# Good Reads for Summer?



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

So here comes summer and I just finished my latest book, Three Cups of Tea, which I really liked and am looking for my next good read. I like a mix and thought it would be fun if everyone listed 10 books they would recommend. I'm looking for more current titles than classics. I'll start. 
1. Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson
2. Loving Frank - Nancy Horan
3. South of Broad - Pat Conroy
4. A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
5. Olive Kitteridge - Elizabeth Stout
6. The House at Riverton - Kate Morton
7. The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd
8. Crossing to Safety - Wallace Stegner
9. The Tender Bar - J.R . Moehringer
10 Paul Fersen - A Peach Tree in an Apple Orchard


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Few would like my recommendations, unfortunately.  

I have eclectic tastes. So I won't list 10 books, but I can recommend a couple of authors whose writing style I enjoy. 

If you are into WWII intrigue-style novels set in Europe,* Alan Furst* is a wonderful author and a fellow New Yorker. His novels are very atmospheric. 

I also enjoy

*Steig Larsson*, author of Scandinavian crime novels.
*Isabelle Allende
Philippa Gregory*
*Pat Conroy* has a good way with words

Although a lot of writers dislike him, and I don't much care for anything that contains horror elements, I enjoy the writing style of *Dean Koontz*, and I try to skip the more violent or scary scenes. 

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. I usually read novels from all different genres, and I am very very picky. Right now, I am about to start a novel called, _The Ghosts of Belfast_, by *Stuart Neville*. It came highly recommended, but I haven't read it yet.

If you want to read a fabulous set of non-fic books that are nicely written and dog-related, I recommend two by *Patricia McConnell*:
_The Other End Of The Leash
For The Love Of A Dog_

Or if you are into lighter, more romantic reading, my good friend and new crime novelist *Mark Bertrand* teamed up with a romance writer to pen a romantic suspense novel set in Charleston SC: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Beguiled-Deeanne-Gist/dp/0764206281/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1276117021&sr=1-3"]_Beguiled_[/ame]

Enjoy!

I really love it when people read books. Makes me feel like there's hope for the world, lol.


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## princessre (Dec 23, 2008)

Good idea, Sue!! I read almost all non-fiction, so I don't know if these are good "summer reads" for others. But my three absolute favorite books of all time are

"The Mind of God" by Paul Davies
"How the Mind Works" by Steven Pinker
"Innovation and Entrepreneurship" by Peter Drucker


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

I just finished The Help. It's the best book I have read in along, long time.

The Lovely Bones is wonderful, too.

Scott Turow finally came out with a sequel to Presumed Innocent (remember the movie w/Harrison Ford?) after 20 years. It's called The Innocent. It got great reviews and is on my list to read this summer.

Suzan, I agree with you. Reading is wonderful! I am still trying to open my mind up to a Kindle or Nook, but just can't seem to let go of the physical book.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Ladysmom said:


> I just finished The Help. It's the best book I have read in along, long time.
> 
> The Lovely Bones is wonderful, too.
> 
> ...


Marj - I'm the same way. Everyone on the subways seem to be getting the kindles and Nooks but I just love the feel of a real book. Though I must way that I always read before I go to bed and some of the heavy hardcovers are killers. I think the e-books are particularly great for people who travel a lot and thus don't have to carry a few books in their luggage. I am also the one who also loved encyclopedias and couldn't imagine finding everything on the web. :brownbag: I've come around on that one.:thumbsup:


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Ladysmom said:


> I am still trying to open my mind up to a Kindle or Nook, but just can't seem to let go of the physical book.


Like you Marj, I've been toying with the idea of a Kindle or a Nook and asked a friend last weekend how she liked her Kindle. She's had it for a couple of years. She said she loves it for travel but she misses the "smell and feel of a real book." I think that kind of did it for me. I'm gonna stick to paper for now.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

My writer friend loves her Kindle, but says it doesn't take the place of a real book. I'd like a Kindle for travel, but I love my real books. I hate the tiny (mass-market) paperbacks, though. The paper is just too cheesy.....


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Ah, non fiction besides dog books....Ah....I'm boring!

I read books on European History. I like history books that are different, well-written, not dry, and challenge the "generally accepted version" of history. I like history books that bring history alive. 

And since I am not going to pursue a side career in nutrition in addition to writing right now, I've put away the nutrition books. 

Told you I was boring...


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## beckinwolf (Sep 2, 2008)

MaryH said:


> Like you Marj, I've been toying with the idea of a Kindle or a Nook and asked a friend last weekend how she liked her Kindle. She's had it for a couple of years. She said she loves it for travel but she misses the "*smell and feel of a real book*." I think that kind of did it for me. I'm gonna stick to paper for now.


I totally agree with this. I love reading old books, or books that have been in storage. Something about that musty smell of old paper. If they could make a Kindle smell like an old book, then maybe, but I doubt I could give up the real thing. 

As far as my summer reading. Well, I just read a hodge-podge of mystery/crime who-done it novels. I love me some sci-fi horror stuff too. I also like the true crime stuff too. Although I know its too much for some people, I love it.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

beckinwolf said:


> I also like the true crime stuff too. Although I know its too much for some people, I love it.


I am a true crime junkie, too! Ann Rule is the best!


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## CeeCee's Mom (Sep 14, 2006)

I am reading..."The Best of Friends" by Mariana Pasternak. A book about Martha Stewart by her ex-best friend. Martha is at times CRAZY!!! That is all I am going to say.

Fixing to read..."Roses" by Leila Meacham. This is about 3 generations of a family in East Texas......sort of on the theme of "The Thorn Birds"

I have had "Under the Dome" by Stephen King for a while, haven' gotten around to reading it yet....I do not necessarily like his books exept for "The Stand"......loved that. I like the synopsis of this one~~~

I am like Sophia, unually I read non-fiction but Roses came highly recommended~~~


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

CeeCee's Mom said:


> I am reading..."The Best of Friends" by Mariana Pasternak. A book about Martha Stewart by her ex-best friend. Martha is at times CRAZY!!! That is all I am going to say.
> 
> Fixing to read..."Roses" by Leila Meacham. This is about 3 generations of a family in East Texas......sort of on the theme of "The Thorn Birds"
> 
> ...


I liked _The Stand _as well.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

I used to love Stephen King -- The Shining, It (really gave me the heeby jeebies) Christine, Carrie, etc. But when I read Misery :w00t: that was the end. I couldn't take it and thought it was so gratuitously violent. I never read another book of his after that. Was The Stand before or after that?


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Snowbody said:


> I used to love Stephen King -- The Shining, It (really gave me the heeby jeebies) Christine, Carrie, etc. But when I read Misery :w00t: that was the end. I couldn't take it and thought it was so gratuitously violent. I never read another book of his after that. Was The Stand before or after that?


_The Stand_ was published in 1978. I didn't read the others. I don't know when they came out. I enjoy sci fi and dystopians but I don't like horror or gratuitous violence in movies or books. _The Stand _was a post-apocalyptic epic story. Not too much horror and violence - well, not too much for King, lol. Very well-written, imo. 

I grudgingly read his_ Cell _a couple of years ago. Hated it.


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## Hunter's Mom (Dec 8, 2008)

Reading is one of my favorite things to do and since I spend 50% of my week reading letters, emails, articles, etc on the computer or phone I love nothing more than to curl up with a great book. Kindles seem great but to me it wouldn't feel like I was reading a book, just a long email!

I haven't created a summer reading list so this is a great post. I will say that I love books by John Grisham and Nicholas Sparks.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Some have already been mentioned, but here are some of my favorites (not all current) ...

Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd
Don't Stop The Carnival - Herman Wouk
The Shipping News - E. Annie Proulx
The Mists of Avalon - Marian Zimmer Bradley

I just started reading The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett and like it so far.

And last, a book that I didn't like, or at least I think I didn't like it, but long after I finished it I still can't "get over it." To me, it seemed more like reading a poem ... and the only word I have to describe it was GRIM. But I'm still amazed that a person could write, and the main character could speak, so few words and have them say so much ... The Road by Cormac McCarthy.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

MaryH said:


> Some have already been mentioned, but here are some of my favorites (not all current) ...
> 
> Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
> Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
> ...



I keep toying with ordering Water for Elephants, but am too afraid. I'm not sure I can handle a book about circus elephants.

I have read Sara Gruen's Riding Lessons and Flying Changes. Light, fun reading for horse lovers of any age. I loaned them to my mom, sister and now am passing them on to my daughter!


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> Some have already been mentioned, but here are some of my favorites (not all current) ...
> 
> Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
> Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
> ...


This is scary Mary. You mentioned some of the books I did and I loved Water for Elephants and The Kite Runner on your list. And I felt the same way about The Road. It was haunting, grim indeed and really tough to read but it stayed with me too and I found it fascinating in a strange way. My DH read Pillars years ago and liked it a lot but it was very long and detailed. So I definitely have to read the ones from your list that I haven't already since we seem to have very similar taste in books. Hope you try some of mine. 
I'm so excited about everyone's choices. I don't like to go with the popular books on lists or the ones I see at Costco. I love recommendations.:chili:


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## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

Some of the best summer books I've ever read are Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels. The first time I ever laughed out loud reading a book was while reading hers.

I also love Dean Koontz and Stephen King. And, absolutely love any type of series books. I just never want a good book to end! lol

I received the Kindl as a gift and thought I would love it, but like many have mentioned it's not the same as holding a book and feeling the paper and the smell. I really do miss those things. I also love a really LONG book and with the Kindl it's hard to tell how much farther you have to go till the end and it really does take some of that "don't want it to end" excitement out of the book.

Linda


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

sophie said:


> I received the Kindl as a gift and thought I would love it, but like many have mentioned it's not the same as holding a book and feeling the paper and the smell. I really do miss those things. I also love a really LONG book and with the Kindl it's hard to tell how much farther you have to go till the end and it really does take some of that "don't want it to end" excitement out of the book.
> 
> Linda


Oh, yeah! I did that with _The Help_. I kept checking how many pages I had left because I never wanted it to end.


