee for The Chili Queen, which my daughter sent to me years ago before either of us got our Kindles. It has languished on my shelves. I'm wondering why I didn't read it when we had the WILLA award as a task?

The other is The Beauty and the Sorrow thanks to Beth. I've added this to my shelves, hoping that in my sort of steady perusal of WWI, I'll find a way to fit into an upcoming challenge.

Rebekah wrote: "Anyone read it?"

I just put on my TBR list. Thanks for the recommendation!

Karin,

re: My Brilliant Career

I agree the book is not at all brilliant but I just wanted to chime in; what made this book outstanding was that it is one of the first Australian pastoral novels by a woman, a 16 yo! I read her bio and she had many varied reactions to this novel though from her peers (ie. young girls living in outback Australia) was a resounding 'this is me! this is my life! I want to read more books like this'. When this book was published, most books are still imported from overseas and did not reflect the Australian life. This makes the novel Remarkable.

Miles Franklin was no doubt talented but unfortunately she did not publish anything really good after this. Again her bio noted that she was rather bitter about her lack of education (family was poor) and lack of support / mentorship as a woman writer. I reckon this probably affected her writing from ever being as free & brilliant as her first work. However, she has done so very much for the Australian literary world.

And as a side note, I heard (I haven't watched it yet) that the movie adaptation with Nicole Kidman has a different ending to the book and may be much preferable to many people. Probably made Miles Franklin turned in her grave!

Tien wrote: "Karin,

re: My Brilliant Career

I agree the book is not at all brilliant but I just wanted to chime in; what made this book outstanding was that it is one of the first Australian pa..."

Right--and I think I'd have liked it much better if I read it when I was 16 since selfish heroines didn't bother me nearly so much. Your info is good to know as well.

Karin wrote: "and I think I'd have liked it much better if I read it when I was 16 since selfish heroines didn't bother me nearly so much. "

Definitely could tolerate her teen angst better when I was a teen myself ;p

Valerie posted The Outlander for AotD, with a quip to recommend it. I read this last season, a 4-star read.

My review (since we didn't have that style last season).

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Valerie posted The Outlander for AotD, with a quip to recommend it. I read this last season, a 4-star read.

My review (since we didn't have that style last season)."

That's a good review, Elizabeth. I thought she was continually referred to as 'the widow' because that's how she saw herself, I don't think she identified as Mary.

Anyhow, I really hope Adamson writes another book. As I was reading I felt that the fact she is a poet really showed in the writing.

Because elsewhere I had expressed an interest in reading Child 44, some of you may be curious about my thoughts. Here is what I wrote today, along with my 1-star.

I cannot read this. The psychological assault is beyond my tolerance. I got to the end of the second section, or something past 125 pages. There is no reason to read how horrible it was to live in Stalinist Russia, to live in constant fear that some cruel KGB will decide without cause that you are a traitor, falsify the record, and have you executed. (The lucky ones were sent to Siberia, as had been done for decades under the Tsar.) I was already aware what went on in Lubyanka prison. Some of it is recounted here in a few paragraphs, but it in no way recounts it all. There is no reason to live through that via the written word.

Bye, bye Tom Rob Smith. You are excused from my life.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Because elsewhere I had expressed an interest in reading Child 44, some of you may be curious about my thoughts. Here is what I wrote today, along with my 1-star.

I cannot read this..."

Thanks. I definitely do not want to read this, then. My grandparents had to escape the Soviets and the relatives who remained behind were sent to Siberia. However there were people who were shot for nothing to make a point. etc.

anyone read the firebird sequel??

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Because elsewhere I had expressed an interest in reading Child 44, some of you may be curious about my thoughts. Here is what I wrote today, along with my 1-star..."

Ouch! As I did enjoy this thriller but I do completely understand your reasoning, 'psychological assault', as I'd to anything to avoid books which I know will affect my psyche intolerably.

Btw, re: Stefan Zweig, I'd recommend Burning Secret; usually it'll be a book I'd avoid but it was short and erm, I found it rather funny actually the way he's turned it around though I think other people might actually find it frustrating.

Fatima wrote: "anyone read the firebird sequel??"

Which book is this, Fatima? Who's the author?

@Anika: I'm halfway through The Dressmaker (audio also) and agree with too many characters to keep up with! It's making my head spin.

Did you know there's movie too? With Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Liam Hemsworth, & Hugo Weaving :O

Tien wrote: "@Anika: I'm halfway through The Dressmaker (audio also) and agree with too many characters to keep up with! It's making my head spin.

