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Challenge: 50 Books discussion

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2010 > Garret's 50 in 2010

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message 1: by Garret (last edited Aug 30, 2010 11:16AM) (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 1. Green Eagle Score. I have been making my way through the entire Parker series. I love these books, most of which can be read in an afternoon. They a brilliantly done, fascinating and often have unbelievably good opening lines.
The Green Eagle Score A Parker Novel by Richard Stark Richard Stark

2. Sour Lemon Score
The Sour Lemon Score A Parker Novel by Richard Stark Richard Stark

3. Where the Dark and Light Folks Meet.Written by one of the best trumpeters in the world. An interesting book which sheds light on racism in the jazz world, and corrects a lot of misconceptions.

Where the Dark and the Light Folks Meet by Randall Sandke Randall Sandke

4. Audiobook: Read by author Rory Stewart, who did a great job. This is a very interesting read.

The Places In Between by Rory Stewart Rory Stewart

5. Audiobook: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I liked it, but not as good as the hype. The Swedish movie was good as well.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1) by Stieg Larsson Stieg Larsson

6. The 13 Clocks. I read aloud to my 10 yo son. He found it creepy.
The Thirteen Clocks by James Thurber James Thurber

7. Are All the Giants Dead? Very imaginative book that I read aloud to my 10 yo son who was mesmerized.
Are All the Giants Dead? by Mary Norton Mary Norton

8. The Black Ice Score
The Black Ice Score A Parker Novel by Richard Stark Richard Stark

9. Bednob and Broomstick, read aloud to my 10 yo son who liked it.
Bed-Knob and Broomstick (A Combined Edition of "The Magic Bed-Knob" and "Bonfires and Broomsticks") by Mary Norton Mary Norton

10. White Fang: Read aloud to my 10 yo son who loved it.
White Fang by Jack London Jack London


message 2: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 11. The Penderwicks. I read this aloud to my son. We loved it. Some very funny chapters.
The Penderwicks A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall Jeanne Birdsall

12. Black Cherry Blues. I am revisiting the Dave Robicheaux crime fiction series by James Lee Burke as audiobooks. These are some of the best crime novels I've ever read.
James Lee Burke Black Cherry Blues A Dave Robicheaux Novel by James Lee Burke


message 7: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 30.The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier The Piano Shop on the Left Bank Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier by Thaddeus Carhart Thaddeus Carhart
Anyone who plays or has played the piano will like this one.


message 8: by Carol (new)

Carol Neman | 469 comments Garret, I have listed 'The Jazz Singers...' as a TBR, thanks for the heads-up, and keep reading!


message 9: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) Carol wrote: "Garret, I have listed 'The Jazz Singers...' as a TBR, thanks for the heads-up, and keep reading!"

Carol, I don't know if you've seen this book or not but it is best used as a reference or for browsing through. If you have an online music account, e.g with Rhapsody, you can explore his recommendations as you go.


message 10: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 31. Through the Looking-glass: And What Alice Found There: Rangers 3Audiobook narrated by David Horovich. Listened to with family in a car trip to New Mexico.


message 11: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 32 The Neon RainThis is a re read, this time by audio book.


message 12: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 33. The Tin Roof BlowdownAudiobook


message 13: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 34. Three To Get DeadlyAudiobook.


message 14: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 35. Audiobook Two for the Dough


message 16: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 37.Audiobook
Swan Peak


message 22: by Garret (last edited Sep 07, 2010 07:51PM) (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 43 Composed: A Memoir Composed A Memoir by Rosanne Cash Rosanne Cash
I listened to the author read this, which works well as this is such a personal book.

I read this on the recommendation of Terry Teachout on his blog, About Last Night. His site is a great source for all things cultural.


message 23: by sharon (new)

sharon Bryant | 10 comments Garret Hi my name is Sharon I see that you have used some of the courses from the Teaching Company, are they worth the price? I just received another catalog and found a few I would like to use but just need a recommendation. I am interested in history and the religions.
hope to see your reply from one book lover to another.


message 24: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) Some of the courses are great, some are mediocre and a few have been quite disappointing. The ones with really bad lecturers don't last in the list long. Overall I can highly recommend you give them a try. Their web site includes customer reviews.

I did the Great Religions course. The content was good, but I was disappointed in the delivery. They have changed it since I did that one.

Some of the History courses have been excellent. I enjoyed the London course recently, as well as some courses on Hitler and WWII.


They constantly have sales and rotate which courses go on sale. The sales are huge discounts so there is no need to pay full price for any course. Right now a lot of courses are on sale.

You can download most of the courses that wouldn't require DVD (like an art course, for example)

Best,
GG


message 25: by sharon (new)

sharon Bryant | 10 comments Thanks for the input about the great courses. I was also delighted to see that you read to your 10yo son, most parents think at 10 they should be reading on their own and so don't read to them any more.


message 26: by Garret (last edited Sep 11, 2010 02:38AM) (new)


message 27: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) sharon wrote: "Thanks for the input about the great courses. I was also delighted to see that you read to your 10yo son, most parents think at 10 they should be reading on their own and so don't read to them an..."