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## coco&nina (May 8, 2008)

Ooh great post! I hardly have time to read lately, but a few books that I've enjoyed in the past recent years are:

Phillipa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl, The Boleyn Inheritance, The Queen's Fool...in the middle of The Virgin's Lover which is kind of a bore and i prob won't finish)- Addicting!
Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns)- LOVE!
Twilight Series (All 4 books)- Guilty pleasure :blush:
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks- A dog is one of the main characters :wub:
Book Thief by Markus Zusack

I'm sticking with actual books. I'd miss the feel and the smell too much! I do prefer paperback over hardcover though. Hardcovers are just too heavy to carry around.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Sue, I felt the same way when I read your list! About 5 years ago I did a major clean out, donated tons of books to our local library for their once a year book sale fundraiser, books that I read once and didn't think I'd ever read again, books that I had had for years and never got around to reading, and about 99% of my cookbook collection. Crossing to Safety was one of the unread books that got donated and I've been sorry ever since. I had South of Broad and The House at Riverton in my hands at Barnes and Noble last weekend and made myself put them down until I read at least two books that I already own.  Now I want to go run out again and buy them! What about any of the Gregory Maguire books? I have both Wicked and Son of a Witch but haven't started on them yet. And another one on my "to buy" list is A Reliable Wife which is very weird because I'm not a big fan of scary (twisted) books (I could never read Stephen King). :w00t:

Marj, the circus animals aren't the story, more the background setting, in Water for Elephants. It really is a wonderful book and is at the top of my all time favorites list of books.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> Sue, I felt the same way when I read your list! About 5 years ago I did a major clean out, donated tons of books to our local library for their once a year book sale fundraiser, books that I read once and didn't think I'd ever read again, books that I had had for years and never got around to reading, and about 99% of my cookbook collection. Crossing to Safety was one of the unread books that got donated and I've been sorry ever since. I had South of Broad and The House at Riverton in my hands at Barnes and Noble last weekend and made myself put them down until I read at least two books that I already own.  Now I want to go run out again and buy them! What about any of the Gregory Maguire books? I have both Wicked and Son of a Witch but haven't started on them yet. And another one on my "to buy" list is A Reliable Wife which is very weird because I'm not a big fan of scary (twisted) books (I could never read Stephen King). :w00t:
> 
> Marj, the circus animals aren't the story, more the background setting, in Water for Elephants. It really is a wonderful book and is at the top of my all time favorites list of books.


I love Conroy's writing style and descriptions but don't think South of Broad was his best -- to me that was Prince of Tides and Riverton was very Upstairs, Downstairs-esque which I enjoyed.
I didn't read any of the Maguire books but loved the broadway show Wicked I tend to forget what I read so I started to keep a file in my computer with title, author and a little review of my own. It helps this old brain "remember" Haven't heard anything about A Reliable Wife. I can luckily recycle my old books in the basement of my apartment building where they have a lending library for the tenants. It's so great. I also like most Anna Quindlen books and some Wally Lamb books (two very different types).


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Back in the fall of 2008 when I couldn't listen to one more word of bad news on the radio driving to work (almost an hour each way), I bought some audiobooks. For anyone looking for a laugh out loud/put my brain to rest book, buy anything by Sophie Kinsella. Can You Keep A Secret was absolutely hysterical ... probably the only time in my life that I've laughed all the way to work!


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## beckinwolf (Sep 2, 2008)

MaryH said:


> Some have already been mentioned, but here are some of my favorites (not all current) ...
> 
> Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
> Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
> ...


I read The Road too. It was good. Disturbing, but good. It was almost scary to me because I can see that really happening if something chaotic did happen. Did you see the movie?

I thought of some authors I like. I was kind of vague before. I really like James Patterson books, especially the Alex Cross books. I've been reading the following 5 authors since I was a young teen and still love them all.

Robin Cook
Dean Koontz
John Saul
Stephen King
Michael Chrighton

My one really cheesy, silly, guilty pleasure is the old V.C. Andrews novels. She's long dead now, but they keep cranking out books supposedly written in her style, etc. Of course the best series of her books is the very first, Flowers in the Attic. That whole series is so haunting.

I don't read too much non-fiction, except for true crime. Although I did read a series of non-fiction books by Dave Peltzer. He is a child abuse survivor and his story is so interesting and sad.


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## Canada (Jun 4, 2009)

Wow! Lots of Dean Koontz fans.
He is one of my favs.
And a book of his that is a real page turner & funny also is "Life Expectancy."

Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" is interesting. Of course it isn't recent.

Agree that "The Road" was unusual & bleak.

"Memoirs of a Geisha" was worth the time reading, although the ending could have been more substantial.

And any closet Twilight fans could read Anne Rice, if they haven't already.
I really enjoyed Interview with the Vampire & The Vampire Lestat.

One author that is an easy read (meaning you can lounge poolside and not have to focus!) is Sidney Sheldon.

I mostly read Non Fiction. I used to work in a library, love books.
I used to hide with a flashlight under the blanket reading, 
so my Mom wouldn't see the light on under the door at 2 am! 

I have written down the suggestions here in the thread.


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

I love to read too. I read everything from fiction and non, to history, to politics, religion..whatever- as long is it's written well.

I just finished:

* Sophie's Choice by William Stryon
* Until I Find You by John Irving
* Buddhism Explained by Laurence-Khantipalo Mills

and now I'm reading (at the same time- a bad or maybe good habit of mine)

*The Complete Stories by Franz Kafka
*Ghost Wars-The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan & Bin Laden by Steve Coll

After I finish these two, I'll start on:
* The Lacuna by Barbara Kingslover 
(someone just left it at my house so might as well)
*Dix heures et demie du soir en ete - Marguerite Duras 
(because I make myself read a book in French every now and then).

Also I'm reading all the Pulitzer Prize winners (for fiction- although Steve Coll won it for his non Fiction book I'm reading now)..but I take breaks from it sometimes as not all the books are really that great..although most are. I've read about 40 of them so far...but I haven't placed a time limit on this reading..

PS I read The Road too (as it was on my Pulitzer list)..I read it in 3 days and was completely enthralled and terrified at the same time.

For humor, I love David Sedaris entirely too much. (yes I know it's 'stuffwhitepeoplelike"- but it's just so funny).


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## uniquelovdolce (Mar 10, 2010)

MaryH said:


> Some have already been mentioned, but here are some of my favorites (not all current) ...
> 
> Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
> Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
> ...


 
i love reading and read everything ever since i was like in second grade, i also used to read under the covers with a flashlight. i love all types of books, maybe not so much into non fiction though ... i read the pillars of the earth a while back n i really liked . i loved the kite runner but i have yet to read a thoushand splendid suns. I read alot of books and then i forget the names or the authors. i loved the twilight series , my daughter (16) got me reading them and i thought they were great. i love all the dan brown books, all the joyce flynn political thrillers, sydney sheldon ive read a few. i also read what i call the ghetto books but just for entertainment as they seem to all be the same . Like i said i read everything , ive read many of the books on oprahs book club list. 

i really like the idea of a summer book list. my boyfriend says he is gonna get me a kindle and i might like it but i think books are special and i get what some have said about the flipping of the page n the smell . 

i also read the lovely bones and loved it , very sad yet amazing to me , beautifully written.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

sophie said:


> I also love Dean Koontz and Stephen King. And, absolutely love any type of series books. I just never want a good book to end! lol
> 
> I received the Kindl as a gift and thought I would love it, but like many have mentioned it's not the same as holding a book and feeling the paper and the smell. I really do miss those things. I also love a really LONG book and with the Kindl it's hard to tell how much farther you have to go till the end and it really does take some of that "don't want it to end" excitement out of the book.
> 
> ...





Ladysmom said:


> Oh, yeah! I did that with _The Help_. I kept checking how many pages I had left because I never wanted it to end.





coco&nina said:


> Ooh great post! I hardly have time to read lately, but a few books that I've enjoyed in the past recent years are:
> 
> Phillipa Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl, The Boleyn Inheritance, The Queen's Fool...in the middle of The Virgin's Lover which is kind of a bore and i prob won't finish)- Addicting!
> Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns)- LOVE!
> ...


I loved Kite Runner but then I loved A Thousand Splendid Suns even more. My friend had gone to Afghanistan back in the late 60's or early 70's - hippie days and The Kite Runner really brought back memories in the descriptions of the neighborhood. Have to try The Other Boleyn Girl. I also loved the novel "The Girl with the Pearl Earring."



beckinwolf said:


> I read The Road too. It was good. Disturbing, but good. It was almost scary to me because I can see that really happening if something chaotic did happen. Did you see the movie?
> 
> I thought of some authors I like. I was kind of vague before. I really like James Patterson books, especially the Alex Cross books. I've been reading the following 5 authors since I was a young teen and still love them all.
> 
> ...


Never saw "The Road" movie. Was it with Denzel?? I can't even remember it being released. I don't think I could have brought myself to watch it.
OMG - Flowers in the Attic. That was a blast from the past. I remember reading some of those novels way back when I was younger. I like reading all the authors you listed (though not Patterson)- I had forgotten about Michael Crichton.


Canada said:


> Wow! Lots of Dean Koontz fans.
> He is one of my favs.
> And a book of his that is a real page turner & funny also is "Life Expectancy."
> 
> ...


I remember the flashlight under the covers scenario. :blink: No wonder my eyesight's so bad.:HistericalSmiley: As if our moms didn't know we were doing it but I figure they knew reading was important. I used to read Sidney Shelton and way back in my teens or 20's Irving Wallace books. Truly sleazy but fun. I really liked Handmaid's Tale but not her other novels. And how could I forget The Thornbirds. Loved the book and the mini series on tv with Dr. Kildare (Richard Chamberlain) in it.


iheartbisou said:


> I love to read too. I read everything from fiction and non, to history, to politics, religion..whatever- as long is it's written well.
> 
> I just finished:
> 
> ...


Sophie's Choice, and the movie made of it was one of my all time favorites. And I loved The Poisonwood Bible by Kingsolver.


uniquelovdolce said:


> i love reading and read everything ever since i was like in second grade, i also used to read under the covers with a flashlight. i love all types of books, maybe not so much into non fiction though ... i read the pillars of the earth a while back n i really liked . i loved the kite runner but i have yet to read a thoushand splendid suns. I read alot of books and then i forget the names or the authors. i loved the twilight series , my daughter (16) got me reading them and i thought they were great. i love all the dan brown books, all the joyce flynn political thrillers, sydney sheldon ive read a few. i also read what i call the ghetto books but just for entertainment as they seem to all be the same . Like i said i read everything , ive read many of the books on oprahs book club list.
> 
> i really like the idea of a summer book list. my boyfriend says he is gonna get me a kindle and i might like it but i think books are special and i get what some have said about the flipping of the page n the smell .
> 
> i also read the lovely bones and loved it , very sad yet amazing to me , beautifully written.


I liked the Dan Brown books too when they came out. I liked Angels and Demons better than the Da Vinci Code. Was fun being in Rome and Paris this year and remembering where certain things were supposedly set Sometimes though with series by an author I find that they become too predictable in their thinking and style. It's great when they do change it up.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Just thought of three more reads I really liked: 
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, 
Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay and 
Ron McLarty's The Memory of Running. Not to be confused with Running with Scissors which I hated!! Way too weird for me.


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

I liked Angela's Ashes a lot!! What a childhood.

Running with Scissors was alright for me to read..but his other books, not at all! I put the 2nd one down as the subject just wasn't interesting (to me).

Last year I read Junot Diaz's "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" (won 2009 Pulitzer) and I loved that- great story. It's half fiction and half a brief history lesson of Rafael Trujillo and the Domincan Republic. It was the type of book that you just keep thinking intensely about afterward. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_Republic


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## princessre (Dec 23, 2008)

iheartbisou said:


> I liked Angela's Ashes a lot!! What a childhood.
> Last year I read Junot Diaz's "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" (won 2009 Pulitzer) and I loved that- great story. It's half fiction and half a brief history lesson of Rafael Trujillo and the Domincan Republic. It was the type of book that you just keep thinking intensely about afterward.


