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What are we all reading?

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AprilBaby

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Heavy this summer...The Divine Comedy by Dante.
 

ts44

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Oh let me think what I''ve read this summer so far!

Even though I''m 28 I enjoy reading a young adult fiction every now and again, so this summer I read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, which was wonderful.

My favorite read this summer has been my collected works of Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, and Lady Susan. They take me to my happy place.
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It doesn''t include the existing chapters of Sanditon, the novel she was working on when she died. I would like to read what was written of that someday.

My beach read has been Behaving Like Adults by Anna Maxted. She wrote Running in Heels which I enjoyed, but Behaving Like Adults was a little heavier than I expected (if you can say that about chick lit?). I will say that it entertained me, if only for the reason that the main character behaves towards her cat exactly as I behave towards mine.
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I try to read at least one work of non-fiction every few months, and this time it was Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiore. Very good, very disturbing look into the personal life of the man.
 

kittybean

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Date: 8/7/2009 5:34:06 PM
Author: Haven
If you find a copy of ACO without the last chapter, hold on to it. It might be worth something.
Haven, what are your thoughts about the last chapter? Better with? Better without?
 

Haven

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Date: 8/8/2009 4:13:46 AM
Author: kittybean
Date: 8/7/2009 5:34:06 PM
Author: Haven
If you find a copy of ACO without the last chapter, hold on to it. It might be worth something.
Haven, what are your thoughts about the last chapter? Better with? Better without?

With, hands down.
The entire book changes without that chapter, it''s so important.
Burgess was one angry man about that whole thing. I would be, too.

As for the essential questions, I''m sorry I never responded Kitty!

There are so many you could choose, I''d probably throw these out there and see which ones stir the pot the most:

If you are conditioned to choose good, are you as "good" as the individual who chooses it on his own?
Can an "bad" person truly be rehabilitated?
Do humans have the right to take away another''s free will?
If you do not have free will, are you no longer human?
Are young adults inherently more mature than teenagers?
If a once-evil individual has an epiphany and becomes good, is he rehabilitated? Should he be forgiven for all of his past evils?

There are so many. I usually brainstorm a list of at least 20 with a few friends, and see which are the most controversial.

Reading with a purpose (in this case, to answer a question) is essential for getting the most out of a text. Especially if you are a reluctant reader, and you''re only reading because some teacher is making you do it.
 

KimberlyH

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Just wanted to add that this week I read Commencement by J. Courtney Sullivan and Miles from Nowhere by Nami Mun; I started Gilead by Marilynne Robinson yesterday. Commencement was a good summer read; the plot revolves around four women who meet at Smith and become best friends. Miles from Nowhere is very dark, quick-paced, tells the story of a young homeless woman in the Bronx.

I love the pacing of Gilead; I tend to be a fast reader, and this book has a cadence to it that has forced me to slow down and take in every word. It also is a book that I will end up reading in bits, which is unusual for me (I tend to plow threw). It''s a letter of sorts from a father, who is an elderly preacher who is dying, to his young son. I loved Housekeeping, I find myself lost in Robinson''s prose again.
 

MichelleCarmen

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Adding mine - I finished A Clockwork Orange (including the 21st chapter) last night. The second half of the book was so engrossing, I did the usual whenever getting into a great book: Not making a proper dinner - kids living off Kraft mac/cheese and husband not having dinner made for him, at all! lol

Next is Farenheit 451!
 

joelly

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I am reading the newest book by Alexander McCall Smith. The title is "Tea Time of the Traditionally Built".
 

fuzzers

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I just finished reading The Time Traveler''s Wife and saw the movie. (The book is much better, as usual.)
 

trillionaire

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I think I have adult ADD. I can''t remember the last time I finished a book, but I LOVE books!
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Currently have started:

The Happiness Hypothesis, which I really enjoyed after chapter 1.
The Now Habit
Madame Bovary
The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao



I loved The Life of Pi and The Girl''s Guide to Hunting and Fishing as Beach reads

FI just gave me Who moved my Cheese, so that is next on the list of books to not finish!
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Tuckins1

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I just picked up another favorite of mine- Soulforge. It''s the first book of the Raistlin Chronicles.

