What are we all reading?

[ksinger]

Clearly odd man out, I''m reading "The Return of Depression Economics And the Crisis of 2008" by Paul Krugman.

What can I say?

I did re-peruse "Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince" after I saw the movie. Is that enough to get me into the "COOL Readers Club"?

 

[Lynnie]

Just got back from 5 days at the beach...
Finished The Time Traveler''s Wife. Didn''t like it too much. It didn''t really get interesting til about 3/4 the way through, and it was confusing, at times, to read.
I''m also working on the Twilight series. Next up is Eclipse. I really enjoyed the first two. I wonder if they''ll make Belle a you-know-what -- don''t tell me!
I read My Sister''s Keeper earlier in the summer. Talk about a tear-jerker. I really enjoyed that one as well.
Last summer''s best book (for me) was Water for Elephants.

DH loves reading, also. He wanted a ''long book'', one that would last him a while, so I''ve got him reading The Stand, by Stephen King. It''s the un-cut version, like 1200 pages (paperback, but a small font). I love that book.

Thanks for the recommendations, guys!

 

[Haven]

I just started Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. It's really beautiful, thus far. (I've spent all morning lying on cushioned recliner in our backyard with steaming coffee, this fabulous book, and the dog--what wouldn't be beautiful?)

It reads more like a series of short stories all connected by this one fabulous character, Olive Kitteridge, so if you love short stories (as I do) and if you appreciate beautiful language, then it's a must-read.

I finished The Time Traveler's Wife yesterday. In all, it was a great love story, but I just didn't love the writing. I am looking forward to seeing Eric Bana play Henry in the movie though.

 

[Haven]

Date: 8/2/2009 11:55:25 AM
Author: ksinger
Clearly odd man out, I''m reading ''The Return of Depression Economics And the Crisis of 2008'' by Paul Krugman.

What can I say?

I did re-peruse ''Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince'' after I saw the movie. Is that enough to get me into the ''COOL Readers Club''?

ksinger--With your love for language and words, you are a *must have* member of this club.

 

[ksinger]

Date: 8/2/2009 1:08:52 PM
Author: Haven

Date: 8/2/2009 11:55:25 AM
Author: ksinger
Clearly odd man out, I''m reading ''The Return of Depression Economics And the Crisis of 2008'' by Paul Krugman.

What can I say?

I did re-peruse ''Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince'' after I saw the movie. Is that enough to get me into the ''COOL Readers Club''?

ksinger--With your love for language and words, you are a *must have* member of this club.

Thanks Haven. I just remembered though!! I DID just read a non-political/non-history/non-reference book! (I''m going to count it, even though it was an audio book listened to on a recent trip to and from Colorado: One must do what one can to avoid the thoughts of suicide that bubble up the minute I-70 enters western Kansas) I read "Heart of Darkness" by Joseph Conrad. Gripping.

 

[Tuckins1]

Date: 8/2/2009 1:08:52 PM
Author: Haven

Date: 8/2/2009 11:55:25 AM

Author: ksinger

Clearly odd man out, I''m reading ''The Return of Depression Economics And the Crisis of 2008'' by Paul Krugman.


What can I say?


I did re-peruse ''Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince'' after I saw the movie. Is that enough to get me into the ''COOL Readers Club''?

Lol

ksinger--With your love for language and words, you are a *must have* member of this club.

As an educator, I say that ALL readers are cool readers!

 

[ChinaCat]

Haven and others re: Time Traveler''s Wife:

I just read an interview with the author of Time Traveler''s Wife, and apparently she is an artist first. She was explaining how the phrase "the time traveler''s wife" came into her head, and she had to decide what medium to use. She thought about a painting, but decided to try to write a book instead. She had never written a book before.

It''s been awhile since I read it. I liked the story, but don''t remember much about the structure/writing. But perhaps that explains why the writing might have been less than impressive. Still, thought it was very interesting, and pretty good for a first try!

But yes, as long as it gets us more Eric Bana, I''m all for it.

 

[KimberlyH]

Date: 7/31/2009 8:09:06 PM
Author: KimberlyH
Just finished Olive Kitteridge (LOVED IT!!!!) and Bright Shiny Morning (really good, interesting look at the city of Los Angeles). Currently reading a fluff book called Look At Me (I think). It''s quick to read and interesting enough but not anything special.

Gave up reading Look At Me, just not interesting enough to finish. Now reading Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. I love No Reservations and I can hear him reading this book outloud to me. It''s an interesting, quick read. Should finish it today or tomorrow, not sure what I''m going to pick up afterwards.

Must go to library.

