I started to pull up one of the old book threads and then figured I'd just start a new one. I just saw Sandy's comment about Madison in the Trader Joe's thread and that reminded me of a book I'm currently reading (because it takes place in Madison), so I thought I'd see what others are reading.
I'm currently reading:
At work: The Dive from Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer (novel)
I'm not quite halfway through this book about a young couple with a troubled relationship (at least from her perspective) who go through a major life trauma that fiercely tests their relationship. So far, I'm enjoying it but it isn't something where I can't wait for lunch hour every day so I can dive into it.
Though I will say, Sandy, that your hometown sounds really charming.
At home: Forever by Pete Hamill (novel)
This is probably the most-recommended book ever by my book chat group. I had had it on my "to be read" pile forever and finally started it some months back but couldn't stay with it. I put it down and picked it back up several times and am finally within 60 pages of the end. Reading that, you would probably think it must be a sucky book. It isn't. It is quite an interesting book and even a well-written book but it is long and slow in parts.
It is about a guy who is given the ability to live forever but can never leave the city where he lives (Manhattan). Because he lives so long, the story ranges from slave days up to the present time.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Sheri in Reho,
1st Qtr. 2010 Goals: 1. Continue gym 3X week until it is a habit. 2. Read, write, sew or craft at least 30 mins. per day. 3. Regain control over eating > 8 p.m.
Posts: 7786 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Madame Bovary was good, but not my favorite. I found Tess to be one of the most depressing books I have ever read. Have some kleenex and some anti-depressants handy and maybe a few slap-stick comedies to watch on t.v. afterward. On the plus side it is well written. Good luck.
I am reading Madam Bovary. My dd has to read it and Tess of the D'uabervilles (sp?) for school in the fall so in order to keep her motivated we are each reading one of the books and then switching. We are having a reading contest-not that i want her to read so fast she doesn't remember it but we do have a date to be finished by and then we switch. I am enjoying Madam Bovary, I did not think I would. It is much shorter than Tess so I will probably finish quicker. I am not looking forward to reading Tess.
Goal for next 6 weeks:
Go to the gym 3x/week for a minimum of 45 minutes each time
I'm reading Amy Hempel's collected short stories. Some of them are excellent and most of them are good, but her style of writing is such that I can't read very many stories in one sitting.
****************** “The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.”
I just started a book called Tomorrow River. I think the author is Kagen? Something like that. It is a novel about two little twin girls who go on a search for their missing mama. Pretty good so far.
Posts: 7786 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Sorry to hear that, Linda, but not surprised. That series, as much as I love it, has been going downhill for some time. I think I'm only on 13 because I don't run out and buy them when they're first published in hardback anymore.
1st Qtr. 2010 Goals: 1. Continue gym 3X week until it is a habit. 2. Read, write, sew or craft at least 30 mins. per day. 3. Regain control over eating > 8 p.m.
Posts: 7786 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
I just finished Janet Evanovich's latest, Sizzling Sixteen. I struggled through. It was tedious. I think Evanovich is spewing them out too quickly without regards to quality. I couldn't decide at first if I would give it one star or two stars then I noticed it had taken me more than a week to finish this paltry publication. The book didn't grab me from the start - the information on the front fly was bullet points rather than paragraphs, the first page was visibly meager with margins that seemed larger than the text, which was at least a 14 font. The story plodded, Ranger and Morelli were relegated to cameo appearances, little Grandma, next to know Mr. and Mrs. Plum. Sizzling Sixteen sputters.
I think Ms. Evanovich needs to pay more attention to quality than quantity. Rarely have I felt sorry I spent the time on a book. This one definitely falls under that category.
I read a little book called "Good Dog. Stay." by Anna Quindlen from start to finish at the beach yesterday morning (it's only 82 pages). It is a memoir of her black Lab, Beau.
It is a SUPER quick read because it has a picture of a dog (all breeds) on every page. It looked to me more like a short story that was plumped up to sell as a book because the author is Anna Quindlen and also because the dog memoir is really big money these days (Marley & Me, etc.).
This one, in its basic framework, is similar to Marley & Me, with many fewer hijinx. Beau had his moments of getting in trouble, for sure, but nothing on the scale of Marley. One of my least favorite things about Marley & Me was that the author's ego came through so strongly that it nearly ruined the book for me...I didn't feel that at all in Quindlen's story.
So I would say that I recommend it, but get it at the library or borrow it from a friend (like I did) rather than paying a big book price for what is basically a short story.
Posts: 7786 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Originally posted by johnbol: My light read suggestion (and I've read ALL the Evanovch - good & bad) would be Carl HIaasen. I have called him the male Janet Evanovich except that I feel that he is more consistent.
AH! I forgot about Hiassen! My hands-down favorite Hiassen was Sick Puppy and my second favorite was Stormy Weather...some of the others I did not find as enjoyable, but both of those have a particular character in them that I find hilarious and strange (or is that strangely hilarious? Hmm).
