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Summer 24 - books?

Laurie

Veteran

Gang - what are we reading this Northern Hemisphere summer? I am longing for enough time to just sit and read for a whole weekend, but I've been going pretty nonstop since April. August might be quieter.

I got myself mired down (MIRED I tell you) in the 5th book of the Outlander series, The Fiery Cross. It's so long, and it's my least favorite so far. I've had to renew it on Libby 4 times, and I keep pushing my holds back.
But, I did accept James by Percival Everett when it came up, and am so glad - what an interesting read it is so far. If someone here recommended it, thank you!
I'm also listening to Tripping on Utopia, excellent book about Margaret Mead, and psychedelic science. I didn't know much about her- she was quite a trailblazer in a dozen ways. And I did not know that Julia Child was in the OSS, precursor to the CIA! This is why we read!

Can't wait to hear what's on your phone/tablet/nighstand/in your beach bags!

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31 replies

Latest reply was from DonnaF

kkards

Veteran

I “read” this one on audio earlier this spring Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderer by Jesse Q Sutano. It’s the perfect I have chores that need to be done but I’d rather be reading book. Funny, but with a richness of character and humanity . I highly recommend
read my 1st Ann Patchett book The Dutch House. Loved how it took house and made it such a part of the family and the story. I now have Bel Canto on my beach read list for later this summer.

What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez by Claire Jimenez, a light read, but with the dark undertones. A story of immigrants, and family and growing up. There is a mystery but in truth the mystery frames this book, and is central to the story, but at the same time, it’s not that much of a mystery and its not as important as what goes on behind and around the mystery.

I’m about 2 chapters into Birnman Wood by Eleanor Catton. And if this wasn’t for my book group. I think its would be on my DNF list. Anyone else read it ? Thoughts?

NancyW

Veteran

I read James in June. Highly recommend. The last Maisie Dobbs, The Comfort of Ghosts, did an efficient job of concluding the series, but was not terribly engaging. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith (1948). Got it on Libby but had to be read on the Libby app. I believe it was a pdf. Murder your Employer was also in the mix and might have been fun as an audio book used as kkards suggests.

JAileen

Veteran

I just read the final Maisie Dobbs, The Comfort of Ghosts, too. I enjoyed it, and am sorry it’s the last one.

Right now I’m reading The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn. Like Maisie Dobbs, it’s historical fiction, taking place in the UK.

LJP

Veteran

I'm in the middle of Long Island , which is Colm Toibin's follow-up to Brooklyn (I just read that earlier this week). Terrific, quiet, thoughtful books. Kind of like Elizabeth Strout's type of story-telling . I also just read Elin Hilderbrand's The Swan Song, which was fine, the usual from her.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Most recent non-fiction, The Garden Against Time by Olivia Laing. I like her -- she weaves biographies and analyses of various historical figures through her personal reflections in a style a lot like my own (though she sells a lot more books, sigh...). I also found Consent , by Jill Ciment, really interesting. An April-November relationship and what she makes of it all, after he's gone, in the era of me-too. Hint, it's complicated. A very short book. Oh, and The Dressmakers of Auschwitz, which tells a fascinating (and of course chilling, but ultimately quite remarkable) story of several women whose ability to sew literally saved their lives in and out of the camp. It's written by a British historian of fashion who actually gets to meet and interview one of these women, and the story of how that (and this book) came about is in itself remarkable .

Latest fiction, a re-read of Daniel Deronda. And now I'm reading Ducks, Newburyport. Or trying to. I'm getting a little fed up with it.

Runcarla

Veteran

It will probably take me all summer, but ‘The Way We Live Now’ by Anthony Trollope. A victorian masterpiece that is surprisingly prescient.

I also have ‘Valiant Be’ by Heather Mallett, a Canadian writer living in Ottawa. It’s a memoir written as short vignettes. Easy to read one or two, and then set down until another time.

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Glory

Veteran

I went through a spring reading frenzy but have slowed down in June because I was a mad woman obsessed. Like when we were children hiding the flashlight under the covers to read a little longer. Of course no one stopped me and I still had to get up in the morning, after staying up into the wee hours “ just one more chapter”.
Now I am reading some very light books. I’ve been enjoying the Harlan Coben series. I’ve also started reading the series from Louise Penny.
Both of these are lighter reads but very fun and interesting.

Laurie

Veteran

@Suz - was just reading this article in the latest edition of The New Yorker (it's behind a paywall) about memoirists, that mentions Jill Ciment. It's not an especially complimentary look at the "serial memoirist". I personally love memoirs!

Hey, @LJP - nice to see you!

Helena

Veteran

I seem to be inadvertantly copying Lisa this summer! I read Elin Hildebrand's "The Rumor" which is a fun summer read ... light but not stupid, if that makes sense.