Andrew keeps talking about this book...I'm going to have to read it too.


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## uniquelovdolce (Mar 10, 2010)

princessre said:


> Andrew keeps talking about this book...I'm going to have to read it too.


 
would love to read that as my parents are dominican.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Thanks for the reminder on Diaz's book! I wanted to read that one.




iheartbisou said:


> I liked Angela's Ashes a lot!! What a childhood.
> 
> Running with Scissors was alright for me to read..but his other books, not at all! I put the 2nd one down as the subject just wasn't interesting (to me).
> 
> Last year I read Junot Diaz's "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" (won 2009 Pulitzer) and I loved that- great story. It's half fiction and half a brief history lesson of Rafael Trujillo and the Domincan Republic. It was the type of book that you just keep thinking intensely about afterward.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Another author I like is Tracy Chevalier. She wrote _The Girl With The Pearl Earring_


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

iheartbisou said:


> I liked Angela's Ashes a lot!! What a childhood.
> 
> Running with Scissors was alright for me to read..but his other books, not at all! I put the 2nd one down as the subject just wasn't interesting (to me).
> 
> Last year I read Junot Diaz's "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" (won 2009 Pulitzer) and I loved that- great story. It's half fiction and half a brief history lesson of Rafael Trujillo and the Domincan Republic. It was the type of book that you just keep thinking intensely about afterward. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominican_Republic


Thanks for the Diaz suggestion. I had read about it and forgotten about it. This is so great!! I've got a list of books to get excited about I'll be traveling a lot for work so great to have great reads along as company.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Nikki's Mom said:


> Another author I like is Tracy Chevalier. She wrote _The Girl With The Pearl Earring_


Suzan - This was one book that I thought they did a great job in translating into a movie. I thought Scarlett Johannsen was perfect for the role and it just had the feel of the book and the times. Lots of tension - sexual and otherwise


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Snowbody said:


> I loved Kite Runner but then I loved A Thousand Splendid Suns even more. My friend had gone to Afghanistan back in the late 60's or early 70's - hippie days and The Kite Runner really brought back memories in the descriptions of the neighborhood. Have to try The Other Boleyn Girl. I also loved the novel "The Girl with the Pearl Earring."


 
Speaking of the hippie days (and they really were before my time ... but just slightly!!), what about The Drifters by James Michener? What a great book!!

This thread is just so much fun ... :aktion033:


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## wooflife (Aug 8, 2007)

For those of you that like Philippa Gregory books and The House at Riverton as well as the The Help. You will love The Thirteenth Tale -Diane Settlerlund (I think). I never wanted this book to end...

For those that like the Twilight Series - The Poison Study series books are very enjoyable. 

I'm a big fan of Stephanie Plum novels as well - I believe there should be a new one coming soon.

I own a kindle and love it - I too prefer the feel of a real book but with the amount of books that I read it's a lot cheaper to use the kindle. If I fall in love with something I will buy the hardback version. And there are certain books that I will never throw away but I just don't have room to keep them all. 

Anything that becomes a reference is purchased.

I am currently reading Thirteen Reason Why by James Asher. My daughter read it and loved it. She finished it faster than any other book she's read this year. If you have a teenage daughter the Sara Dessen book are great - We read those together so we can talk about them. 

Next up is the The Bree Tanner novel by Stephanie Meyer.

My husband just brought home the iPad last night and linked it up to my kindle account so I can try reading books on it to see how it does. 

I'm trying to talk my mom and dad into getting a kindle - they read constantly and it would be really nice to just share books that way - they buy everything hardback when it first comes out but they live in FL. So even if they send me the books it get's expensive. We could all share one kindle account and never run out of reading material. 

Kindle also offers a lot of free books that are quite good and I've downloaded and read a few of them. 

I :heart: kindle!


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

wooflife said:


> For those of you that like Philippa Gregory books and The House at Riverton as well as the The Help. You will love The Thirteenth Tale -Diane Settlerlund (I think). I never wanted this book to end...
> 
> For those that like the Twilight Series - The Poison Study series books are very enjoyable.
> 
> ...


If you have any siblings to split the cost, sounds like the Kindle could be a nice Father's Day Gift


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

For the Stephanie Plum fans, #16 comes out June 22 according to Amazon! My pre-order is already in!


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Just thought of another few I like. The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, Tuesday's with Morrie (inspirational) and Caleb Carr's books.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Snowbody said:


> Just thought of another few I like. The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, Tuesday's with Morrie (inspirational) and Caleb Carr's books.


I've got _Time Traveler's Wife_ on my bookshelf! Might be my next read.


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## Julie03 (Mar 18, 2010)

Ladysmom said:


> I've got _Time Traveler's Wife_ on my bookshelf! Might be my next read.


That was a really good book! You should make it your next read.


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## beckinwolf (Sep 2, 2008)

Ladysmom said:


> I've got _Time Traveler's Wife_ on my bookshelf! Might be my next read.


Do you know if its the same "Time Traveler's Wife" that the movie was based on? It was great.


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## Julie03 (Mar 18, 2010)

beckinwolf said:


> Do you know if its the same "Time Traveler's Wife" that the movie was based on? It was great.


Yes, the movie was based on that book. But, the book was way better, IMO.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

iloveGESUS said:


> Yes, the movie was based on that book. But, the book was way better, IMO.


Agreed. The movie was mediocre compared to the book.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

The funny thing was that there was a tv series on NBC a couple of years ago that was called "Journeyman" (the star was the actor who plays Owen the doctor who was in Iraq on Grey's Anatomy) and I thought they were ripping off Time Travelers Wife. I even wrote on their blog and a whole other bunch of people chimed in the same. The exec producer swore it wasn't but I think it was.


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## majik921 (Apr 27, 2010)

I agree with you on the Lovely Bones, she also wrote a great memoir called Lucky which was really beautiful. 

I also love Ann Rule as well, I'm sort of morbid. 

On another note: yeah! I've figured out who Marj is! I need to order some doggie bows from you tout suite!


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## SugarBob62 (Nov 9, 2009)

I ordered The Time Traveler's Wife a week ago. I'm waiting for it to come in, it's on backorder!!! (hardcover) :chili:

So I want to read the book before I see the movie, but I keep watching the movie trailer haha. Though I have about 3 or so other books in my line-up first I need to read before that haha.

I posted about my favorites before on here before, and I always look up all the ones you girls suggest...always looking for new things to pick up. I'm picky though before I read stuff. I have to REALLY want to read it. Because I end up buying the book to read it (I used to go to the library, but the books were getting progressively grosser as in finding nasty things on the pages and stuff UGH...so I quit going there) And I hate paperback books, so I have to buy hardcover, which is usually more money. So I have to REALLY want to read the book in order to buy it and read it, if that makes any sense hahaha
So no Kindle or anything for me ever. I can't imagine reading on that. After just using my iPod for a little while hurts my eyes. I know its different from that...but still. I love holding that big hardcover book with PAGES!! Electronic books aren't for me :HistericalSmiley:

But my all time favorites are:
Anything by Nicholas Sparks
Harry Potters
Narnia stories
And Twilights

Ironically though, I have never read any of those more than once. I always seem to have a long list of books that needs reading, that I never get to go back and re-read all my favorites. A lot of those books kept me busy for a while over the years though, with the series, so I feel like I should eventually be able to catch up and maybe start reading Harry Potter over again from the beginning.

And thats why I really like getting into "series" type books too. Because I know I will like the 2nd and 3rd and 4th and so on, to keep buying them to be able to read them, if I liked the 1st. Chances are, anyway...


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Anyone ever read Snow Falling on Cedars? Saw it down in my building library and kept seeing it.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Snowbody said:


> Anyone ever read Snow Falling on Cedars? Saw it down in my building library and kept seeing it.


I haven't read it, but it got good reviews.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Snowbody said:


> Anyone ever read Snow Falling on Cedars? Saw it down in my building library and kept seeing it.


Yes, and liked it alot. Sue, did you read The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx? If not and if you see it around anywhere give it a try. I'd love to hear what you think of it. I've recommended it to a number of people but have always said "you will either love it or hate it." It's weird, sad, pathetic, but also funny and sometimes heartwarming.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Oh, oh ... my willpower is crumbling. I keep finding myself in Barnes and Noble lately looking at the Nook ... grrrr!! I'm really not into tech toys, or at least I thought I wasn't, but I got an iPod Touch for Christmas and finally last night called Verizon for help in getting it connected to my wireless internet service just so that I could download the B&N eReader application. And then I got a Droid a couple of weeks ago that I'm liking alot, too (and still trying to figure out). So there I was again today in B&N looking at the Nook. It's getting harder and harder to walk away from it but I forced myself to leave and go grocery shopping. I love to cook but never seem to find the time to pack a lunch for workdays. So as I was walking through the grocery store I promised myself that if I make breakfast, lunch and dinner at home every day through the end of the month I can reward myself with a Nook?

And I've given up on The Pillars of the Earth for now. I like it but it's more my idea of good reading on a cold snowy day rather than summer reading. Like I don't have enough books sitting around here to read but I bought another one today, just started it and already don't want to put it down ... The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> Oh, oh ... my willpower is crumbling. I keep finding myself in Barnes and Noble lately looking at the Nook ... grrrr!! I'm really not into tech toys, or at least I thought I wasn't, but I got an iPod Touch for Christmas and finally last night called Verizon for help in getting it connected to my wireless internet service just so that I could download the B&N eReader application. And then I got a Droid a couple of weeks ago that I'm liking alot, too (and still trying to figure out). So there I was again today in B&N looking at the Nook. It's getting harder and harder to walk away from it but I forced myself to leave and go grocery shopping. I love to cook but never seem to find the time to pack a lunch for workdays. So as I was walking through the grocery store I promised myself that if I make breakfast, lunch and dinner at home every day through the end of the month I can reward myself with a Nook?
> 
> And I've given up on The Pillars of the Earth for now. I like it but it's more my idea of good reading on a cold snowy day rather than summer reading. Like I don't have enough books sitting around here to read but I bought another one today, just started it and already don't want to put it down ... The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.


Didn't try The Shipping News yet nor the movie. Think I did see it in my apt building library.:aktion033: I'm in the midst of The Symbol by Dan Abrams since DH had it and gave it to me but I had interrupted that with Three Cups of Tea. Also have been catching up on some Sunday New York Times Crossword puzzles that I've ripped out of the magazine and saved. Used to love doing them with my girlfriends on the beach when I was in my 20's and 30's. Now I'm on my own (except a few times I get DH to help)but shocked that sometimes I can finish them. I feel like a grown up. 
I remember when DH read Pillars of the Earth and tho he liked it he said it was a pretty arduous task getting through it. Verrry long and detailed.
Wow you're a regular techie marvel next to most of my friends.:thumbsup: I have my iPod Touch and do love it for photos (always have them on me) and music. I don't have the phone--I just have a simple old fashioned Krazr and keep holding out. Heck I kept my StarTac years after everyone got rid of theirs. It was so reliable and became a topic of conversation..."you still have a StarTac?":w00t::w00t: Horrified my DS!:chili: 

Sounds to me like a Nook (other than a reading nook in a room) could be in your future! You'll have to let me know what you think but I'm holding out. 
I'm making one list of all the suggested reads from this thread to keep and refer to my next trip to the bookstore. My favorite is the Northshire Book Store up in Manchester VT. It's really like a step back in time before the megastores and several floors in a really old building with lots of places to curl up and read and a great restaurant as well. I try to frequent them and buy local up there. If you buy a dozen books they figure out the average you paid and you get a credit for that amount to get your 13th book.