I love Hiaassen too. Dawn
"Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire." anonymous
Posts: 4519 | Location: Indianapolis, IN | Registered: March 15, 2004
Originally posted by johnbol: My light read suggestion (and I've read ALL the Evanovch - good & bad) would be Carl HIaasen. I have called him the male Janet Evanovich except that I feel that he is more consistent.
AH! I forgot about Hiassen! My hands-down favorite Hiassen was Sick Puppy and my second favorite was Stormy Weather...some of the others I did not find as enjoyable, but both of those have a particular character in them that I find hilarious and strange (or is that strangely hilarious? Hmm).
Posts: 7786 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Originally posted by Brie: My last two books were Three Cups of Tea which I loved and One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell (the Sex and the City author) which was just so-so.
I'm looking now for a light hearted fun read for my b-day trip next month.
I really liked "Tea" too.
My light read suggestion (and I've read ALL the Evanovch - good & bad) would be Carl HIaasen. I have called him the male Janet Evanovich except that I feel that he is more consistent. Hiaasen's books don't have to be read in order. All the books take place in Florida and have an environmental issue as the basis. The first he wrote solo is called "Tourist Season" which is not what you think. I laughed when I heard the title because I had read enough to understand what Hiaasen meant.
Sheltie,
I've heard of the violence and rudeness, etc. Since I was in the office my entire time, I only had to experience that from fellow workers rather than the public!
Originally posted by Brie: My last two books were Three Cups of Tea which I loved and One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell (the Sex and the City author) which was just so-so.
I'm looking now for a light hearted fun read for my b-day trip next month.
There's a new Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse book out "Dead in the Family" if you haven't read it yet.
Dawn
"Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire." anonymous
Posts: 4519 | Location: Indianapolis, IN | Registered: March 15, 2004
I've read all the Sophia Kinsella books but haven't read any Janet Evanovich books. I thought they were mysteries which I'm not that into but if they are funny that will tip the scale for me. Thanks for the recommendation!
Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; and on our character we build our destiny.
Originally posted by Brie: I'm looking now for a light hearted fun read for my b-day trip next month.
Have you read either Janet Evanovich or Sophie Kinsella? I have read 13 of the 15 books in the Stephanie Plum series by Evanovich and, while they may not be what they once were, they are still great, fluffy fun. I've only read (listened to, actually) one of Kinsella's books (The Undomestic Goddess) and it was light and cute though, for me, not as funny as Evanovich.
Posts: 7786 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
Sexing the Cherry by Jeanette Winterson. I've read some of her stuff before, and now that I've given up analyzing it and trying to understand it, I'm enjoying it.
I'm also reading Amy Hempel's collected stories and so far, I like them.
****************** “The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.”
Originally posted by Sheri in Reho: [QUOTE]Originally posted by johnbol: Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?
Gets the award for best title!
quote:
I gave two books 5 stars Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
The McCann is on my TBR shelf and I should be starting it this month sometime. The Verghese has been recommended to me by Amazon a billion times but there's something about it that made me decide not to get it--I think it's because it's a really long book? I don't do well with those.
quote:
I guess I'm a little surprised that you gave two older Cornwells 3 stars...cuz the books back then were the ones I enjoyed the most. I don't read her much anymore.
I've read 2 or 3 of Sedaris' books. They are often funny and sad at the same time.
Sorry to hear about the layoff. Are you still doing your newspaper gig? I just finished writing a 3-part series on transitioning to retirement for Coming of Age Delaware. The first two parts have been published and the third will be published in the next few weeks. Time to start researching the next topic!
I've had been listening to the Cornwall's at work and I found them repetitive and grammatically wrong on more than instance. (It didn't help that the first book was narrated by a Brit - since then I only listen to C.J. Critt).
I'm trying to figure out why so many people think David Sedaris is hilarious.
Yes, I am still doing my newspaper thing. The lay-off was from the Census job which caused me so much stress I ended up having to take a stress test because of the way I was dealing with the stress. I am THRILLED to be unemployed again.
(Now if dh could find a job…)
Isn't it thrilling to write, Sheri? I've got several larger irons in the fire, too.
Originally posted by johnbol: Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?
Gets the award for best title!
quote:
I gave two books 5 stars Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
The McCann is on my TBR shelf and I should be starting it this month sometime. The Verghese has been recommended to me by Amazon a billion times but there's something about it that made me decide not to get it--I think it's because it's a really long book? I don't do well with those.
quote:
The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate
Runner up for best title!
I guess I'm a little surprised that you gave two older Cornwells 3 stars...cuz the books back then were the ones I enjoyed the most. I don't read her much anymore.
I've read 2 or 3 of Sedaris' books. They are often funny and sad at the same time.
Sorry to hear about the layoff. Are you still doing your newspaper gig? I just finished writing a 3-part series on transitioning to retirement for Coming of Age Delaware. The first two parts have been published and the third will be published in the next few weeks. Time to start researching the next topic!
Posts: 7786 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