I know, i''m such a nerd, but I don''t care. I LOVE Dragonlance!!
 

Amandine

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I am currently reading The Cairo Diary by Maxime Chattam, which combines a modern women secluded on Mont St Michel (sorry if I spelled that wrong) due to a political problem in Paris. She discovers a diary from a detective in Cairo in the 1920s investigating a series of murders. It jumps back and forth between her perspective and the diary. Good so far.

I will be picking up The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, really looking forward to it.
 

risingsun

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This is what I have been reading lately:
Sarah's Key~Tatiana de Rosnay
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan~Lisa See
Olive Kitteridge~Elizabeth Strout
The Neighbor~Lisa Gardner
Shanghai Girls~Lisa See
Testimony~Anita Shreve--graphic sexual abuse
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo~Stieg Larsson
The Girl Who Played with Fire~Stieg Larsson

I recommend all of these books with the caveat on the Anita Shreve novel.

I also read The Shack by William Young and did not like it at all. It did not resonate with me. I realize that this book has millions of fans that love it. I just read Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner. There was so little substance to it that it practically floated off the page. Just my opinion, of course
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Brown.Eyed.Girl

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Just got back home last week to all my hardcopy books, so I''m re-reading a bunch of Discworld books. Also re-reading Shogun. BF is reading the (chronologically) third book in the Asian Saga, Gai-Jin.
 

elle_chris

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Shogun is such an excellent book. Totally not the genre that I normally read but the writing is so good, and the culture so interesting that whenever i start reading it, i can''t put it down.
 

Kunzite

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I''m in the process of reading classics that I never made it to (thank you iPhone!!). I just finished The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Time Machine, Flatland, and The Scarlet Letter. Now I''m on to Wuthering Heights.
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VRBeauty

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I''m reading mystery fluff. Not to get defensive or anything, but I like my mystery fluff!

The mystery of the moment is The Color of Death by Elizabeth Howell, a murder mystery centered around the theft of some large, very high-end cut blue sapphires. The lead detective ( who just happens to be as sexy as he is smart, or course) and I get to explore some small facets of the gem trade. As he put it.."I want to know what happens before all the shiny stuff gets into the jewelry case. Where did the stone come from? Who transported them? Who worked them? Who mined them? But most of all I want to know who died and who lied so there could be stores full of flash and glitter."

Needless to say this particular book only hints at the answers to those questions. Still, it''s a fun read, and right up my alley!
 

Brown.Eyed.Girl

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Date: 8/16/2009 8:09:43 PM
Author: elle_chris
Shogun is such an excellent book. Totally not the genre that I normally read but the writing is so good, and the culture so interesting that whenever i start reading it, i can''t put it down.

Elle, have you read the other books in the Asian Saga series? Taipan is quite good as well (it''s the 2nd one chronologically), and King Rat is fantastic (and can be read as a standalone).
 

Brown.Eyed.Girl

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Date: 8/17/2009 9:42:57 PM
Author: Kunzite
I''m in the process of reading classics that I never made it to (thank you iPhone!!). I just finished The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Time Machine, Flatland, and The Scarlet Letter. Now I''m on to Wuthering Heights.
34.gif

I love the Wizard of Oz books! And I''ve been meaning to try Flatland
 

Dannielle

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Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.

Very good read so far, although I am only on page 4
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princesss

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I''ve abandoned all good books in favour of FBI/thriller/suspense novels right now. I''m reading one every few days. Something about me is just craving fluff right now.
 

elle_chris

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Date: 8/18/2009 9:55:10 PM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl


Elle, have you read the other books in the Asian Saga series? Taipan is quite good as well (it''s the 2nd one chronologically), and King Rat is fantastic (and can be read as a standalone).
I have taipan, but my hubby read it and while he liked it, he said it wasn''t as good as shogun so i haven''t read it (yet.) Thanks for letting me know about King Rat. Ordering it today!
 

packrat

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Date: 8/15/2009 10:22:44 PM
Author: Tuckins1
I just picked up another favorite of mine- Soulforge. It''s the first book of the Raistlin Chronicles.