Mary you'd better start making tomorrow's lunch soon. :HistericalSmiley::HistericalSmiley:


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Snowbody said:


> Mary you'd better start making tomorrow's lunch soon. :HistericalSmiley::HistericalSmiley:


I might just have found the solution to NOT getting the Nook!! I got home from work, fed and exercised the dogs, ran out to doggie school, got home, did a load of laundry, brushed some dogs, packed up breakfast and lunch for tomorrow, gave the little ones their good night cookies ... and now I'm too tired to read. :w00t:


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> I might just have found the solution to NOT getting the Nook!! I got home from work, fed and exercised the dogs, ran out to doggie school, got home, did a load of laundry, brushed some dogs, packed up breakfast and lunch for tomorrow, gave the little ones their good night cookies ... and now I'm too tired to read. :w00t:


:smrofl::smrofl:


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## heartmadeforyou (May 16, 2009)

You guys rock! Thanks for all the book suggestions. I actually have an Audible account and listen to books while I work in the quilting studio. I used to read like crazy, but life got too busy. A few years ago I tried to listen to a book on a casette player but I was too ADD to stick with the story (I would daydream and totally check out...) About a year ago I tried again with my iPhone and WOW. Pluging the story into my ears makes me feel like I have climbed into the book. With audio books the readers can make or break a good book, too. These are my favorites so far:

I love anything by David Sedaris. He reads his own stuff and he makes me laugh out loud!

The Secret Life of Bees was wonderful. I also enjoyed Kabul Beauty School. It was touching and enlightening as was Reading Lolita in Tehran.

I use my iPhone as a mini "Kindle". There is a free (or cheap) app and it is suprisingly easy to read on the phone. I wear bifocals, but the text is no problem on the small screen.

I saw someone mention that they were planning on reading Wicked. I've not seen the stage production, but got the audiobook because I figured it would never come to Marion, IA (LOL). I have to believe the stage production is completely different than the book because the book was HORRIBLE! I'm pretty open minded, but there were sexual themes that made me very uncomfortable (crude, pointless, and twisted) and it seemed to jump around like I was listening to the chapters out of order (but I wasn't.)


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

Snow falling on Cedars was good...I read it a really long time ago and barely remember the story but I do remember that it was good.

I am mildly obsessed with David Sedaris! I love him!!! One of my friends is friends with him..and I'm always asking her for his address in Paris! lol. I'll just show up when she's meeting him for dinner/drinks one night! aha- just kidding I'm not 'obsessed' like that!!


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## heartmadeforyou (May 16, 2009)

iheartbisou said:


> Snow falling on Cedars was good...I read it a really long time ago and barely remember the story but I do remember that it was good.
> 
> I am mildly obsessed with David Sedaris! I love him!!! One of my friends is friends with him..and I'm always asking her for his address in Paris! lol. I'll just show up when she's meeting him for dinner/drinks one night! aha- just kidding I'm not 'obsessed' like that!!


 
LOL! Stalker alert! Doesn't he seem like he would be the coolest and funniest friend to have? My favorite performances are 



 and 



.

WARNING to those reading this post... don't listen to these links unless you are willing to laugh so hard your coffee comes out your nose!


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## uniquelovdolce (Mar 10, 2010)

anyone read "the testament" by grisham?


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

heartmadeforyou said:


> LOL! Stalker alert! Doesn't he seem like he would be the coolest and funniest friend to have?!


Yes!! he would be the coolest friend to have! lol!! My friend who knows him..says he's super nice and funny/witty in person. He's always making her crack up. (Ps- I'm seriously only kidding about his address!! lol)

I like his sister too Amy Sedaris..she's pretty funny as well.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Snowbody said:


> My favorite is the Northshire Book Store up in Manchester VT. It's really like a step back in time before the megastores and several floors in a really old building with lots of places to curl up and read and a great restaurant as well. I try to frequent them and buy local up there. If you buy a dozen books they figure out the average you paid and you get a credit for that amount to get your 13th book.


Sue, did you happen to see this article in today's NY Times? Small world!

A Scandinavian Trilogy Sets Publishers Seeking More - NYTimes.com


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

MaryH said:


> Sue, did you happen to see this article in today's NY Times? Small world!
> 
> A Scandinavian Trilogy Sets Publishers Seeking More - NYTimes.com


I read that article in the South China Times the other day (Hong Kong's newspaper). Sad, isn't it?


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> Sue, did you happen to see this article in today's NY Times? Small world!
> 
> A Scandinavian Trilogy Sets Publishers Seeking More - NYTimes.com





iheartbisou said:


> I read that article in the South China Times the other day (Hong Kong's newspaper). Sad, isn't it?


Nice catch, Mary! Northshire Bookstore was mentioned!!! Yea! Strange that they interviewed a customer and not the owner. :blink: Everyone who works there is incredibly knowledgeable. 
So I haven't read Larsson -- did anyone mention his books in this thread? I can't remember and am too busy right now to check. I just saw the new one at Costco. Anyway interesting article and the impact of some series of author's books. Cracked up over the quote about the "books paying our salaries" reference


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

Oh Sorry I read another article..about his family and girlfriend fighting over his publishing rights.

Suzan (Nikki's Mom) mentioned reading some of his books.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

iheartbisou said:


> Oh Sorry I read another article..about his family and girlfriend fighting over his publishing rights.
> 
> Suzan (Nikki's Mom) mentioned reading some of his books.


Andrea - you could do the Roseanne, Rosannadana reply "Never mind." :HistericalSmiley::HistericalSmiley: (yike :w00t: I just realized you're probably too young to even know about that Gilda Radnor skit from SNL)
Interesting and sad back story though on fighting over what must be a sizeable estate. :huh: He died so young!


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

oh Sue, sadly I'm not that young. lol. But I was only around 8 or so when she was doing that..so all of SNL from that era just flew right over my head! lol.

totally tragic story about the author too...and what's going on now with his loved ones.


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## llf060787 (Nov 19, 2007)

I like to mix the subjects of my books. Ok...I lied...I will read everything and anything that's available. I read quite a bit. Presently I'm reading a book I got from my sister-in-law. A few months ago she attended a fundraiser for work for a rehab facility. The woman who spoke at the fundraiser was none other than Helen Prejean who wrote "Dead Man Walking". At the fundraiser she passed out copies of one of her other books "The Death of Innocents" which is about the death penalty in the US. 

I would highly recommend this book. It definately opened my eyes to the justice system or sometimes lack of justice we have in the US.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Oh, oh ... willpower really starting to disintegrate. I was at Barnes and Noble again tonight and almost broke down and bought the Nook. The only thing that saved me from doing it is that the store manager assured me that the deal with the free $50 gift card that comes with the Nook now will be going on until June 30. Will I really be able to wait it out????:w00t:

A friend of mine who loves gruesome, scary books read the first two Larsson books and loved them. I'm not sure if she loved them because they are that good or because a friend sent them to her from Sweden and she got to read them in her native language. I'm not convinced yet that they are books to add to my summer reading list.


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

MaryH said:


> A friend of mine who loves gruesome, scary books read the first two Larsson books and loved them. I'm not sure if she loved them because they are that good or because a friend sent them to her from Sweden and she got to read them in her native language. I'm not convinced yet that they are books to add to my summer reading list.


That's interesting because in the article I read in the South China Times, it mentioned that the books were 'better' in Swedish and questioned if the translator wasn't as passionate about the job they were doing, maybe it was just a lazy translation or there was just something lost in the translation. 

Personally I haven't read any of his books though- nor do I speak/read Swedish! lol.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Snowbody said:


> So I haven't read Larsson -- did anyone mention his books in this thread? I can't remember and am too busy right now to check. I just saw the new one at Costco. Anyway interesting article and the impact of some series of author's books. Cracked up over the quote about the "books paying our salaries" reference


Suzan (Nikki's Mom) has Steig Larsson on her list of favs. Suzan???? 



MaryH said:


> A friend of mine who loves gruesome, scary books read the first two Larsson books and loved them. I'm not sure if she loved them because they are that good or because a friend sent them to her from Sweden and she got to read them in her native language. I'm not convinced yet that they are books to add to my summer reading list.


I tend to get freaked out reading scary books which is why I don't have them on my list yet. It's weird I know ... I'm not afraid of being alone or traveling alone or going to strange and different places alone, but I'm scared silly of walking alone in the dark and start thinking about all those scary books. :w00t: 



iheartbisou said:


> That's interesting because in the article I read in the South China Times, it mentioned that the books were 'better' in Swedish and questioned if the translator wasn't as passionate about the job they were doing, maybe it was just a lazy translation or there was just something lost in the translation.
> 
> Personally I haven't read any of his books though- nor do I speak/read Swedish! lol.


I will have to ask my friend's kids if they read the Larsson books and what they thought as they most likely would have read them in English.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Sue, you are in BIG trouble now. I am not happy with you!! Look what you made me do! How could you do this to me? I thought you were my friend?


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

So Mary - i gave you some time. How do you like the Nook?????


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Yes, do tell! Kindles have come down to $189 on Amazon. I've heard they will get even lower closer to Christmas.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

I like the Nook, especially for reading in bed at night, and know that I would love it for traveling. It's large enough that reading is comfortable and small enough to throw in my bag to have a book at my fingertips on the off chance that there's some downtime (like waiting at the auto shop while my car was getting an oil change yesterday). I have to admit though that I've only finished one book on it so far because I have several unread real books that I'd like to get through before spending money on more books. I heard that if you bring your Nook to Barnes & Noble you can read books for free and am trying to find some time to sit in their cafe and find out if that's true.

Another book to add to the summer reading list -- The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. I liked it a lot and am looking forward to reading her next book, Gourmet Rhapsody, due out in paperback soon (her books are not available in eBook format).


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Thought I'd refresh this as people are taking vacations :thumbsup: (I guess) and might be looking for some reading material. I just finished Dan Brown's _The Lost Symbol._ Once again a good, quick page turner. Was worried I figured it out and it would be formulaic but I was still surprised at the end. Have The Piano Teacher here from my building library and wondering if anyone read it? Otherwise perusing through everyone's lists.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Sue, I just got home from running errands, including going to the post office ... finally!! You should have Little Bee by the end of the week. :yes:


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

For anyone with a Droid phone, there is now a free application for the Nook ebook reader. I downloaded it today and it's not bad. And Barnes & Noble has several free books, including some good Classics, available for download.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

In anticipation of buying a Kindle later in the year, I downloaded Amazon's free Kindle software for PC. I now have access to thousands of pre-1923 (out of copyright) classic books, which are free. I can download and read them on my PC until I get my Kindle. 

