August 2009: What are you reading?

I'm reading Let The Great World Spin by Colum McCann - Very good so far!

I, also, have "The Sun Also Rises" waiting for me to read.

Right now I'm reading "The Time Traveler's Wife." I got it based on recommendations, but I don't think it's that great. But I'm only about 100 pages into it, and it's a very long book. Maybe I'll like it more later. But I'm impatient--I like books that grab me from page 1 or 2.

I can't wait to see "The Time Traveler's Wife" in the theater. Don't give up on the book keep reading it. No I have not read it .... Lol.

I'll have to admit, I'm looking forward to the film, too, Gessy. I'm partial to Rachel McAdams. It's always better to read a book before seeing its movie though - how many pages is it, Elizabeth?

518

Just finished "The Good Thief", good character development, social issues, mystery; but ending was a bit of a stretch

I haven't heard that title, Christine! What do you like about it so far?

Hehe, maybe we'll be reading buddies, Elizabeth. Hopefully I'll have it finished in a few days, though. In the meantime, are you reading The Time Traveler's Wife to prepare for the release of the film? So far are you thinking it's a film you may want to see?

What about anyone else? What are you reading?

Glad to hear you're reading it, too. I'd love to hear your impressions.
Mine are that it has very good dialog, and it's good enough to make me want to keep reading it because I think something WILL happen, but so far nothing has happened. It's just been a lot of time traveling.

They probably had to really work on the screenplay so it wasn't so monotonous.

I'm reading the book because I heard so many recommendations. I just learned about the movie (or is it a TV show).

Actually, I'm reading The Sun Also Rises, Elizabeth. But it sounds like The Time Traveler's Wife may need to go on my queue of books to read!

Sounds interesting, Nora. Who's the author? Why was the ending a bit of a stretch - implausible?

Just finished: Maria V Snyder's newest "Storm Glass". I've liked all of hers but you'll want to start with the first: "Poison Study".

Ooo, those sound intriguing, Laura. What kind of writer is Snyder? What's her genre? Why do you like her work?

Right now I am reading "Dutchess of Death: The Biography of Agatha Christie," which I am reviewing for a mystery site called www.ReviewingtheEvidence.com. I have a big pile of books to read this summer. So far, I've enjoyed "Best Friends Forever" by Jennifer Weiner (despite the cheesy title), "Love and Obstacles" by Aleksander Hemon, and "The Fan," by Peter Abrahams among the books I've been reading.

Next on my list for summer is "Exiles in the Garden" by Ward Just and, no doubt, more mysteries.

My favorite Hemingway is "A Moveable Feast," have you read that one?

I'm rereading Lacey Took a Holiday by Lazarus Barnhill. And I'm reading Heart of Hythea by Suzanne Francis. Right now I seem to be gravitating toward books from small presses.

I absolutely love to read! Just finished a horror book, "Born Burning," by Thomas Sullivan, but it wasn't as good as I had thought....Now I'm reading "A Painted House" by John Grisham (have never read his books before!).....also, I'm reading "Nights In Rodanthe," by Nicholas Sparks! Just finished "The Notebook," and I really, really loved it, even though I generally don't care forromance books at all!

Nora, I haven't read "Nights in Rodanthe," but I saw the movie. I love it so much that I bought the DVD. I do hope you see the movie after you finish the book so you can compare the two. Please let me know if the books is just as good.

I'm currently reading "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer. Then I'm planning to read "The Giver" by Lois Lowry.

The Giver is shorter, but quite a bit deeper. It's a children's book for grownups.

Haven't read A Moveable Feast, Christine, though I hear from many people that it's their favorite Hemingway. This is my first novel of his - otherwise, I've only read "Hills Like White Elephants," which I absolutely love. Hemingway's craftsmanship amazes me - how much meaning is distilled into each and every word. What do you think of the Agatha Christie biography? She's one of my dad's favorite authors. Is it worth a recommendation?

Which of those two do you prefer, Pat? Can you give us a brief synopsis of what you've read so far?

I know so many people who love Nicholas Sparks books, Nora, and a lot of them are like you - they don't generally care for romance novels! Which of the three authors you mentioned do you prefer? Why?

The Giver. What a classic, Crystal. Great book. What made you choose those two titles? What made them stand out?