Did you know there's movie too? With Kate Wins..."


I actually ended up watching it (on Netflix!) about halfway through the listening, just to cement in my mind who was whom and how they related to each other...I was shocked at how much the movie diverged from the text of the book, but as a movie I quite enjoyed it--I loved the visual juxtaposition of the bright fabrics and sparkly sequins that surround Tilly with the dusty dreariness of the town. Have you seen it yet? You should watch it when you're done listening--there are enough scenes that you're not at all expecting that will be ruined by watching the movie too soon, speaking from experience :-(

Anika wrote: "I actually ended up watching it (on Netflix!) about halfway through the listening, just to cement in my mind who was whom and how they related to each other..."

It's not on Netflix AU! oh the irony!

I haven't seen it yet though I've heard it's good. I have finished listening to the book; loved the ending though was devastated in the middle((view spoiler)[Stupid Ted! (hide spoiler)]) though I understand that Must happen, quite pivotal actually, isn't it?

Am more interested in the movie now that you mentioned it diverged quite a bit from the book. Such narrow-minded mean-hearted set of kitty cats!

Tien wrote: "Anika wrote: "I actually ended up watching it (on Netflix!) about halfway through the listening, just to cement in my mind who was whom and how they related to each other..."

It's not on Netflix A..."

I KNOW!!! That scene there in the middle was a punch to the gut... but you're right...it had to happen.

I hope you can find it somewhere! Do you have Amazon Prime? (I don't even know if that's a thing available in Australia...) It's included free with a Prime membership and currently in their catalog (I just double-checked on Netflix and realized I misspoke...it was actually on Amazon that I'd watched it...in my head, they're nearly interchangeable...my mistake, oops)! Hugo Weaving was fantastic as Sgt. Farrat, Kate Winslet was wonderful (as always), and I loved seeing the horrible townspeople get what was coming to them in such a dramatic way.

Amazon Prime is in Australia (just!); not very good reviews due to restricted availabilities (geographical licencing) so I don't have it.

I will watch this movie, one day! :)

Clay's Quilt by Silas House (Karen)

When I read this book I was shocked because I had lived some of this second hand! I was living in the coal mining town of Middlesboro, Kentucky. In the fifth grade my best friend's mother was shot by her step father. Afterwards she lived with her grandmother. With the location being almost the same and the voices of the characters being so familiar, it just gave me chills. I told him about it when I saw him. He's also very active against Mountain -Top Removal which is something serious enough for me to write politicians about although I don't know if it does any good but it's one drop in a bucket, I hope.

I just finished Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney and loved the book...and highly recommend it.
But what I wanted to mention were the coincidences.... I was reading the book yesterday...New Year's Eve...and the entire book (except for the very end) occurs on New Year's Eve 1984. (I didn't plan it that way.)
Soon after 8 pm last night, I turned on Dick Clark's New Year's Eve program...turned the sound off.... started re-reading...and a few pages in.....the title character mentions Dick Clark's New Year's Eve Show.
Then today.... the portion I read near the end deals with mental health and depression....something I am guiding a loved one through right now!

So...besides the fact that Lillian is a wonderful character..... her day walking around Manhattan really spoke to me. I grew up across the river in Jersey City and have come to know Manhattan better than the usual tourist.

I have often remarked to friends about strange coincidences in my readings*.... but this one was amazing.

*Last season some of you may recall that I read many obscure 15th century revenge plays. Then in December, I read The Crying of Lot 49....and there were indirect references to some of those plays which the average reader would not have gotten (including me) except for having just read them.

Anybody else have those experiences too?

Rosemary wrote: "Amanda wrote: "So, i finished The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare yesterday. Have I just read too many books so I could quickly see what was going to happen, or was it really obviou..."

I also found the book strange. I read it years ago. Perhaps it had more impact when it was written. The anarchists were in the headlines at the time I presume.

Ed, I frequently find I am reading books of the same topic, even though I did not pick them for the content. For example, at one time I was reading 3 books that all turned out to be about the Amazon River in South America. One was non-fiction, two were fiction.

When that happens, I am in awe of the universe who I feel is drawing my attention to something.

yes.... a few years ago I was reading one of Gertrude Stein's books and as is my wont.....simultaneously began another book I knew nothing about.... The Book of Salt..... which was a fictional account of Stein and her cook!

Ed wrote: "yes.... a few years ago I was reading one of Gertrude Stein's books and as is my wont.....simultaneously began another book I knew nothing about.... The Book of Salt..... which was a fictional acco..."