Free books! I'm in heaven! It's the small things in life....


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> Sue, I just got home from running errands, including going to the post office ... finally!! You should have Little Bee by the end of the week. :yes:


Mary - :ThankYou:Thanks so much. I forgot. Now I'll have a nice surprise and a new read.:chili::chili: Happy the Nook's working out!


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Snowbody said:


> Mary - :ThankYou:Thanks so much. I forgot. Now I'll have a nice surprise and a new read.:chili::chili: Happy the Nook's working out!


So what's the next book on your list? Snow Falling on Cedars? If you don't tell me soon that you got your hands on The Shipping News I may just send you my beloved copy of it. I want someone else who has been following this thread to read it and give a report. Of my friends who have read it, the "I Loved It" and the "I Hated It" are about tied!

Andrea - didn't you say that you've been reading the Pulitzer Prize books? Did you read The Shipping News? If so, love or hate?


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> So what's the next book on your list? Snow Falling on Cedars? If you don't tell me soon that you got your hands on The Shipping News I may just send you my beloved copy of it. I want someone else who has been following this thread to read it and give a report. Of my friends who have read it, the "I Loved It" and the "I Hated It" are about tied!


Hmmm. I did see The Shipping News down in the apt building library so I don't even have to buy it. I have The Piano Teacher from before I ever started this thread and it looked kind of cool. Am traveling this week so need a lightweight book. Boy I'm picking books by their weight! I am getting old.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Snowbody said:


> Hmmm. I did see The Shipping News down in the apt building library so I don't even have to buy it. I have The Piano Teacher from before I ever started this thread and it looked kind of cool. Am traveling this week so need a lightweight book. Boy I'm picking books by their weight! I am getting old.


The Piano Teacher is on my "want to read" list so I guess I will let you read that first ... but you must give a book report when you're done.


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## Sandcastles (Jul 7, 2010)

Dan Brown lives in our town, is he considered "cool" also? (wink). (He is a GREAT tennis player.)

I do enjoy Grisham very much. Just thought that I should give Dan a "plug"

Allie


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Sandcastles said:


> Dan Brown lives in our town, is he considered "cool" also? (wink). (He is a GREAT tennis player.)
> 
> I do enjoy Grisham very much. Just thought that I should give Dan a "plug"
> 
> Allie


Very cool Allie. Start stalking him for his next book plot. You wouldn't mind sifting thru his garbage would you?:HistericalSmiley::HistericalSmiley: We'd really like a scoop (other than the pooper scooping we do with our fluffs.:w00t


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

Mary- I haven't read the Shipping News yet but I will eventually. I did see the movie a while back on a flight somewhere and the movie sort of was depressing, but I'm not one to judge an unread book yet based on the movie, even if it was a bit sad. It was a long time ago that I saw it, so I can't remember if it was the story or just the grey skies and cold weather of the film that was saddening for me. lol. Next time I see the book, I'll pick it up.

I just finished Confessions of Nat Turner by Styron (won the Pulitzer in 1967).


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

iheartbisou said:


> Mary- I haven't read the Shipping News yet but I will eventually. I did see the movie a while back on a flight somewhere and the movie sort of was depressing, but I'm not one to judge an unread book yet based on the movie, even if it was a bit sad. It was a long time ago that I saw it, so I can't remember if it was the story or just the grey skies and cold weather of the film that was saddening for me. lol. Next time I see the book, I'll pick it up.
> 
> I just finished Confessions of Nat Turner by Styron (won the Pulitzer in 1967).


The book was sad, depressing, even pathetic at times. And the few bits I found humorous made me feel guilty that I shouldn't be laughing amidst the gloom. That's why I think people either really like it or really don't like it.


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## plenty pets 20 (Jul 8, 2006)

Have any of you read "Winter dance" by Gary Paulsen?? I love this book and I challenge any of you to read it and not laugh out loud. It is a true life story written by the man training dogs for the Iditarode race in Alaska. The dogs have it hands down. It is a hysterical and incredible read.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> The book was sad, depressing, even pathetic at times. And the few bits I found humorous made me feel guilty that I shouldn't be laughing amidst the gloom. That's why I think people either really like it or really don't like it.


So Mary - you WANT me to be sad and depressed???:blink: Maybe not the right read for the summer I've been having. Just overworked, nothing major but I need a little cheering up.


plenty pets 20 said:


> Have any of you read "Winter dance" by Gary Paulsen?? I love this book and I challenge any of you to read it and not laugh out loud. It is a true life story written by the man training dogs for the Iditarode race in Alaska. The dogs have it hands down. It is a hysterical and incredible read.


Edie - I never read Winter Dance but Paulsen's name is familiar. I think that my son used to read several of his books -- always about the outdoors and nature. Is it an adult book? I once produced a story on the Alpo Sled Dog races in the 1980s. It was such an amazing time, hanging out with the families, the sled dogs and the scenery -- we were up near Saranac Lake/Lake Placid area. You'd see 16 dog teams come running through the trails. It was breathtaking. wish I could download some of the story I produced. Maybe I'll try if I can find it.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

*Thanks for the book Mary!!*

Mary - I just got the mail from downstairs and Little by Chris Cleave was there. Thank you so much for the book. It will be next after I finish The Piano Teacher.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Snowbody said:


> So Mary - you WANT me to be sad and depressed???:blink: Maybe not the right read for the summer I've been having. Just overworked, nothing major but I need a little cheering up.


Okay, Sue, you don't have to read it this minute ... but you do have to read it. I was on my way to visit family in Chicago, we sat on the runway in Boston for about an hour then pulled back to the gate and were told that the plane was having mechanical issues and we'd all be put on other flights to our destinations. A Saturday morning, a jumbo jet, and a gazillion unhappy people all scurrying to get other flights. I, naturally, left the screaming crying crowds and found a bookstore in the airport, picked up The Shipping News, read the back cover, thought it sounded awful and promptly bought it. I figured I was miserable anyway so why not buy a horrible book! By the time I finally got to Chicago I was so wrapped up in the book that I didn't even want to visit with family. 

And if you really need something light, entertaining and always humorous, read anything by Peter Mayle.


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## beckinwolf (Sep 2, 2008)

Not sure if its been mentioned before, but has anyone read "Under the Dome" by Stephen King. I highly recommend it. I just started it last week. It is classic Stephen King, and you will know what I mean if you are a fan. Great book.


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

Peter Mayle is funny..one of his books is a good summer read, for sure.

Also J.Maarten Troost is very funny. "Lost on Planet China.." was hilarious and actually he hit the nail on the head. His other books are great too.


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## Silkmalteselover (Apr 1, 2010)

:blush: Well I have been looking at this thread off and on and finally decided to contribute. I enjoy true stories and love visiting Colorado. "Tomboy Bride" written by Harriet Fish Backus published by Pruett Publishing Co of Boulder Co. Just another book offered to tourists, and a story of determination in the early 1900's of a young bride living in the mining towns high in the mountains. "Escape from Terror" written By Bill Basansky, a story through the eyes of a child during WWII in Russia. Again the struggle and determination under communism and his arrival in USA as a young adult. It will make anyone appreciate the freedoms and abundance we have.


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## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

I am about 3/4 of the way done wtih Ann Bashares new book "My Name is Memory." It's pretty good. A love story about 2 people who are reincarnated and keep trying to find each other in the next life. Very light and airy read. It's not gonna be one my favorite books but it's enjoyable.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Silkmalteselover said:


> :blush: Well I have been looking at this thread off and on and finally decided to contribute. I enjoy true stories and love visiting Colorado. "Tomboy Bride" written by Harriet Fish Backus published by Pruett Publishing Co of Boulder Co. Just another book offered to tourists, and a story of determination in the early 1900's of a young bride living in the mining towns high in the mountains. "Escape from Terror" written By Bill Basansky, a story through the eyes of a child during WWII in Russia. Again the struggle and determination under communism and his arrival in USA as a young adult. It will make anyone appreciate the freedoms and abundance we have.


Jeanne, two of my favorite early American books, although both are historical fiction, are Giants In the Earth by O. E. Rolvaag, about the early Norwegian immigrants settling in the Dakotas, and Lydie (a children's book), about a young girl working in the textile mills in Lowell, Massachusetts during the industrial revolution. Both are very good reads. I'm going on a search now to see if I can find Tomboy Bride. It's sounds like the type of book I'd like.


ETA -- I just found it on the Barnes and Noble website and will go to the store over the weekend and order it. And how exciting ... the foreward was written by Pam Houston. She wrote a great book of short stories -- Cowboys Are My Weakness. I was never a big fan of short stories until I read this book!


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

*Book Reports Anyone?*

Okay, we are well into summer now. Anyone have any book reports? I finished The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, liked it very much, sad but heartwarming, too, and interesting because the book is narrated by the dog. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery was really good, funny, witty (borderline sarcastic), but sad, too. The author is French, the translator did an outstanding job in the translation. Home Safe by Anna Berg (a freebie when I bought my Nook) was a pleasant, light read. Not a WOW book for me but a good beach or bedtime reading book. I started The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett but put it down and will save it for the snowy days of winter. I liked what I read but it's the kind of book I need to spend time with, not just 20 minutes here and there. The next week or so is going to be crazy with no time for reading but a week from Monday I'm doing a quick trip to California, out on Monday, home on Thursday. I don't really love long daytime flights, don't feel like sleeping, get bored and antsy. But, thank you Andrea, I'm kind of looking forward to the flight so that I can read Lost on Planet China. I read the first couple of pages in the bookstore today and think I'm going to love it. I didn't buy it yet because I'm afraid I'll ignore everything I need to do this week and just sit and read. So I'll download the ebook next Sunday night and hope that it keeps me entertained on the flights to and from. I saw Stephen King's Under the Dome today but that book is HUGE. The airline would no doubt try to hit me up with a charge for excess baggage if I tried to bring that on the plane.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> Okay, we are well into summer now. Anyone have any book reports? I finished The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, liked it very much, sad but heartwarming, too, and interesting because the book is narrated by the dog. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery was really good, funny, witty (borderline sarcastic), but sad, too. The author is French, the translator did an outstanding job in the translation. Home Safe by Anna Berg (a freebie when I bought my Nook) was a pleasant, light read. Not a WOW book for me but a good beach or bedtime reading book. I started The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett but put it down and will save it for the snowy days of winter. I liked what I read but it's the kind of book I need to spend time with, not just 20 minutes here and there. The next week or so is going to be crazy with no time for reading but a week from Monday I'm doing a quick trip to California, out on Monday, home on Thursday. I don't really love long daytime flights, don't feel like sleeping, get bored and antsy. But, thank you Andrea, I'm kind of looking forward to the flight so that I can read Lost on Planet China. I read the first couple of pages in the bookstore today and think I'm going to love it. I didn't buy it yet because I'm afraid I'll ignore everything I need to do this week and just sit and read. So I'll download the ebook next Sunday night and hope that it keeps me entertained on the flights to and from. I saw Stephen King's Under the Dome today but that book is HUGE. The airline would no doubt try to hit me up with a charge for excess baggage if I tried to bring that on the plane.