What about anyone else? What are you reading this August? What do you recommend?

I'm trying to finish up the Twilight series. I've been adding more classics to my reading list because I feel that I have missed many great books and I tend to always grab the new books at the bookstores, so I grabbed "The Giver" the last time I was at the library.

When I finish what I started the last day of July, "The Time Traveler's Wife," I'll read "Face of Betrayal" by Lis Whiel.

I am reading Amber and Blood by Margaret Weis (third in Dark Disciple Trilogy) It will make my 56th book this year and I found the Dream hunter & Dark Hunter series (has to be read together) by Sherrilyn Kenyon to have been a fantastic read. Great series for people who love vampire/supernatural scifi :)

Oh and the Atlantis series by Gena Showalter was nice as well.

I have enjoyed a couple of collaborations (books with several short stories by several authors) but I usually am a tad disappointed by one or two of the included stories.

Am I too late? Sorry I must have been on my way home when you started this discussion. I love talking about books. I am now reading "The French Gardner" by Santa Montefiore. I like it so far. It is about an English family who lived in London but moved to the country side. I have only read 60 pages so far, and I am getting into it.

I just finished "Hungry Woman in Paris" about a Latina from LA who runs away from her family because she didn't want to marry her fiance. She enrolled in a french culinary school for a year and had an adventure. I did not like it too much because it was too sexual. One can tell a story without being so graphic. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

This afternoon, I went to Borders (book store). I purchased two books. The first is "Serendipity" by Louise Shaffer, the other is "Riverside Park" by Laura Van Wormer. I know that I have been trying to stop buying books. I just could not resist getting those two. I got a $10.00 discount and thought hey why not. I am so excited about Serendipity because they praised this book a lot on gather. I really hope that I will also like it.

I must say that I am not doing too well with "My Summer Reading List." I am only on the second book. Since it took me two weeks to finish the first one. I am projecting another two for French Gardner. I am thinking that I might be done by end of Fall season.

Never too, late. It's always a good time to talk about books by my watch, Gessy! Are you one to finish a book because you've started it? Just curious because you said you didn't like Hungry Woman in Paris but you finished it. That's admirable! Don't get me wrong. I'm just curious!

Actually Eliza I usually stop reading books that I am not enjoying. This time I made it a must because I started reading two books previously that I had to stop (Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy and The story of Edgar Sawtell by David W). The book I am reading now is interesting, I will see it through.

Has anyone here read Sarah's Key? I think it is about a little girl who locks her little brother in a kitchen cabinet thinking she would be back to free him after her visit to the Nazi camp.... or.... I am not sure about the plot. But I would really like to hear someone's opinion on this. Is it worth reading?

Currently, I'm reading Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. It's a love story about a girl who watches the wolves behind her house and a boy who is a wolf and a human. On my TBR list for August also is Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls, about girls caught up in the thin, thinner, thinnest mindset. Also Rose Wilder Lane Her Story by Rose Wilder Lane and Roger Lea MacBride, the biography of the daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder. And Dean Koontz's latest, Relentless. I like Nicholas Sparks too and am waiting for his new novel due out in September. that they're turning into a movie. I just bought Tammi Sauer's picture book, Chicken Dance, for my grandkids. It is a fun read. More are on my list for September.

just finished "Master of War" , it's a bio of Civil War General George Thomas, fascinating. Am reading "Hot, Flat, and Crowded", Tom Friedman's take on the energy/climate challenge. Next book on my reading stack is "Border Songs", the favorably reviewed novel by Jim Lynch that portrays a border patrol agent in Washington State.

The Sun Also Rises! Aaaaargh! It was featured in Boring Things to Avoid - July Is Anti-Boredom Month Granted, it's August, but still!

I'm sorry you feel that way.

Did any exciting suggestions come out as an antidote to the boring things to avoid?

I just finished Wally Lamb's The Moment I Believed (I think that's the correct title). It was very long and a little slow in the middle, but great overall- well worth the effort. I am now starting Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier author of Cold Mountain, another book I loved.

What makes The Moment I Believed great overall, Deb? What's its redeeming factor?

I'm reading the Devil's Labrythine by John Saul. I am reading others as well, including Men Who Hate Women and the Women who Love Them.

