# What's New?



## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

So what's new on anyone's reading list? Have there been any good beach books this summer? What's on your list of upcoming "must reads"? I've not been captured by anything in the last six months and don't know if it's me or the books. Our book club selection for September is _Caleb's Crossing_ by Geraldine Brooks. I'm 8 pages into it ... good thing we don't meet until the end of September!! :blink:


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Mary - I was just thinking of you and the reading list. I just finished "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn. I liked the writing style, especially at the beginning all the descriptions and then it turned into a real mystery...and I mean real. Lots of surprises where I gasped out loud. A fairly quick kind of interesting read. Would be interested to see if anyone else has read it.
I had read The Sweet Potato Queen Big Ass Book -- I think that was the name of it. I think Crystal recommended it and it was good for a lot of laughs. Easy summer reading - hmm we're getting into fall. :w00t:
I also read The Violets of March and Pearl of China. Liked them both. 
Anything else you'd recommend? I've been so busy with work that I've had little time to read. :huh:


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

Sue - glad you enjoyed the Sweet Potato Queens! Those are some of my favorite books for light reading and good laughs.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

Sue, thanks for mentioning _The Violets of March_. I had completely forgotten that I read that (last fall or winter maybe?) and liked it.

Some of the books that I have here and want to read or finish reading are:
_Caleb's Crossing_
_Russian Winter_
_The Kitchen House_
_Gift From The Sea_
_The History of Love_
_Gilead_
_A Tree Grows in Brooklyn_
_Major Pettigrew's Last Stand_
_Sarah's Key_
_The Piano Teacher_
_Snow Flower and the Secret Fan_
_Prince of Tides_
_Harry Potter Books 5, 6 and 7_
_Fifty Shades of YUCK_

Any thoughts on what I should move to the top of the heap?


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## revakb2 (Sep 8, 2006)

I've been reading a good bit, but nothing jumps out at me as wonderful. I don't think I even remember the titles or authors of the last 10 books I've read. Maybe that's because I seldom spend more than $2.99 on B&N. Anyhow, I would love some recommendations for good reading. I'm going to check out the _Sweet Potato Queen_ and _Violets of March_. I sure need a good laugh. Mary, I'm glad to see you posting. We've missed you.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

MaryH said:


> Sue, thanks for mentioning _The Violets of March_. I had completely forgotten that I read that (last fall or winter maybe?) and liked it.
> 
> Some of the books that I have here and want to read or finish reading are:
> _Caleb's Crossing_
> ...


Love, love loved Gift from the Sea. Very fast read and very touching. Read it ages ago but just beautiful by Anne Morrow. Also loved Prince of Tides -- fabulous writing style that just kept me glued. I liked The Piano Teacher a lot - Hong Kong in the 40's and 50's. Very interesting! And I read and saw the movie Sarah's Key. Both pretty good but I think you'll find Gone Girl (or is it Girl Gone) a very captivating read too. 
Just heard that Tom Wolfe is coming out with a new book this fall so anxiously awaiting that. I also heard that "First in His Class" about Bill Clinton was very good.


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

Snowbody said:


> Mary - I was just thinking of you and the reading list. I just finished "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn. I liked the writing style, especially at the beginning all the descriptions and then it turned into a real mystery...and I mean real. Lots of surprises where I gasped out loud. A fairly quick kind of interesting read. Would be interested to see if anyone else has read it.
> I had read The Sweet Potato Queen Big Ass Book -- I think that was the name of it. I think Crystal recommended it and it was good for a lot of laughs. Easy summer reading - hmm we're getting into fall. :w00t:
> I also read The Violets of March and Pearl of China. Liked them both.
> Anything else you'd recommend? I've been so busy with work that I've had little time to read. :huh:


Sue - Gone Girl is my Book Club Diva's September book and I just finished it -- but our meeting is the Friday that we're in HH, so I won't be there to discuss it. 

Another book I just finished (also for a different book club) is "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari". It's a good book -- but turned out to be kind a motivational book too. I guess the author (who used to be a trial attorney) now does motivational speeches/seminars and has written a series of books.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

I just downloaded (or is it uploaded) Nora Ephron's "I Hate My Neck" - i read the sample and was nearly laughing out loud. And also " The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani. Has anyone read either one.