Mary - you're so far ahead of me. The summer of reading I envisioned has been a summer of reading endless documents for work and doing research. I barely can keep my eyes open at night to read and have no time during the day. I do like The Piano Teacher quite a bit which I'm reading. Can't remember if Andrea said she read it but with it's setting in the Far East, I would think she'd like it. My DH read The Art of Racing... just recently and said i'd like it so i have it already. Glad your e-reading is going so well


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

Mary- I think Lost on Planet China will have you rolling in the aisle of the plane. It was so funny...and so true! lol. It was one of the first books that I've read about life here that didn't sugarcoat things.

Another great book is Emily Hahn's memoir "No Hurry to Get Home". She had an amazing, adventurous life and was a women very ahead of her time. I read it years ago when I moved here because of her life in Shanghai (right before WWII broke out)..but all of the chapters of her incredible life were great. Highly recommended!


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

iheartbisou said:


> Another great book is Emily Hahn's memoir "No Hurry to Get Home". She had an amazing, adventurous life and was a women very ahead of her time. I read it years ago when I moved here because of her life in Shanghai (right before WWII broke out)..but all of the chapters of her incredible life were great. Highly recommended!


Thanks, Andrea. I will add it to my ever-growing list! A great book written by a woman definitely ahead of her time was "My Brilliant Career" by Miles Franklin who was born and raised in the Australian Outback. The book was written in 1896, first published in Scotland in 1901, Miles Franklin's full name was Stella Maria Miles Franklin, and she was 16 years old when she wrote the book. Stunning! The Road from Coorain by Jill Ker Conway was a great memoir of a brilliant, very progressive woman.


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

MaryH said:


> A great book written by a woman definitely ahead of her time was "My Brilliant Career" by Miles Franklin who was born and raised in the Australian Outback. The book was written in 1896, first published in Scotland in 1901, Miles Franklin's full name was Stella Maria Miles Franklin, and she was 16 years old when she wrote the book. Stunning! The Road from Coorain by Jill Ker Conway was a great memoir of a brilliant, very progressive woman.


Thanks! I'll add these to my lists too. Both sound good!


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## harrysmom (Sep 28, 2007)

As summer is ending :thmbdn:, I wanted to add my last summer reading book to this list before I begin to tackle the numerous books about teaching reading that I want to re-read before my new job starts in a few weeks. 

I just finished reading Letters to my Daughter by Maya Angelou. I had never read any of her work before and when I saw this book, I decided to pick it up. I don't know what I expected, but this book was not at all what I thought it would be. It was a collection of very short stories... some only a page... about Angelou's life. Angelou doesn't have a daughter, so these are stories she wrote for all women about experiences that she had. She writes in a very clear, direct style that I found very easy to read. I finished the book and I enjoyed reading it. I knew very little about Angelou when I started reading, but I realized as I read, that my preconceived ideas about this woman were all wrong. 

Now on to the mountain of reading texts....lol.

Enjoy the holiday weekend!

Debbie


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## CheriS (Aug 19, 2010)

Mary H. - Since I'm relatively new to the board and still trying to absorb as much info from all corners of it as possible, I was incredibly impressed earlier today with your devotion and handling of the immunization issue / drama, which you handled admirably. I just finished my most recent book, so when I saw that there was a list of suggested books (even if it was a "summer" list) I wanted to see what others were reading. With maybe one exception, almost every book on your "all time favorite" list are also on mine (yes, I also liked The Shipping News - although I wasn't terribly fond of the movie) Olive Kitteridge, Water for Elephants, A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Kite Runner, The Art of Racing in the Rain, The Secret Life of Bees... and on and on. Have you read "The History of Love"? I was surprised with everything else that it hadn't made your list. My surprise book of the early summer, I read "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" for the first time, and it went close to the top of my list. 
One of the features on the Kindle I had enjoyed taking advantage of is the ability to download the first section to preview read it before buying it. Can you do that with the nook?


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## jodublin (Sep 27, 2006)

Ladysmom said:


> I just finished The Help. It's the best book I have read in along, long time.
> 
> The Lovely Bones is wonderful, too.
> 
> ...


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

I don't know if these books have been mentioned before or not...but I love the Emily Giffin books (Something Borrowed, Something Blue, Love the One You're With, etc). I'm reading Baby Proof by her right now and really liking it. Also, if you like chic lit type books, check out Marian Keyes. She is hilarious! I started reading chic lit when I was in college because I wanted something light and funny to read to give me a break from school reading...and got hooked to Marian Keyes books. Love her!


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

I have to say that I absolutely love that this thread has over a hundred posts...all in the name of good reading. :chili::chili: I think we might have to keep it going even though the summer is over to keep getting great book suggestions. It's the SM Book Club, but we read at our own pace

I just finished "Little Bee" by Chris Cleave which Mary sent me. :ThankYou: I liked it a lot, especially the style, but it had some very sobering moments. I'm now reading "The Art of Racing in the Rain" and love the story being told from the dog's perspective. Great writing and mindset concerning that, but also deals with some sad material. I'm about half way through.


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## uniquelovdolce (Mar 10, 2010)

pillars of the earth is very good , but u are so right , its one of those books you need time to read , understand and ponder , so u can grasp everything . i really did enjoy it though . 



MaryH said:


> Okay, we are well into summer now. Anyone have any book reports? I finished The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, liked it very much, sad but heartwarming, too, and interesting because the book is narrated by the dog. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery was really good, funny, witty (borderline sarcastic), but sad, too. The author is French, the translator did an outstanding job in the translation. Home Safe by Anna Berg (a freebie when I bought my Nook) was a pleasant, light read. Not a WOW book for me but a good beach or bedtime reading book. I started The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett but put it down and will save it for the snowy days of winter. I liked what I read but it's the kind of book I need to spend time with, not just 20 minutes here and there. The next week or so is going to be crazy with no time for reading but a week from Monday I'm doing a quick trip to California, out on Monday, home on Thursday. I don't really love long daytime flights, don't feel like sleeping, get bored and antsy. But, thank you Andrea, I'm kind of looking forward to the flight so that I can read Lost on Planet China. I read the first couple of pages in the bookstore today and think I'm going to love it. I didn't buy it yet because I'm afraid I'll ignore everything I need to do this week and just sit and read. So I'll download the ebook next Sunday night and hope that it keeps me entertained on the flights to and from. I saw Stephen King's Under the Dome today but that book is HUGE. The airline would no doubt try to hit me up with a charge for excess baggage if I tried to bring that on the plane.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Just finished _The Art of Racing in the Rain_ that I think several of you recommended. I liked it a lot since it was written from a dog's perspective. Very interesting and parts were very amusing yet a sad story as well. I'm happy I read it. Now reading "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." Hoping now that I got a major part of work done, to read more. My summer was totally insane.


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

I've read some great books this summer - and count me in on the 'feel and smell' of a book! I can't imagine getting a kindle or nook. I'm currently reading The White Queen by Phillippa Gregory (her book, The Other Boleyn Girl, I couldn't put down). Have also read The Historian but gave the book away so don't recall the author. And, The Witch's Trinity was a fabulous read, by Erika Mailman. I've got The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to look forward to.

PS - I didn't read through this entire post so if some of these are repeats I apologize. I did see Suzan's recommendation of Phillipa Gregory - definitely agree!


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Not sure how I missed the latest updates to this thread because I've been following it all through the summer.

Cheri, I just added The History of Love to my "must read" list ... went to barnesandnoble.com, read the overview and got goosebumps. I bought A Tree Grows In Brooklyn a few years ago, have yet to read it, but now have a renewed interest. Thank you! I'm so glad that you liked The Shipping News ... I was starting to feel like the odd man out. And, yes, I can download a sample of a book onto my Nook before purchase. 

Sue, I'm glad you enjoyed The Art Of Racing In The Rain. I always hesitate recommending a book with an element of sadness but was willing to take the risk with this one because I liked it that much despite the sadness. I still need to read Little Bee and hope to get to it soon.

When it comes to reading I have two very bad habits ... (1) buying too many books with too little time and (2) starting a book, getting tempted by a newly purchased book, putting down the one I'm reading to start the new one. Now that I have my Nook I really want to clean out and share with others several of the "real" books around here. I've been working my way through the "half read" books and then hope to alternate between old books and new books. The last of the half read books, Don't Stop the Carnival, written by Herman Wouk in 1965, is so unlike anything else I've read by him, so much more like the life and times of Jimmy Buffett! Despite the fact that it was written 45 years ago, I keep thinking the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Now about my bad habit of buying books, here are some (not all) of the books I've purchased over the past few months, most before I got the Nook ...

The Piano Teacher - Janice Y. K. Lee
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz
The Prince of Tides - Pat Conroy
Tinkers - Paul Harding
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind - William Kamkwamba
Out Stealing Horses - Per Petterson
A Novel Bookstore - Laurence Cosse
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - Michael Chabon
Lost on Planet China - J. Marten Troost (ebook)
The Vintage Caper - Peter Mayle (ebook)

I mentioned earlier in this thread that I read The Elegance of the Hedgehog written by Muriel Barbery (French), translated by Alison Anderson and published by Europa. I just bought another Europa book, A Novel Bookstore, written by Laurence Cosse (again, French) and also translated by Alison Anderson. I've read about 20 pages and so far really like it. Both of these books are making me wish that I kept up with French once I got out of school so that I could have read the French versions. I was finishing up The Elegance of the Hedgehog while flying to California. The flight attendant mentioned how much she enjoyed it; she read the French version. Maybe I can find time to start taking French lessons???

Throughout the summer Barnes & Noble offered 12 classics each week for free. I downloaded all of them and downloaded Confessions of A Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella) and The Time Traveler's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger), also offered for free.

My opinion of the Nook is still the same ... it's great for traveling and reading in bed. For that infrequent free hour at night or on a weekend when I can just sit and relax I still prefer to read a real book.


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## CheriS (Aug 19, 2010)

Mary,
I agree with you, I use my Kindle primarily for when I'm traveling, and would rather have a real book if I'm sitting around home... but I find I'm less aware of reading on the Kindle than the first few months I owned it. I tend to "Kindle" the books that I'm not sure I'll want to keep in hardcopy, but books like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn or Elegance of the Hedgehog I see on my bookshelf and it reminds me of the beauty of the writing or the story. Harder to do with my Kindle. I don't look at that and remember a certain passage . 
I'm midway between Three Cups of Tea, and One Day at Fenway: A Day in the Life of Baseball in America by Steve Kettemann. I love Kettemann's writing style, but it's like baseball itself. I love it, but I can't do it all the time, so I need something more now and then. Since I began One Day at Fenway, I've read Eat, Pray, Love, then The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake and now Three Cups of Tea. 
I really liked The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, love Michael Chabon, Confessions of a Shopaholic was cutesy funny, Time Traveler's Wife was almost up there with History of Love or Marilynne Robinson's Gilead for me, but it was hard to follow the time sequence jumping at times. 
Lost on Planet China and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao are both on my to read list, but who knows what I'll read next. 