How right you are. I think it is very important. I will continue to do it as long as he still loves it.


message 28: by Carol (new)

Carol Neman | 469 comments Garret, I must have missed the entry in which you said (I presume) that you are reading to your son and that he is 10 years old...or did I surmise wrongly? I just wanted to say that when my own son was just a little younger I started reading to him at bedtime, from some of the popular books that I had not had a chance to read when I was younger. We didn't get around to Winnie The Pooh, but we did get all the way through Mary Poppins and several books about Dr. Doolittle, by Hugh Lofting, a chapter at a time...with previews of tomorrow's chapter. My son is now 45, and still remembers that experience...and now I get to read to HIS son, who is almost 8, the same age as his dad was when I read to him. I don't know who enjoys it more...I think I got the best end of the deal.


message 29: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) Thanks for your comments. I often feel like I am getting more out of it than my son. But we both love it. It is a great way to spend time with your child.


message 31: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 46.The Saturdays The Saturdays (The Melendy Quartet) by Elizabeth Enright Elizabeth Enright
The audible edition is brilliantly read by Pamela Dillman. My whole family, my 10 yo son and my wife all loved this one.


message 32: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 47. Building Great Sentences: Exploring the Writer's Craft
by Brooks Landon

The author gives a very enthusiastic reading and his love for writing comes through loud and clear. The problem is this badly needs editing. The first 3 lectures (first 2 discs)could have served just as well as a 5 minute introduction. This proves maddening. There are some great lectures. But good insights are buried in overlong explanations filled with technical jargon that brought back my worst memories of grammar lessons in elementary school, and were unnecessary. I was very disappointed. Only for the seriously dedicated student of writing who has not been exposed to this material before.


message 33: by Garret (last edited Oct 17, 2010 03:34PM) (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 48. The Maze of Bones (39 Clues, #1) by Rick Riordan Rick Riordan Rick Riordan

Well read audio edition enjoyed by my 10 yo son and me.


message 34: by Carol (last edited Oct 18, 2010 07:30AM) (new)

Carol Neman | 469 comments Garret, I've heard very good things about the 39 Clues Series. I don't know what this makes me, but I enjoy children's books (as well as YA lit)...maybe I'm just a kid at heart. What age(s) would you say this series would be best for? My grandson is almost 8.


message 35: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) Carol wrote: "Garret, I've heard very good things about the 39 Clues Series. I don't know what this makes me, but I enjoy children's books (as well as YA lit)...maybe I'm just a kid at heart. What age(s) would..."

The target audience is 9-12 yo. I would think most 10 or 11 yo would be best audience. As always depends on the child. Probably would not have been appropriate for my son @ 8yo.

Some of it could be too scary or perhaps topics and language somewhat inappropriate for younger ones. The author lapses into cliches and the characters are a bit flat. But for all that my son wants to listen to the next one in the series and I am having fun listening to it with him.


message 36: by Garret (last edited Oct 19, 2010 08:23PM) (new)

Garret (ggannuch) 49. The First Man in Rome The First Man in Rome (Masters of Rome, #1) by Colleen McCullough by Colleen McCullough Colleen McCullough

This was fun and educational historical fiction. Long but didn't seem so!



message 37: by Carol (new)

Carol Neman | 469 comments Loved her first book "The Thorn Birds"...


message 38: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) Carol wrote: "Loved her first book "The Thorn Birds"..."

I missed that one and the miniseries!


message 39: by Carol (last edited Oct 20, 2010 09:06AM) (new)

Carol Neman | 469 comments The miniseries was pretty long and it still didn't cover everything. I have wondered how long it took McCullough to write that epic, there are so many things covered. I have to confess, though, that I skipped most of the long chapter about Luke, a character that comes in about a third of the way through the book and marries the young female protagonist, Meggie, then goes off and leaves her to work in the sugar cane fields with his 'mates'. I didn't much like him.

For a first book, it was unusually good, and long too. Perhaps the miniseries is available somewhere, maybe from Netflix...I don't know if they do miniseries or not, but if they do, they'd be the first to ask. Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward, and Barbara Stanwyck. Easy to picture them while reading the book.


message 40: by Garret (last edited Oct 23, 2010 07:42AM) (new)


message 41: by Connie (new)

Connie (conniebury) | 197 comments Yay on 50!


message 42: by Garret (new)

Garret (ggannuch) Connie wrote: "Yay on 50!"

Thanks!


message 47: by Garret (last edited Nov 06, 2010 04:39PM) (new)


message 48: by Garret (last edited Nov 06, 2010 04:39PM) (new)


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