Lynn - we can discuss "Gone Girl" ourselves in HH. :HistericalSmiley:


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## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

If you love horses and/or feel good stories, "The Eighty Dollar Champion." This is the true story of the plow horse turned world-class show jumper, Snowman and his Dutch rider Harry de Leyer. Great story!


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## CheriS (Aug 19, 2010)

Mary, I love "The History of Love" and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" is also one of my top favorite books. Love Marilynne Robinson's "Gilead" (but not as much as I loved "Housekeeping" or but all three are on the "slow" side of reading...meaning, they're books you don't rush through, more about the writing than the plot / storyline. The Kitchen House was really good, too. Sarah's Key was an excellent book, as well, but I think I read it on my cousin's recommendation and it turned out to be the third book about the Holocaust in a row that I had read, which made it a little more difficult to enjoy. I am trying to balance mine out so that I don't end up reading too many horrifically depressing books in a row. I read "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" and I was really impressed by that, as well. I
I think your list is a good one, and it should keep you busy for a while. I just finished "The Lost Saints of Tennessee" and "The Dog Stars" (both worthy of reading - although "The Dog Stars" starts out a bit weird in the writing department) and am now reading something I was surprised to find on my kindle unread... I hope you're enjoying Caleb's Crossing!


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## vjw (Dec 20, 2006)

Just finished reading Gilead and enjoyed it. I thought it was awesome that the author, a woman, could write the stories from an ailing, elderly, clergy's point of view. I'm now reading the Gilead companion book Home. To me, Home is MUCH more interesting than Gilead, but I'm glad I read Gilead first for a little of the background.

At a friend's suggestion, I am going to read Penelope Lively's "Moon Tiger" and "Consequences" next. 

I, too have to alternate the types of books I read, and next I plan to read some of the more humerous books listed in this section.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

BTW - the Nora Ephron book is called: "I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman." It was very funny and can be finished in a day or two. A good one to borrow from the library or a friend. I just started 
"The Shoemaker's Wife: A Novel by Adriana Trigiani" and will let you all know how it is.


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## garrettsmom (May 15, 2006)

I just finished reading "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn and really loved it. The writing is clever, witty with incredibly well drawn and compelling characters. It was the first book in a long time that I had trouble 'putting down'; although, I felt the ending was a little over the top and desperate in 'resolution'. The book gave me hope however that a best selling novel could be intelligent after the 'fifty shades' travesty.


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

Janet -- haven't seen you and Winnie on SM in a long, long time. So nice to see you post. Hope all is well. Kisses to Winnie from her Awntie Lynn.


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## garrettsmom (May 15, 2006)

Hi Lynn, I _have_ gotten out of the habit of visiting Spoiled Maltese.....I probably don't 'know' 80% of the members anymore! But Winnie and I are doing well.....she's snuggling right beside me now as I post and says "Hi Awntie Lynn!:


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## SicilianRose (Jun 8, 2008)

I have read several books through out the summer..... here are some of them....

No Easy Day by Mark Owens - Just started tonight

Sarah's Key

Death Dealer - Sarah's Key and many other survivor books similar to it prompted me to read this book because I wanted to have a look into the mind of the Evil madmen who spurred such **** towards innocent people.... it was horrific. Rudolph Hoss (SS Kommadant who created and ran Auschwitz) were Monsters! Still amazes me that men (Hoss and Hitler) who spent time in Jail for serious crimes ended up in germany's govt.

Hypatia of Alexandria Mathematician and Martyr

It Starts with Food

America, You Sext B****: A Letter to Freedom

Growing Up Amish: A Memoir

to name a few............


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

revakb2 said:


> I've been reading a good bit, but nothing jumps out at me as wonderful. I don't think I even remember the titles or authors of the last 10 books I've read. Maybe that's because I seldom spend more than $2.99 on B&N. Anyhow, I would love some recommendations for good reading. I'm going to check out the _Sweet Potato Queen_ and _Violets of March_. I sure need a good laugh. Mary, I'm glad to see you posting. We've missed you.


Reva, I've missed you, too. I may be in Florida in December at the Eukanuba dog show. Are you planning to go? I would love to see you again!