I know, i''m such a nerd, but I don''t care. I LOVE Dragonlance!!

Ohhh I have those downstairs! I LOOOVE Raistlin!

I''m a few stories into Stephen King''s Just After Sunset. I''ve got Duma Key and Everything''s Eventual waiting in the wings too.

My mom is rereading Robert R. McCammon''s Swan Song, so when she''s done, I''ll have to get it from her. I bet between the 2 of us we''ve read it 20 times, and I even talked JD into reading it last year, since he likes The Stand so much.
 

gwendolyn

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Just started a book entitled ''In Search of England'' by Michael Wood. It''s basically a book about what makes the English English.
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J wanted me to read it a couple of years ago, but that was before I lived here, so much of it would''ve probably gone over my head. But now that I''ve been living here for almost 2 years now (wow!), I think I probably have a decent base to understand cultural references.
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VRBeauty

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"A Matter of Diamonds" by David Manuel -- a little murder mystery centered around a $10 million worth of diamonds purchased as an investment. The first chapter takes place in the diamond district in Antwerp -- yummy! I happened on this book on the $1.00 table (that''s more my speed!) at a used book store and couldn''t pass it up!
 

Tuckins1

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Date: 8/17/2009 9:42:57 PM
Author: Kunzite
I''m in the process of reading classics that I never made it to (thank you iPhone!!). I just finished The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Time Machine, Flatland, and The Scarlet Letter. Now I''m on to Wuthering Heights.
34.gif


We are kindred spirits!! I absolutely LOVE reading the classics... I need to find a copy of The Grapes of Wrath. I haven''t read it since high school. BTW- The Scarlet Letter is one of my faves!!
 

Tuckins1

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Date: 8/21/2009 12:09:05 AM
Author: packrat
Date: 8/15/2009 10:22:44 PM

Author: Tuckins1

I just picked up another favorite of mine- Soulforge. It''s the first book of the Raistlin Chronicles.



I know, i''m such a nerd, but I don''t care. I LOVE Dragonlance!!


Ohhh I have those downstairs! I LOOOVE Raistlin!


I''m a few stories into Stephen King''s Just After Sunset. I''ve got Duma Key and Everything''s Eventual waiting in the wings too.


My mom is rereading Robert R. McCammon''s Swan Song, so when she''s done, I''ll have to get it from her. I bet between the 2 of us we''ve read it 20 times, and I even talked JD into reading it last year, since he likes The Stand so much.

I''m not the biggest Stephen King fan, but Thinner was a GREAT book! I''ve heard It was good too, but it''s such a huge book... (The movie scared the crap out of me as a kid... just creepy.)
 

vespergirl

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"A Mercy" by Toni Morrison. Just started it last night.
 

KimberlyH

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Read City of Refuge by Tom Piatta. The story follows two families surrounding the time of Hurricane Katrina. The perspectives it brought to the experiences people might have had were well written and thought provoking.

I''m now reading Fault Lines by Nancy Huston, which traces a family from this point in America back through history to WW2 (at least that''s what it promises). I''m about 70 pages into it and the first character of focus, a young boy, is very frightening. It''s well written, but I''m waiting for the plot to turn, which should happen very soon.

I am still reading Gilead, it''s very slow going so I put it aside for a bit.
 

Haven

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I reread Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale last week. I was inspired to pick it up again after seeing it in this thread, and I now I remember why I loved it so much the first time I read it. What a fabulous book.

I'm currently rereading Jane Austen's Emma, which I adore.

I've just gotten a book club started with some friends, any title suggestions for me to bring to the first meeting? We're going to select titles and dates next week. Have you had particular success with a certain book in a book club? If so, I'd love to hear about it!

Thank you for resurrecting this thread, VR. It's one of my favorites.
 

canuk-gal

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HI:

At the risk of repeating myself--anyone read "Still Alice"? How about "The Hunter Games"?

cheers--Sharon
 
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