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OT- What Are You Reading

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

I'm dragging my way through the fourth Twilight book- New Dawn. My kids love these books, but I only started reading them to make sure there wasn't anything I had in issue with in them. I'm tenacious, so once I start something I generally finish. I have to get through this one so that my son can read it. He has a tendency to give things away, so he has to be last to read everything. Honestly though, it's just as annoying, predictable and poorly written as the rest of the series. I can't wait to finish it and get back to How It Was by Mary Welsh Hemingway. I can't say that the writing on that one is any better, but it's fascinating. It's a true life account of Ernest Hemingway's fourth wife of her life with him. He's always been my favorite author, and now I want to go back and re-read all of his stuff.
What are you reading?

General

37 replies

Latest reply was from Debora

Queen Mum

Veteran

haven't started it yet, but the next book for my book club is "The Forgotten Garden'

other book club favorites have been...

Secret Life of Bees
The Distant Land of My Father (my all time favorite!)
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (quirky but fun)
Year of Wonders (not our all time favorite, but some good stuff to chew on)
The Help (LOVED this one too!)

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Oh I've always wanted to do a book club, but they all seem to meet in the daytime. Next on my list is The 19th Wife. I just picked that up the other day and it looks good.

Vani

Veteran

Oh, I do wish I had more time to read. Two books I finished reading recently:
Dilip D'Souza's Roadrunner
Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers

Both highly interesting and entertaining reads.

DH highly recommends this book and I am looking forward to finding the time to get to it: Ishmael Beah's A Long Way Gone

MNsara

Veteran

I enjoy author Jen Lancaster and she has put out her summer reading recommendations on her blog, so I requested everything I could from the library (I do not enjoy owning most books).

Because I so blindly trust her, I have no idea what I will be reading until it gets here! One caveat, I did NOT request any of her zombie book recommndations. . . just the fiction and memoirs.

To tide me over until they start showing up, I checked out 'A Privileged Life: Celebrating WASP Style" . . . !!! In the Michael Kors article he refered to his style icons as Babe Paley and CZ Guest and I was clueless. . . . until now.

Scarlet

Veteran

The last book I read was Elegance of the Hedgehog, which was interesting, but overall irritated me. I bought My Antonia to read, but somehow haven't been ready to delve in. I guess I realized it's a classic I haven't read, so hoped on those grounds it wouldn't be too bad. So far I have avoided Twilight and based on your comment will continue to do so. I would like to find a good biography about Angela Merkel. I think she is very interesting as a woman in power.

Carole

Veteran

Just finished "The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo", wasn't that crazy about that one inspite of the popularity it seems to have. Loved "The Help", and am currently reading "Say When" (Elizabeth Berg) which I'm enjoying, next up is "Dracula" for my book club.

Louise

Veteran

I get through a book every couple of weeks usually! (No one else is about when I have my break at work and I feel like a lemon staring at the walls for 30 mins so I sit and read) I'm just about to finish Asking for trouble by Elizabeth Young. Nothing high brow I'm afraid I'm a total chick lit feind! I loved the Twilight books and am now devouring anything vampire related or dark romance as they are called x

Anonymous

I'm currently reading a U.S. history series aimed at kids in anticipation of covering the topic here at home. The series is written by Joy Hakim.

http://www.joyhakim.com/history.html

Right before starting this series, though, I finished Ken Follett's "Pillars of the Earth."

Donna

Just went to the library yesterday and found "Patterns From Finished Clothes" by Tracy Doyle. I want to copy a favorite sheath dress.

I also checked out "Summer Guest" by Justin Cronin. Has anybody read this?

motherofms

I love hearing what everyone's reading. I'm going to the US next week and books are on my shopping list. This thread has given me ideas to look for.

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

At the moment I am lucky if I have enough time to read the newspaper, when I am really in reading mode I can get through one book and sometimes two a week.