Snowbody said:


> Love, love loved Gift from the Sea. Very fast read and very touching. Read it ages ago but just beautiful by Anne Morrow. Also loved Prince of Tides -- fabulous writing style that just kept me glued. I liked The Piano Teacher a lot - Hong Kong in the 40's and 50's. Very interesting! And I read and saw the movie Sarah's Key. Both pretty good but I think you'll find Gone Girl (or is it Girl Gone) a very captivating read too.
> Just heard that Tom Wolfe is coming out with a new book this fall so anxiously awaiting that. I also heard that "First in His Class" about Bill Clinton was very good.


Okay, Sue, where do you find the time to read all these books AND work as hard as you do???? I need to finish _Gift From the Sea! _The _Prince of Tides _may have to wait a bit as the size of the book alone is daunting!



babycake7 said:


> If you love horses and/or feel good stories, "The Eighty Dollar Champion." This is the true story of the plow horse turned world-class show jumper, Snowman and his Dutch rider Harry de Leyer. Great story!


This is right up my alley. I love horses and love anything about the "underdog" (or in this case the "underhorse"?) so, thank you, as I add another book to the "to be read" list!



CheriS said:


> Mary, I love "The History of Love" and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" is also one of my top favorite books. Love Marilynne Robinson's "Gilead" (but not as much as I loved "Housekeeping" or but all three are on the "slow" side of reading...meaning, they're books you don't rush through, more about the writing than the plot / storyline. The Kitchen House was really good, too. Sarah's Key was an excellent book, as well, but I think I read it on my cousin's recommendation and it turned out to be the third book about the Holocaust in a row that I had read, which made it a little more difficult to enjoy. I am trying to balance mine out so that I don't end up reading too many horrifically depressing books in a row. I read "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" and I was really impressed by that, as well. I
> I think your list is a good one, and it should keep you busy for a while. I just finished "The Lost Saints of Tennessee" and "The Dog Stars" (both worthy of reading - although "The Dog Stars" starts out a bit weird in the writing department) and am now reading something I was surprised to find on my kindle unread... I hope you're enjoying Caleb's Crossing!


Cheri, I'm beyond page 8 in _Caleb's Crossing_ and really starting to get into it big time. Unfortunately, the night of our next book club meeting is the same night that I am taking a cooking class ... homemade pasta. I froze several batches of homemade pesto so I think I'll be taking the cooking class and skipping book club that night. But I will finish _Caleb's Crossing._ Your recommendation last year of _A Tree Grows in Brooklyn _is what made me buy that book. I'm saving it for a long cold weekend this winter when all I have to do is add wood to the fire place and curl up on the sofa and read!



vjw said:


> Just finished reading Gilead and enjoyed it. I thought it was awesome that the author, a woman, could write the stories from an ailing, elderly, clergy's point of view. I'm now reading the Gilead companion book Home. To me, Home is MUCH more interesting than Gilead, but I'm glad I read Gilead first for a little of the background.
> 
> At a friend's suggestion, I am going to read Penelope Lively's "Moon Tiger" and "Consequences" next.
> 
> I, too have to alternate the types of books I read, and next I plan to read some of the more humerous books listed in this section.


Thanks, Joy. I just moved _Gilead_ closer to the top of the pile!




garrettsmom said:


> Hi Lynn, I _have_ gotten out of the habit of visiting Spoiled Maltese.....I probably don't 'know' 80% of the members anymore! But Winnie and I are doing well.....she's snuggling right beside me now as I post and says "Hi Awntie Lynn!:


Janet, nice to see you here!! I'm going to be at the CT Pet Expo in October in case you are looking for something to do on a Saturday other than curl up with Winnie and read a book?


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## garrettsmom (May 15, 2006)

Mary, We took Winnie to the Ct Pet expo the first 2 years we had her, but then it seemed it was always fell on the weekend I was working (I work every other). I'll have to see which Sat it falls on this year!


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

garrettsmom said:


> I just finished reading "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn and really loved it. The writing is clever, witty with incredibly well drawn and compelling characters. It was the first book in a long time that I had trouble 'putting down'; although, I felt the ending was a little over the top and desperate in 'resolution'. The book gave me hope however that a best selling novel could be intelligent after the 'fifty shades' travesty.


Janet - good to see you again. And that's exactly how I felt about "Gone Girl." It was totally compelling but fell off the rails at the end. Not enough to say don't read it but enough to not buy the ending. I recommend it too.


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