Serendipity~

Tien wrote: "Karin,

re: My Brilliant Career

I agree the book is not at all brilliant but I just wanted to chime in; what made this book outstanding was that it is one of the first Australian pa..."



I really enjoyed this book. I think what I liked about it was that the author did not choose the expected path for her heroine. Which was surprising considering that is was written over 100 years ago. It also felt like a historical novel to me. Was it as good as say the Bronte sisters or Jane Austen? No, not in my opinion,

I know many of you have read Snow Falling on Cedars. I am 1/3 of the way in. It is very slow reading for me. It is what I call "dense" writing. There are so many characters and so many departures from the main story line, that I can only take in a chapter a day. I have actually started taking notes so I can remember all those names: characters and boats of all things!! It is lovely in the setting descriptions, but even when writing about a love story section, the author kind of feels like a "just the facts" reporter. I keep waiting for the thing that makes this book so popular. I feel it is coming...

Lynn wrote: "I keep waiting for the thing that makes this book so popular. I feel it is coming..."

I hope you'll find it's worth getting to the end, I know I did.

Lynn wrote: "I know many of you have read Snow Falling on Cedars. I am 1/3 of the way in. It is very slow reading for me. It is what I call "dense" writing. There are so many characters and so many..."

It's been almost a year since I read it, and I still remember how atmospheric it was. I grew up just outside of Victoria (BC) and the setting (of this book) was SO so incredibly evocative to me. I agree with Elizabeth. I hope you give it time to unfold!

For this season, it combos with 10.1 with my 5* rating! :)

Lynn wrote: "Tien wrote: "Karin,

re: My Brilliant Career

I really enjoyed this book. I think what I liked about it was that the author did not choose the expected path for her heroine. Which was surprising considering that is was written over 100 years ago. It also felt like a historical novel to me. Was it as good as say the Bronte sisters or Jane Austen? No, not in my opinion,"

No, definitely not as good. However, as I said above "what made this book outstanding was that it is one of the first Australian pastoral novels by a woman..." She lived in the outback without much education. A small local school is about all she had to get her education from. Her family didn't have money and when depression came, things got worse. She was 16 then too and reckon, she would've barely any experience of society.

I guess we can compare it to how these days we have a lot of noises for diversity & own voices in literature. You could call My Brilliant Career an #ownvoices novel because at time of publication, there wasn't many Aussie voices in literature.

Also, the path the heroine chose is what Franklin herself chose... or would choose if there was a choice - her private life was rather kept private so we don't know much of that. Bios are all about her work in promoting Aus lit/authors & women's rights.

Valerie wrote: "it combos with 10.1 with my 5* rating!"

Mine, too. I read it in 2010, so my memory of specifics is rather hazy. I read my review, and as I was reading more scenes came to the fore.

Like you, Valerie, I could totally relate to the setting. The San Juans are not that different from SE Alaska in many ways. In the comments section of my review, I recalled We have a very small Japanese segment in our society. One of our older friends, now deceased, talked about being part of the unit that oversaw the evacuation of local citizens, and how emotional he felt, that his throat caught, when his high school friend, also an attractive woman, walked up the ramp.

Lynn wrote: "I know many of you have read Snow Falling on Cedars. I am 1/3 of the way in. It is very slow reading for me. It is what I call "dense" writing. There are so many characters and so many..."

I also found it slow in places, but I thought the pace fitted with the setting and the characters. I thought it was more of a psychological study than a murder mystery.

I just finished Close Range by Annie Proulx..... and I so enjoyed this book of stories. (The last story is Broke Back Mountain which is only 30 pages long.)

At times it was difficult to read because Proulx has her characters talk in Wyoming dialect....and it takes a while to realize that. (I had never read any of her other works.) But this is an author who knows how to bring characters to life. Few of these characters are people I would want to have as acquaintances. But, the reader has to appreciate how difficult a life most of these people are leading. Many of the characters are just trapped by circumstances.... Wyoming weather, Wyoming wildlife and livestock, Federal and state land laws and economies, dysfunctional families and finances. These are not subjects I would have thought I would give any concern. I recently visited Wyoming and did the typical tourist thing. I wish I had read this book before I had visited...my visit would have been, at the very least, more discerning.
By the way, Brokeback Mountain is the only story with an LGBT slant....and even though I had seen the movie which is amazingly faithful to the story... it had my eyes welling up at the end.