Those sound interesting! What are they about?

Hey everyone! Wow, you've all been busy reading! The books sound like great suggestions.

Wildflower sounds great, Madame Butterfly! What or who turned you onto it? What will you read next?

Which collaborations have you enjoyed, Jerri? Also, 56 books?? Way to go! That's amazing! When do you enjoy reading?

I hope someone's read Sarah's Key, Gessy. That would make for an interesting conversation!

What a diverse list, Beverly! It's not the most interesting question, but who or what turned you onto those titles? Same to you, Chris - how'd you decide on those titles?

What are other people reading this August?

I heard about Wildflower on BBC radio in the wee hours of the morning in bed, got up and wrote down the author and title and checked if my library had it. I've just begun Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas. It's about the friendship between an older woman who has an old weatherbeaten sign in front of her house with Prayers for Sale carved on it and a 17 year old who stops to buy a prayer. It's a good read so far. The author has also written a book called Tallgrass about a Japanese interment camp in Colorado.

Hmmm...collaborations. Let me see. Holidays Are Hell by Kim Harrison, Marjorie M. Liu, Vicki Pettersson, & Lynsay Sands; Bite by Vickie Taylor, Laurell K. Hamilton, Charlaine Harris, MaryJanice Davidson, & Angela Knight. Both books I read Dec 08. I read the most in bed & in the bubbly bath LOL!

Is the 17-year-old male or female, Madame Butterfly? I'm curious the type of relationship these two characters have.

Which two or so of those collaborations did you like best, Jerri? Can you explain their concepts at all?

"Hot flat and Crowded" because I decided a while ago, while reading Friedman's "From Beirut to Jerusalem" that he is one of the greatest journalists of our Age, and that I am willing to read anything by him.

"Master of War" because the Civil War is endlessly fascinating- not the boring battlefield play by play, but rather the insights of human nature, the failures, the misunderstandings, the triumphs of understanding and character over fear, hate, and ignorance.

"Border songs" because I like to keep up with semi-literary fiction. Much of the best seller list I consider dull and ephemeral. Give me something that dares to be different, and tries to say something.

Thanks, Chris! These sound awesome. Thanks for the detail!

welcome! I should also mention that Friedman has not one, not two, but THREE Pulitzer prizes for his work.

Right now I'm trying to read Stephen King's "Cujo" Not really getting into it though.

I need another trip to the library, because nothing in my personal library is grabbing me lately.

maybe try "The Strain" by Guillermo del Toro, vampire thriller.

I am reading The Beach Club by Elin Hilderbrand, next up i want to get a copy of Last light over Carolina by Mary Alice Monroe, I was sad to've missed her book signing but was in the emergency room so maybe next time: (

Oh no! I hope everything is okay, Lori! Any ideas what the book is about - do you have a teaser you could share with us?

Currently I'm reading The Majic Bus: An American Odyssey (that spelling is correct) on loan from The St. Paul Public Library. Oddly enough it is my transit reading, so I'm reading it on the bus. My MTC ride isn't so... "majic" but hey.

It is written by Douglas Brinkley, a college professor who took a handful of students on a cross-country trip to experience the U.S. and visit places of historical or cultural significance. So far - only a few chapters in - I enjoy it.

This sounds great, Julia, and kind of reminds me of Kerouac. Hmm...

I just finished Muriel Barbery's "The Elegance of the Hedgehog." I'd love to hear thoughts from any of you who have also read it.

I don't know who's read it, Eileen, but what are some of your thoughts about it? Any sort of synopsis you could share with us?

"The Elegance of the Hedgehog" tells the story of day to day life from the perspective of two characters who live in the same building. Twelve year old Paloma is precocious and tired of living with her very wealthy family. The widow, Renee lives with her cat, Leo, and is concierge in the building. Renee and Paloma offer insights on the activities of their fellow tenants. ... That's all well and good, but the writing is intelligent, witty and impossible to put down once you have begun!

Thanks, Eileen! This sounds like an entertaining book.

I'm in the middle of Time Management for Unmanageable People and am starting Julia Cameron's The Vein of Gold.

I love it, Linda! Time Management for Unmanageable People sounds like an awesome book...(and maybe one I need to check out)...What turned you on to that?