 

[happyfeet1988]

I am finishing up some of the Women''s Murder Club books by James Patterson. I picked 5th Horseman and 6th Target up at the library, just finished the 5th and am onto the 6th. They are pretty good, and a quick read but I wouldn''t pay for them like I have his books in the past. The bad thing is, our library has no due dates on their paperbacks so I literally have like 50 books piled up in our spare bedroom! It is terrible. Also, I have a ton of books to read that I bought at our library''s book fair. Good thing I love to read! I am still amazed by all the people that love Twilight. I though it was awful, I couldn''t even finish the first book and that hardly ever happens to me.

 

[Clio]

I''ve finished The Queen of the South, which I enjoyed very much. Now I''m reading Vanity Fair. I have a great love of Victorian fiction (Dickens excepted) and Thackery does not disappoint so far.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I just finished my fourth Vonnegut book and am debating whether to start Bagombo Snuff Box or instead switch over to A Clockwork Orange. Will decide by tomorrow!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 8/2/2009 8:42:32 PM
Author: happyfeet1988
I am finishing up some of the Women''s Murder Club books by James Patterson. I picked 5th Horseman and 6th Target up at the library, just finished the 5th and am onto the 6th. They are pretty good, and a quick read but I wouldn''t pay for them like I have his books in the past. The bad thing is, our library has no due dates on their paperbacks so I literally have like 50 books piled up in our spare bedroom! It is terrible. Also, I have a ton of books to read that I bought at our library''s book fair. Good thing I love to read! I am still amazed by all the people that love Twilight. I though it was awful, I couldn''t even finish the first book and that hardly ever happens to me.

Yikes, no due dates is crazy. Right now, my kids have 21 books total - half are checked out and the other half are on hold for us to pick up tomorrow! I cannot imagine just hanging onto them all until I got around to returning them.

 

[SapphireLover]

I must be in the minority but I really enjoyed the Time Travellers Wife.

I''ve just finished reading the 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. It was quite good, more for the fact that I knew nothing about Mormonism, the story was just ok.

 

[Clio]

I finished The 19th Wife a few weeks ago. I liked the contemporary part of the story, but I found the 19th century part kind of boring (plus, Eliza Ann Young''s narrative voice wasn''t convincingly 19th century). I get what the author was trying to do, but I think it would have been better to split the two parts of the book.

 

[kiett98]

Just finished American Wife a few weeks ago on a business trip. Really enjoyed it.

 

[SapphireLover]

Date: 8/3/2009 9:00:07 AM
Author: Clio
I finished The 19th Wife a few weeks ago. I liked the contemporary part of the story, but I found the 19th century part kind of boring (plus, Eliza Ann Young''s narrative voice wasn''t convincingly 19th century). I get what the author was trying to do, but I think it would have been better to split the two parts of the book.

I totally agree. It was the fake 19th century style of writing/ speaking that seemed to drag.

 

[KimberlyH]

Date: 8/3/2009 9:19:31 AM
Author: kiett98
Just finished American Wife a few weeks ago on a business trip. Really enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed the first 3/4 of this book, the last 1/4 left me scratching my head a bit. It seemed the author''s intent and I''m still not sure if I enjoyed that or not.

 

[princesss]

Ooooh boy, do I have a list, lol.

Currently reading: A Year of Living Biblically, This I Believe, Outlander (it''s my 5th or 6th reread)

Just finished: The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner''s Semester at one of America''s Holiest Universities

Next on the list: The Omnivore''s Dilemma, Angry Conversations with God, The Namesake, Unaccustomed Earth, The Glass Palace, Middlesex, The Virgin Suicides


Add me to the list of ACO. I have no working knowledge of any Slavik language, but I found just immersing myself in the book worked for me. It''s a lot like reading Shakespeare cold- the first act/chapter doesn''t make sense and then suddenly it''s like you''ve been hearing langauge used that way all your life. And I loved The Handmaid''s Tale, 1984, Farenheit 451, Brave New World, and most anything by Vonnegut (A Man Without a Country was great and gave more insight into him, which was wonderful). And I''m a total sucker for The Time Traveler''s Wife. I know it''s not the best written book ever, but it gets me every time.

 

[princesss]

A note on the writing of The Time Traveler''s Wife - am I the only one who found some of her more explicit statements really jarring? It seems a little out of place when compared with the rest of the book, and like she was trying to force that language on Clare (not on Henry so much). It just kind of bugged me. I still love the book (I''ve read it several times and just did something for the first time - I loaned it out! I never loan my books out, especially not my favourite ones), it just kind of felt weird to me.

 

[diamondsrock]

So interesting! So many avid readers here.
Brave New World was my favorite book in high school. I should re-read it. I did a report on it and loved it.
I just finished Spending by Mary Gordon. A light, easy read; fun for summer. I must admit the naked guy on the cover drew me in!
Eclipse was not very fun for me, and Breaking Dawn was, well, let's just say interesting. I have absolutely no idea how they are going to make that into a movie. Once you read it you'll understand. Tweens will be running from the theater crying an adults will be shaking their heads.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 8/3/2009 11:34:26 AM
Author: princesss
Ooooh boy, do I have a list, lol.