Cheri S


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

CheriS said:


> Mary,
> I agree with you, I use my Kindle primarily for when I'm traveling, and would rather have a real book if I'm sitting around home... but I find I'm less aware of reading on the Kindle than the first few months I owned it. I tend to "Kindle" the books that I'm not sure I'll want to keep in hardcopy, but books like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn or Elegance of the Hedgehog I see on my bookshelf and it reminds me of the beauty of the writing or the story. Harder to do with my Kindle. I don't look at that and remember a certain passage .
> I'm midway between Three Cups of Tea, and One Day at Fenway: A Day in the Life of Baseball in America by Steve Kettemann. I love Kettemann's writing style, but it's like baseball itself. I love it, but I can't do it all the time, so I need something more now and then. Since I began One Day at Fenway, I've read Eat, Pray, Love, then The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake and now Three Cups of Tea.
> I really liked The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, love Michael Chabon, Confessions of a Shopaholic was cutesy funny, Time Traveler's Wife was almost up there with History of Love or Marilynne Robinson's Gilead for me, but it was hard to follow the time sequence jumping at times.
> ...


Cheri, it's so amazing how some of us love the same books. I loved Kavalier and Clay, Three Cups of Tea and Time Traveler's Wife. Now I'll have to get Elegance of the Hedgehog for when I finish "Tattoo." Never heard of "Lemon Cake" (other than loving to eat Lemon Lulu :HistericalSmiley


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

CheriS said:


> Mary,
> I'm midway between Three Cups of Tea, and One Day at Fenway: A Day in the Life of Baseball in America by Steve Kettemann. I love Kettemann's writing style, but it's like baseball itself. I love it, but I can't do it all the time, so I need something more now and then. Since I began One Day at Fenway, I've read Eat, Pray, Love, then The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake and now Three Cups of Tea.
> I really liked The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, love Michael Chabon, Confessions of a Shopaholic was cutesy funny, Time Traveler's Wife was almost up there with History of Love or Marilynne Robinson's Gilead for me, but it was hard to follow the time sequence jumping at times.
> Lost on Planet China and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao are both on my to read list, but who knows what I'll read next.
> ...





Snowbody said:


> Cheri, it's so amazing how some of us love the same books. I loved Kavalier and Clay, Three Cups of Tea and Time Traveler's Wife. Now I'll have to get Elegance of the Hedgehog for when I finish "Tattoo." Never heard of "Lemon Cake" (other than loving to eat Lemon Lulu :HistericalSmiley


Sue and Cheri, why do I get the feeling that if I was gazing at the books in your bookcases I would think I was really gazing at my own bookcases? I also have Eat, Pray, Love and Gilead, both waiting to be read. And I bought March by Geraldine Brooks recently. Have either of you read that? Some of my other "waiting to be read" books are Blink, The Memory Keeper's Daughter, The Devil in the White City, The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo, Love In The Time of Cholera, The Club Dumas, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, The Other Boleyn Girl and The Poisonwood Bible. And one of these days I know that I will own The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake.

Maybe we should ask Yung to start a subforum under Anything Goes entitled "Book Reviews". :smartass:


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> Sue and Cheri, why do I get the feeling that if I was gazing at the books in your bookcases I would think I was really gazing at my own bookcases? I also have Eat, Pray, Love and Gilead, both waiting to be read. And I bought March by Geraldine Brooks recently. Have either of you read that? Some of my other "waiting to be read" books are Blink, The Memory Keeper's Daughter, The Devil in the White City, The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo, Love In The Time of Cholera, The Club Dumas, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, The Other Boleyn Girl and The Poisonwood Bible. And one of these days I know that I will own The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake.
> 
> Maybe we should ask Yung to start a subforum under Anything Goes entitled "Book Reviews". :smartass:


I agree about the bookcases. :thumbsup: No I haven't read March. But I have read Poisonwood Bible, The Memory Keepers Daughter, and Love in the Time of cholera. I also have Devil in the White City which my DH read. Maybe Yung will consider it. Our SM Book Club


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

I just want to say thank you to Sue for starting this thread and thank you to everyone who has contributed to it. Over the last year or two I have done less and less reading, my excuse being not enough time. Following this thread made me realize just how much I've missed reading a good book. A lot of the "missing time" has been wasted time spent on the computer. So I've let go of mindless computer games and mindless web surfing. What a treat it's been these last few months to actually get things done that need getting done and still have some time to relax with a good book. So thank you all for helping me find my way back to a bit of R & R ... relaxing and reading. And now I have a long list of books to look forward to! :aktion033:


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

I just finished reading "Sins of Omission" and "Sins of the Flesh" both by Fern Michaels and am now rereading the Harry Potter books. I'm an avid reader and am always reading on my breaks and lunch break at work.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Our local Barnes & Noble started up a Book Club that meets the last Monday of every month. I've never wanted to join a book club and feel the pressure of having to read something and then get together with friends to discuss. That's always felt too much like a study group and I don't want reading to feel like homework. The B&N Book Club is different. Read if you want, show up to discuss if you want, don't do either if you want. Very casual, no strings attached. So I went to the September meeting because the book was Water For Elephants and actually had a nice time. This month's book selection is The Stormchasers by Jenna Blum. It has just been published so not available in paperbook. I got the ebook version and finished it last night. I doubt that I ever would have chosen this book to read but it wasn't bad; the whole stormchasing activity was fascinating. Not up there with Water For Elephants but not a waste of time either. Debbie, thanks for mentioning Letters to My Daughter (Maya Angelou). Short stories make for perfect bedtime reading for me and I'm really liking this book. Lost On Planet China is next on my "to read" list.


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## plenty pets 20 (Jul 8, 2006)

Susan, Just seeing this now to reply. "Winter Dance" is definately an adult book and especially for those who love and understand dogs. I haven't laughed so hard reading a book in many years. I understand they are going to make a movie or are talking about making a movie of it. Not sure how they will be able to repeat these events. The book is not fiction and he ran the Iditarod with his dogs. It is an extrodinary account of that race and what the humans and the dogs endure.


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## plenty pets 20 (Jul 8, 2006)

I just finished reading "The Help" and am now onto another one of the Vampire series books. First book is "Marked".


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

plenty pets 20 said:


> I just finished reading "The Help" and am now onto another one of the Vampire series books. First book is "Marked".


Edie - better late than never. :HistericalSmiley: Maybe we should make this the Autumn Reading List! I had been so busy with work that I can hardly keep my eyes open to read at night and if I do I'm up until 1am.:w00t: And to think it's a publisher that's been keeping me from reading. :HistericalSmiley: 
I'm just about halfway thru "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." It's just really getting good now -- yes it took halfway to get there, but now I don't want to put it down.
Mary - glad the B&N Book Club is working. I worried about feeling like reading is work (having to finish a book by a deadline) so I've shied away but maybe B&N is the way to go They're closing the one closest to me at Lincoln Square.:angry:


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Edie, I've just added Winterdance to my list of books to read.

Sue, my biggest fear is that B&N will close all its stores and become another Amazon. Luckily my local B&N is the only bookstore within a 10-mile radius. My excuse for buying lots of books is because I don't want them to close. Thankfully every time I visit there are lots of customers in the store.


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## plenty pets 20 (Jul 8, 2006)

Mary, Let me know what you think of the book. If you dont just laugh till you have tears running I will be surprised. Knowing dogs as we do, you just can imagine what a team of Husky's can do to your life. LOL Hugs,Edie


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Update -- I finished Letters to My Daughter by Maya Angelou. Debbie, thanks for recommending it. I loved it. I mentioned Stormchasers by Jenna Blum; it's an okay book but not one I'd recommend that anyone run out and buy. The B&N Bookclub meeting was last night and I didn't know what to expect ... would I be the lone ranger who didn't like the book, would people be free to express their opinions, etc. Boy, did I feel good. Nobody really loved the book, some didn't even finish it. I thought the first half was great, some liked the second half better. But we all agreed on one thing ... it's a book we'd share but not a book we'd recommend that anyone buy. I'm finishing up Lost on Planet China by J. Maarten Troost that Andrea (IHeartBisou) recommended. I love his wit and sarcasm. His portrayal of China is very different from what I had ever envisioned. Definitely a book I'm glad I'm reading. Our next bookclub book is The Museum of Innocence by Orham Pamuk. It was my suggestion; I bought the book a couple of weeks ago after reading the first 10 pages. They grabbed me and I knew this was a book that needed to be added to my growing pile. I hope the other bookclub members don't hate it or hate me for suggesting it.

So much to read, so little time ....


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

Right now I am reading "Third World America" by Arianna Huffington. Scary. I really hope we will change course before it gets to that.


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

MaryH said:


> Our next bookclub book is The Museum of Innocence by Orham Pamuk. It was my suggestion; I bought the book a couple of weeks ago after reading the first 10 pages. They grabbed me and I knew this was a book that needed to be added to my growing pile. I hope the other bookclub members don't hate it or hate me for suggesting it.
> 
> So much to read, so little time ....


I'm reading "Snow" by Orham Pamuk right now..and it's GREAT!!!! Totally love this book..and highly recommend it. I also bought "My Name is Red" by him-which I'll read next. (I spent September in Turkey hence the interest in Turkish literature)...anyway he's a great writer.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

The Shipping News or Elegance of the Hedgehog? I have both from my apartment house's library. Which one should I read first? Just finished Steig Larssen's Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and DH is reading his Girl Who Played with Fire so I need to start something soon


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Snowbody said:


> The Shipping News or Elegance of the Hedgehog? I have both from my apartment house's library. Which one should I read first? Just finished Steig Larssen's Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and DH is reading his Girl Who Played with Fire so I need to start something soon


Please, Sue, just humor me and read The Shipping News. Please??? I really liked The Elegance of the Hedgehog, too, so you can read that right after you finish The Shipping News. :thumbsup: Did you like Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? I have it but haven't moved it to the "to be read" stack yet.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> Please, Sue, just humor me and read The Shipping News. Please??? I really liked The Elegance of the Hedgehog, too, so you can read that right after you finish The Shipping News. :thumbsup: Did you like Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? I have it but haven't moved it to the "to be read" stack yet.