Ed wrote: "I just finished Close Range by Annie Proulx..... and I so enjoyed this book of stories. (The last story is Broke Back Mountain which is only 30 pages long.)

At times ..."

I love Annie Proulx. She's one of maybe two writers that I tell people (who will listen to me go on about books! ha, ha...) that if she writes a grocery list I'd read it. I also liked Close Range a lot. I agree with you about Brokeback Mountain. I thought the story was even more tragic than the movie.

I probably have mentioned this somewhere in this group already, however.... The first book I read by Annie Proulx was Plan and Make Your Own Fences & Gates, Walkways, Walls & Drives. Our yard has a lot of dry stacked retaining walls, and when we moved in 21 years ago, they needed help. So I borrowed this book from the library and read the relevant parts. While I was doing that I was thinking this has to be the most well written gardening/landscaping book I've ever read; and because of that I remembered her name.

That is such a good collection, Ed. I hope to read more of Annie Proulx. There are two more in her Wyoming Stories series. I managed to pick up Bad Dirt at a library book sale.

I set aside her Accordion Crimes - maybe I just picked it up at the wrong time, but it seemed to meander more than I had patience for. Others seem to like it, and I'm not saying it isn't worth *your* time. I very much liked her Postcards, another story collection. As you liked Close Range, I suspect you'd like that one too. I was introduced to her through her Pulitzer winner The Shipping News.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "That is such a good collection, Ed. I hope to read more of Annie Proulx. There are two more in her Wyoming Stories series. I managed to pick up Bad Dirt at a library book sale.

I set..."

Thanks for the feedback Elizabeth. I will be reading some of her other works for sure!

I wanted to bring some attention to Just Kids by Patti Smith. It is an excellent read. I knew a little about Smith (especially her hit song Because the Night) and I knew a little about Robert Mapplethorpe...the photographer best known for his images of gay S&M...but for so much more also. I knew little of their "partnership". This memoir is a beautiful,,,and well written account of their partnership, their bohemian lifestyle, the amazing people they happen to meet before either of them become famous themselves and their blossoming as artists. I want to read so much more by her....as well as the many writers...especially poets she mentions who influenced her creativity.

Ed wrote: "I wanted to bring some attention to Just Kids by Patti Smith. It is an excellent read. I knew a little about Smith (especially her hit song Because the Night) and I kn..."

I thought that book was fantastic as well.

I follow her on Instagram (if you are there). Granted, I hardly ever look but when I do see her posts they are interesting and sometimes there is poetry. She shares what she is reading too, which is fun.

If you haven't already looked into this - find Mapplethorpe's flower photographs. Any words I could write are inadequate - they are stunning.

Valerie wrote: "Ed wrote: "I wanted to bring some attention to Just Kids by Patti Smith. It is an excellent read. I knew a little about Smith (especially her hit song Because the Nigh..."

Yes..... he was a stunning artist...and he clearly was born with the talent...because as we learn in the book...he took up the craft late with inadequate equipment and never took lessons. His S&M photos are of course often shocking at first too.... but after that.... the beauty of the mere image comes through. As for Patti...I thought she was going to come across as some tough street kid (a Jersey girl---I can say that because I'm from NJ).... but instead she reveals she is clearly a well-read thinker with an innocent and caring side.

Well.....I just finished The Long Haul- #9 in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. I'm probably discovering this series much later than most others. Thanks to Kate's 20.9 task (Spring 2021). I read the first nine during this season....and wanted to express how funny they are.... yes...aimed at tweens perhaps....but every book delivers at least one...and usually more deep belly laughs for me. (My husband has asked a few times if I'm laughing or crying?)
Just a small example from The Long Haul.... the main character Greg (about 11 years old) gets bitten by a pig (long story) while the family is on a road trip..... the mother uses GPS to get him to a doctor.... but the doctor is a Veterinarian. The mother fills out the forms anyway for her son...with questions such as "Pet's name", Pet's Owner, Species, History of worms?; Spayed/Neutered? Anyway... 6 more in the series to go...and the author is still publishing more.

Ed wrote: "Well.....I just finished The Long Haul- #9 in the Diary of a Wimoy Kid series. I'm probably discovering this series much later than most others. Thanks to Kate's 20.9 task (Spring 2..."

Well, I know we have at least some of his books at the library. Humor is hard to find + write, so I may have to try these.

My nine- and twelve-year-old kids absolutely adore the Wimpy Kid books. I've found them pretty entertaining myself as well.