Currently reading: A Year of Living Biblically, This I Believe, Outlander (it's my 5th or 6th reread)

Just finished: The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at one of America's Holiest Universities

Next on the list: The Omnivore's Dilemma, Angry Conversations with God, The Namesake, Unaccustomed Earth, The Glass Palace, Middlesex, The Virgin Suicides


Add me to the list of ACO. I have no working knowledge of any Slavik language, but I found just immersing myself in the book worked for me. It's a lot like reading Shakespeare cold- the first act/chapter doesn't make sense and then suddenly it's like you've been hearing langauge used that way all your life. And I loved The Handmaid's Tale, 1984, Farenheit 451, Brave New World, and most anything by Vonnegut (A Man Without a Country was great and gave more insight into him, which was wonderful). And I'm a total sucker for The Time Traveler's Wife. I know it's not the best written book ever, but it gets me every time.

I began ACO this morning while my kids were in swimming class. It seems it's going to take a bit to get into the writing style and I was a bit sleep deprived so later in the day I picked up a book on caring for tropical fish because it made a lot more sense and most of the words and concepts applied to my current state of mind. But I will continue on with ACO. Hopefully it will click and I'll get into it. Also ordered Farenheit 451 last night and another Vonnegut book. A huge stack is building up as a result of this thread

Princess - do you reread books very often? The only one I have was Memoirs of a Geisha b/c I wanted to re-experience it before the film came out. Even though I only read Cat's Cradle a few weeks back, I'm already planning to read it again within the next few months. I love Vonnegut's style of writing and I feel that reading his books has helped me relax and become less serious about life, you know? Maybe I should re-read some Douglas Adams.

 

[CaliSun]

As a commuter, I always have a book with me.

I absolutely loved 1984!

My job is a bit on the serious side so I have a tendency towards reading humor to unwind at the end of the day.
If you like sick demented humor, I''d recommend anything by David Sedaris, Laurie Notaro, or of course, the late, great Charles Bukowski.
Once you get turned onto Bukowski, it will take you a loooooooooooong time to run out of reading material!
But shoot, he sure is funny.

 

[Haven]

I just finished Olive Kitteridge.

Dare I say it? I think it''s one of the best books I''ve ever read.

 

[princesss]

MC, I reread books all the time! I think the best books only getting better with rereads, because then you can read for the nuance and language use, and not strictly for the plot. I love seeing how authors build up to the climaxes in books, and my favourite books are like new each time I read them because I always find something new to appreciate.

 

[Amandine]

Date: 8/2/2009 12:18:08 AM
Author: Selkie
Amandine, if you''re out there, thank you SOOO much for mentioning The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. I downloaded it Friday night, and have barely put down the Kindle since. I''m fascinated with the Witch Trials anyway, so that alone would keep me hooked, but the book is well written and suspenseful as well. I just emailed my mom to look for it at her library.

I am so glad you liked it! I just finished it a few days ago, I liked it.

 

[elle_chris]

Date: 8/4/2009 2:35:02 AM
Author: CaliSun

As a commuter, I always have a book with me.

I absolutely loved 1984!

My job is a bit on the serious side so I have a tendency towards reading humor to unwind at the end of the day.
If you like sick demented humor, I''d recommend anything by David Sedaris, Laurie Notaro, or of course, the late, great Charles Bukowski.
Once you get turned onto Bukowski, it will take you a loooooooooooong time to run out of reading material!
But shoot, he sure is funny.

Another Bukowski fan here! Women, Post office, Shakespeare Never Did this.. omg, the list goes on. I totally loved him.
Even though I do laugh while reading his books, in the end, they always leave me sad.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

I just bought The Time Travelers Wife...but it''s hard to sink my teeth into. The age thing is throwing me a lot.

I am downloading Middlesex for trip, and that one sounds amazing. I cannot wait to read it!

 

[Magpie09]

Just want to say that i love this thread. I''ve added so many books to my to read list it''s not funny just have to wait until school finishes to get a start on them.

The book i started and is currently on hold until the end of semester is War and Peace i enjoy reading the classics and like what i have read of it so far. I think it will become one of those books i won''t be able to put down.

 

[IloveAsschers13]

Date: 7/30/2009 6:19:28 PM
Author: iluvcarats
I am reading The Tent by Margaret Atwood. I love, love, love her. All her books are wonderful.

Although she isn''t my style, I did see her speak in person last year at my school and then met her afterwords. She is a fascinating person to listen to. I was laughing hysterically. I read The Blind Assassin and somewhat liked it. A little confusing!

 

[ficklefaye]

wow, i started a similar thread in the library forum and didn''t get anywhere near as many responses, hehe

i''m also about to read the time traveller''s wife