As I think I might have posted before Tattoo is really a slow start. Like HALF THE BOOK.:blink: But then things really pick up and move fast. It's quirky and has kind of odd characters. I liked it; wouldn't say I loved it like some people did. You got to know the characters well but not really beautifully crafted which I like. And all the darned names in the extended family featured in the story confused me constantly.:HistericalSmiley: I'll probably read the second since my husband says it gets into the story right away.
The Shipping News it is. :thumbsup:


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## uniquelovdolce (Mar 10, 2010)

i just bought " the brief wondrous life of oscar wao" very excited to start reading this


iheartbisou said:


> I liked Angela's Ashes a lot!! What a childhood.
> 
> Running with Scissors was alright for me to read..but his other books, not at all! I put the 2nd one down as the subject just wasn't interesting (to me).
> 
> Last year I read Junot Diaz's "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" (won 2009 Pulitzer) and I loved that- great story. It's half fiction and half a brief history lesson of Rafael Trujillo and the Domincan Republic. It was the type of book that you just keep thinking intensely about afterward.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

uniquelovdolce said:


> i just bought " the brief wondrous life of oscar wao" very excited to start reading this


Can't wait to read your book report. :thumbsup: I have the book but haven't moved it to the "To Be Read Soon" stack yet.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> Can't wait to read your book report. :thumbsup: I have the book but *haven't moved it to the "To Be Read Soon" stack yet.*


Show off!!!:smrofl::smrofl: My "to be read soon" is called my bedroom nightstand.:HistericalSmiley:
So as I said in the Nook v Kindle thread (sounds like a lawsuit) I'm reading the Shipping News and like it but the writing style makes me read very slow - which is fine. 
I finished "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and this weekend DH said it was on pay per view. Since we both read it we figured we'd watch. It is Swedish, with Eng. subtitles. Wondering if anyone else watched it. I thought they did a pretty good job with casting for the characters and kind of the setting but cut a lot of corners in the story, which is understandable. I think it was good to watch it after reading the first book where you know all the background. Anyone else?


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## uniquelovdolce (Mar 10, 2010)

Thats the next one i want to read..


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Snowbody said:


> Show off!!!:smrofl::smrofl: My "to be read soon" is called my bedroom nightstand.:HistericalSmiley:


Well, that's exactly where my stack is too! In the pile right now is Out Stealing Horses by Per Pettersen, Tomboy Bride by Harriet Fish Backus (Jeanne's recommendation), Winterdance by Gary Paulsen (Edie's recommendation), The History of Love by Nicole Krauss (Cherie's recommendation) and A Peach Tree in an Apple Orchard (Tyler's recommendation). Currently reading The Museum of Innocence by Orham Pamuk. I like it but really have to pay attention. The setting is Istanbul, lots of minor characters with names I'm not used to and places with names I'm not used to. So it's not a book I'm going to breeze through but I am liking it.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Snowbody said:


> Show off!!!:smrofl::smrofl: My "to be read soon" is called my bedroom nightstand.:HistericalSmiley:
> So as I said in the Nook v Kindle thread (sounds like a lawsuit) I'm reading the Shipping News and like it but the writing style makes me read very slow - which is fine.
> I finished "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and this weekend DH said it was on pay per view. Since we both read it we figured we'd watch. It is Swedish, with Eng. subtitles. Wondering if anyone else watched it. I thought they did a pretty good job with casting for the characters and kind of the setting but cut a lot of corners in the story, which is understandable. I think it was good to watch it after reading the first book where you know all the background. Anyone else?


Sue, are you still reading The Shipping News? Love? Hate? Somewhere in between?

Speaking of slow reading, I'm still reading The Museum of Innocence; still liking it but still trying to keep straight the cast of characters and the different cities.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> Sue, are you still reading The Shipping News? Love? Hate? Somewhere in between?
> 
> Speaking of slow reading, I'm still reading The Museum of Innocence; still liking it but still trying to keep straight the cast of characters and the different cities.


Still reading it but slow going since I was so busy with Jim's marathon and b'day party. Started to get back to reading last night. I like it :thumbsup: but you really have to read slowly to get all the nuances. I had the cast of character problems in Girl with the Dragon Tattoo...too many family members.:w00t:


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

:blush::blush:It took until now for me to finish The Shipping News. I swear I need clothespins to keep my eyes open at night...or George Clooney reading me a bedtime story would be best. :wub: Anyhow, Mary. I liked it a lot. The writing style was wonderful, though you had to read slowly to get it all and I felt like I was totally immersed in the story and characters. Thank you for the suggestion and I fall under the love vs. the hate reactions to it. So now I have Elegance of the Hedgehog on my nightstand. I have no idea what style it is but I'm looking for something quick and fun to read now. Or is that "...Hedgehog?" Any suggestions.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

I really really liked The Elegance of the Hedgehog. It challenged my vocabulary but not to the extent that I felt like it was homework. And it wasn't slow and ponderous. That being said, I leant it to a friend who had a hard time getting into it. She isn't fond of people who think of themselves as intellectual snobs and she wasn't finding a "purpose" to the story. I encouraged her to hang in there because I thought eventually it would all fall into place for her. She did and it did.

Now about sloooooow reading, I am still working on "The Museum of Innocence" and just passed the halfway point. The B&N book club meets next Monday night to discuss it, I was the one who suggested it, and feel like I better get it done. Finally, the pace is picking up a bit. And I waver between "I feel your pain" and "Get over it"! I think it's a good book, especially if you've ever survived a broken heart. But it's a book that I'd recommend with caution ... one of those love it or hate it books.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

heartmadeforyou said:


> I also enjoyed Kabul Beauty School. It was touching and enlightening as was Reading Lolita in Tehran.


Miki, I'm just about finished listening to Kabul Beauty School. Thanks so much for mentioning it. I think it's great!


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

So summer's coming soon so figured I'd pick up from last summer. :HistericalSmiley::HistericalSmiley: I just finished "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand, author of Seabiscuit. It's the story of an Olympic runner who ended up becoming a POW during WW2. It was gripping but really only for the very, very strong stomached. The passages about treatment at the hands of his Japanese captors was brutal and I'm really reticent about encouraging others to read it. Again, just for those who can take it. I can't believe what he went through.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

I just finished _When We Were Strangers_ and liked it. Historical fiction, late 1800's, young woman leaves her remote mountain village in Italy and sails to America. She's got no friends or family here, doesn't speak English, but manages to get herself to Cleveland, then Chicago, and finally to San Francisco, and finds work along the way as a seamstress. Good book, especially for those who like historical fiction. Started _The Daughter's Walk_ last night. More historical fiction, early 1900's, during the beginnings of the suffrage movement. So far I'm enjoying it. Waiting in the wings is _Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom._ Have been on the library waiting list for this book for 6 or 7 weeks and am really looking forward to reading it.


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

Those all sound up my alley, Mary. Now all I have to do is finish Winterdance. LOL! I have had so little time to read lately or when I do I'm too tired to keep the book open! I'll finish it soon though and pass it on.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Has anyone read _Cutting For Stone_ by Abraham Verghese? I'm listening to the audiobook, all 27 hours of it, and seriously wondering why. It was the book club's selection for this month, I'm more than halfway through it and still am not a place where I like it. It's much like the weather lately, dark and gloomy ... and VERY graphic, too. Our next book club meeting is this coming week and I seriously doubt that I'm going to finish it. Any words of encouragement that it might get better?

I finished _Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother _by Amy Chua last week and loved it. I'm definitely not saying that I agreed with it but it was very well written and very thought provoking. Also read _The Daughter's Walk_ by Jane Kirkpatrick. Probably not a book I'd read again but I wasn't disappointed that I read it.


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## plenty pets 20 (Jul 8, 2006)

Hi Mary, 
Go on Amazon Books and read about "A Girl Named Zippy" by Haven Kimmel. This is another book that I laughed till I cried, every other page. Its on the order of "The Glass Castle" since its a true story, but written with such humor. 
It was great to meet you at the Specialty and you asked if I had read anymore good books. This is a fast read. I think it would be better as a read then audio though. JMO. Hugs, Edie


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Edie, it was great meeting you and little Hope, too. Thanks for the book suggestion ... I could use something fun and funny after _Cutting For Stone_ (which I won't be finishing for this week's book club meeting!). I just ordered _A Girl Named Zippy_ from the library and will pick it up this week. Keep the suggestions coming. I'm in the mood for light reads right now.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Edie, we must have the same sense of humor because I picked up _A Girl Named Zippy_ tonight from the library and already I'm laughing. This is going to be a quick read for sure! Have you read the sequel, _She Got Up Off The Couch_, about Zippy's mother? I bet that's a good book, too.


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## plenty pets 20 (Jul 8, 2006)

I just finished that one Mary and its a good read too. Still plenty of humor and hard laughs, will read fast too. I am glad someone else likes the same humor. Zippy had me rolling.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

I'll put that on my list next. Reading The Hunger Games and would think I'll need a few laughs after I'm done with them.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

*The Violets of March*

Just finished _The Violets of March_ by Sarah Jio. Great summer read ... no violence, hatred, murder or mayhem. It was just a sweet, loving, feel good book. And a quick read for me, 3-4 days from start to finish. I'm also listening to a good audiobook, _Clara and Mr. Tiffany_ by Susan Vreeland. Another piece of historical fiction that I'm enjoying so far. Last week I listened to _Mr. Chartwell_ by Rebecca Hunt. Not really my cup of tea ...


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

So I finished all three books of the Hunger Games trilogy. Not what I'd normally read but I was hooked. Funny that it's listed as adolescent material. I guess I could see it that way but a good adult read as well. Now I'm reading "Back to Murder" written by J. Mark Bertrand, a friend of Suzan's (Nikki's mom.) It was a free download and I like his style a lot, writing about a washed up detective who gets a spark of life back in him with a new case. Quite engrossing, a good read and mystery (or two).


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## revakb2 (Sep 8, 2006)

Snowbody said:


> So I finished all three books of the Hunger Games trilogy. Not what I'd normally read but I was hooked. Funny that it's listed as adolescent material. I guess I could see it that way but a good adult read as well. Now I'm reading "Back to Murder" written by J. Mark Bertrand, a friend of Suzan's (Nikki's mom.) It was a free download and I like his style a lot, writing about a washed up detective who gets a spark of life back in him with a new case. Quite engrossing, a good read and mystery (or two).



This book is now $9.23 on Kindle. I'll wait till it's gets cheaper. I wonder why it was free and now is relatively expensive. I often wonder how Amazon does their pricing for Kindle.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

revakb2 said:


> This book is now $9.23 on Kindle. I'll wait till it's gets cheaper. I wonder why it was free and now is relatively expensive. I often wonder how Amazon does their pricing for Kindle.


Oh wow Reba. I know I looked at it recently and it was still free. Hmmm. Jim's reading it now. I can't remember I loaned it to him for his Kindle for free or if he got it for free himself. If I didn't loan it to him would you like me to loan it to you? We can do it to other Kindle owners once for two weeks. Let me know if you're interested and he'll be home tomorrow so I can find out if he borrowed mine or not.


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## Ryder's Mom (Jun 10, 2011)

I've recently read 'Boneman's Daughter' by Ted Dekker. If you love Myster / Crime / Serial Killer novels this one is definitely for you.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

revakb2 said:


> This book is now $9.23 on Kindle. I'll wait till it's gets cheaper. I wonder why it was free and now is relatively expensive. I often wonder how Amazon does their pricing for Kindle.


Reba - I checked with Jim and he downloaded it himself from Kindle for free I think last week before he left for Louisiana and didn't borrow mine. I went to see if I could loan mine and it won't let me. Maybe because it was free???? Sorry.


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