Kim - I read The Forgotten Garden a year ago and really enjoyed it, a really nice story!

Khris - I really enjoyed The 19th Wife, it covered a period of US history that I really didn't know anything about. I always enjoy fiction based on real historical events.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Fi- I am obsessed with Mormon history after watching Big Love :0

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

I never really got in to Big Love - might be one to get on the DVD box set!

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Prepare to spend a weekend on the sofa- it's addicting!

Rosie

Veteran

Khris, what is it about those books? I agree with you that they are dreadfully written and it drove me crazy; however, I was compelled to read them voraciously and finished them quickly. I also really dislike Bella as a character. Oh well - you're almost done!

I am always in the middle of 2-4 books, but I just started Frances Mayes latest book. I am also reading The Medici Conspiracy (love anything about art theft and related issues) and have to start Spoon Fed for my book club.

I've actually thought in the past how a fashion-related book club might be an interesting thing to do on the forum. Or even a movie/tv club.

Inge

(website)

I haven't even touched the Twilight series yet, but I'll probably end up reading them all sooner or later anyway;-)

On my (re)reading pile (yup, it's always a huge pile, I read a lot and always have three to four books going at once):

- Good to the Grain, Kim Boyce - I'm weird, I know, I love reading cookbooks
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Gra.....038;sr=8-1

- Aunts Aren't Gentlemen, P.G. Wodehouse
http://www.amazon.com/Aunts-Ar.....038;sr=1-1

- Theft, A Love Story, Peter Carey - started this once before, going to give it another try
http://www.amazon.com/Theft-Pe.....038;sr=1-1

And these are on my wish list:

- Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, Helen Simonson
http://www.amazon.com/Major-Pe.....ZQFB8BRZDS

- The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Aimee Bender - I have a thing for quirky titles and admit to sometimes buying books just because the title or cover appeals to me
http://www.amazon.com/Particul.....ZQFB8BRZDS

- Thursday Next: First Among Sequels, Jasper Fforde - really enjoyed the previous books
http://www.amazon.com/Thursday.....ZQFB8BRZDS

Count me in for the fashion-related book club, Rosie;-) (Spoon Fed is on my want list too!!)

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

Inge you aren't weird about reading cookbooks - I frequently go to bed with one. Have you ever come across a British food writer called Nigel Slater? His Kitchen Diaries cookbook is one of the best ever!

How are you enjoying the Thursday Next books? I heard about them at a literary festival I went to recently (in the queue for the shower at the camp site) and it sounds like a really fun series!

SkiDiva

Ooh, a book thread! As a librarian, I always love seeing what other people are reading. One of my most recent reads has been Diana Gabaldon's newest Outlander book, An Echo in the Bone. (I actually reread the whole series, because I love it.) I also recently finished Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger.

Before the summer is out, it's a good bet that I'll also have reread one of my favorite books ever, Rosamunde Pilcher's The Shell Seekers!

SkiDiva

And speaking of cookbooks, I have done my waistline absolutely no good by recently bringing home the Martha Stewart Cupcake book and The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, which is full of insanely delicious sounding recipes for homemade ice cream!

Inge

(website)

Oooh Fiona, of course I have!!! I have all the titles in the "Real..." series on my night stand as we speak;-) And Tender on top of that. And I've wanted to buy the Kitchen Diaries for ages, just haven't got around to it.

Thursday Next is just such a delightful mix of sci-fi/fantasy and mystery elements mixed with literary references (and classic literary characters "coming to life" and actually being part of the plot of his books) and comical/absurd situations. I think it's one of these series you either love or hate. I first got them because I can't resist "books about books", but was quickly drawn in by all of the above. Don't expect the next Great Novel, just a relaxing, and perhaps a little silly, unexpected read.

SkiDiva: I'm also looking forward to Her Fearful Symmetry and would love some of M.S's books. I'd better hide the scales first;-)

Melissa

Oooh! I've been away from the boards for a while, but you guys totally pulled me in with this thread.

Carole, I'm also reading Stieg Larrson's "Girl With..." series. I am really enjoying them, but I can see where they wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. He does take a long time to set everything up in the beginning of each book.

The Thursday Next series is one of my favorites for light reading. It makes me so happy to visit a world where books are so important, even though it's a fictional place. Inge, if you have other books about books to recommend, I'd love to hear about some of them.

SkiDiva, what did you think of the Niffenenegger? I liked her first novel, but haven't gotten around to the second one yet.

As a side note, re: The 19th Wife, it's notable that Ann Eliza Webb, the woman Ebershoff's book is based on, was actually Brigham Young's 52nd(!) wife.

wilson

I'm in the middle of "The Power of One" by Bryce Courtenay, just finished "The Girl with.." series by Stieg Larrson and one of the women in my book club just dropped by all 4 "Twilight" series books and is daring me to read just one. Our book club is reading "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides, which I haven't started yet. These are my all-time favorites:

Nectar in a Sieve, by Kamala Markandaya
The English Patient, by Michael Ondaatje

Rosie, I really like the idea of a fashion/style book-club type dialogue. If we did that, what would you suggest starting with?

AJ

Veteran

Currently I'm reading "Peter and the Starcatchers" by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson with my 11 year old. My 9 year old and I are reading "The Chronicles of Narnia" series by C. S. Lewis. We are on "The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader." Before I go to bed I have been giggling through "Time Flies" by Bill Cosby.

Kim - I enjoyed "Secret Life of Bees" a few years ago. I haven't seen the movie yet.

chellebrate

51 Wacky We-search Reports: Face the Facts with Fun! Currently, I don't really pleasure read too much. Most of my reading is for work.

I enjoyed the Twilight series. I didn't analyze or evaluate, it was purely escape reading for me.

Steph

Veteran

Khris, I had to laugh at your description of your feelings reading the Twilight series. I felt the same way. I hate giving up on books, movies, TV shows, etc., so I end up sticking with them until they are finished. The best thing I can say about the Twilight series was that they were quick reading. Good luck finishing (and if you want to quit, I'll tell you that you don't have to be worried about the last one being any more objectionable than the first three--my biggest objection would be the horrible, repetitious writing).

I just finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and thought it was fine, but not amazing. I am not a fan of reading about brutality, even for just a few pages, so that kind of turned me off. I'll probably pick up the next book in the series at some point in the future.

I am about to start The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It is a biography and has getten great reviews. I am drawn to it because it is about the woman whose cells were named HeLa cells and were used in all sorts of scientific breakthroughs. I spent a long time working on something that was tangentially related to HeLa cells, so I'm intrigued to hear the story of the actual person from whom they came.

Isabel

Veteran

Good for you for taking interest in your kids' reading.

I just finished The Mighty and The Almighty by Madeline Albright and started reading What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell ( I just love all his stuff ).

Tanya

Veteran

Queenie, I finished "The Forgotten Garden" in the last month - it was a good book.

But the last book I have finished was actually the third and final one in the Stieg Larson trilogy - The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. I have actually tremendously enjoyed the whole series and am very sorry there aren't any more coming for obvious reasons. I think he did a great job with them pointing to some serious society flaws.

SkiDiva

Melissa, to be honest, I don't quite know whether I actually LIKED Her Fearful Symmetry or not! It certainly had me hooked, and I wanted to find out how it ended. It's a darker story than Time-Traveller's Wife. Have you read The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield? To me, the two books felt somewhat similar. I think gothic would be the right description . . . dark houses, ghosts, twisted families, etc!

Tanya

Veteran

For those who like dark Gothic stories, I do not have good enough words to recommend Carlos Ruiz Zafon, both the Shadow of the Wind and the Angel's Game:

http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-W.....038;sr=8-1

The first one is better and lighter tough, the second one can be a bit much.

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