I also read Colm Toibin's "The Testament of Mary" which is a novella about the Jesus story told from Mary's perspective (TW: it's a very non-traditional take on Mary so wouldn't be for some, for various reasons! Fascinating to me as a non-traditional cradle Catholic but perhaps not as interesting to others.)

I am currently reading "Long Island" and really enjoying it ... and "Brooklyn" is next in my summer line up!

I tried and tried to read "Lessons in Chemistry" ... I powered through past the 1/2 way mark and still gave up.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Helena, I couldn't get through Lessons in Chemistry, either -- everyone loves it but me (and maybe you?) My husband adored it. But not moi!

Laurie, thanks -- I'll check it out -- I'm a subscriber. I can understand the urge to sniff at serial memoir. I didn't read Ciment's earlier book, though, and you don't have to, to read this one. It's almost more an "ideas" book.

Carla, I loved The Way We Live Now when I read it way back when. I think it's time for a re-read -- thanks for the reminder!

Style Fan

Veteran

I will be back with my list,but I could not finish Lessons in Chemistry.

kkards

Veteran

I read Lessons in Chemistry last summer. I wanted to love it, I liked it… but honestly it started strong, but it could not/did not live up to its potential

Aquamarine

Veteran

I’m binging on the Jenny Colgan books, usually before bed. I’ve had a *very* stressful year and I find them engaging, witty, and relaxing.

Joy

Veteran

I like cosy mysteries set in medieval times, nothing psychicological or involving children. The setting is far enough removed from reality. I especially like certain authors or a series like Anne Perry's
Monk books. Many of those authors have died. I especially liked the Brother Cadfael stories.

LJP

Veteran

The New York Times is running the Top 100 novels of the 20th C again - 10 each day or something . I was dismayed that I'd not read very many in the 90-100 group .

Bonnie

Veteran

I'm currently rereading The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. It's is a really interesting book. I just finished a Michael Connelly book, The Drop, and really enjoyed that, too.

MsMary

Veteran

Recently finished I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger and loved it. Also enjoyed Husbands by Holly Gramazio, which was similar to The Midnight Library (which I also enjoyed). Just gobbled up The God of the Woods by Liz Moore in a day and a half and highly recommend. In non-fiction, enjoyed Cue the Sun by Emily Nussbaum, about the rise of reality TV (fascinating but rather horrifying). Next up: Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner.

LJP

Veteran

Ooh thanks for the Leif Enger tip , Ms M! I LOVED Peace Like a River and found it one of the most moving books I'd read....back in the day. I didn't know he had a new one, and now I have to look at Virgil Wanderer to see if I read that one . I repped the publisher of his first novel (PLAR) and had a bit of an author crush on him

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I have really enjoyed The Ministry of Time, which has to do with alternate future and time travel, but is more about relationships and the idea of being a stranger in your own country.

All Fours is a modern take on a room of one's own. I copied this quote from it: “You can’t have everything you want but you can want everything you want.” — Miranda July

RachelNZ

Not summer reading here but still trying to read consistently!
Like kkards, I've just read my first Ann Patchett, Tom Lake which I enjoyed so will try a few more from her. What You Are Looking For Is In The Library had 5 interlinked stories about their lives being improved by finding the right book, I read it in one sitting.

My big reading pleasure over the last year or so has been cosy murder mysteries - work has been stressful so it's nice to read something that doesn't ask too much of me. Have enjoyed books in this genre from Robert Thorogood, Sarah Yarwood-Lovett, Richard Osman, Helene Tursten (The An Elderly Lady ones) and am just about to start Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series. Any recommendations in this genre would be gratefully received.

Oh and Meena van Praag's books have also been a relaxing read.

April

Veteran

I must admit I found The Dutch House underwhelming. Loved Tom Lake, however, and Bel Canto got re-added to my "must reads" after it made that NYT best books of 20th C list. Likewise My Brilliant Friend, which we already owned but had not read.

The Poisonwood Bible! I remember finding it un-putdownable.

RC, I took two books with me when LMA got born in 1997: The Way We Live Now and Antonia Fraser's The Weaker Sex. Because, you know, I would just be lounging around doing nothing and would have so much time to read. BWAH HAH HAH HAH HAH. He's 27 and these two remain unread.

Right now, let's see, I'm in progress on a number of titles.
Nonfiction:
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain - George Saunders
Don't Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You - memoir by Lucinda Williams
Kitchen Organization Tips and Secrets (reread) - Deniece Schofield
Fiction:
Rereads of all of Alice Munro (for a class)

Recently completed:
Solito: A Memoir - Javier Zamora
American Dirt - Jeanine Cummins
I'm Glad My Mom Died - Jennette McCurdy
David Copperfield along with Demon Copperhead, for a class

judy

Veteran

For those of you who enjoy memoirs:

Deborah Levy auto fiction trilogy (each book quite short)
Things I Don't Want to Know
The Cost of Living
Real Estate

Constance Debre
Playboy
Love Me Tender

MsMary

Veteran

April, I listened to the audio book of I'm Glad My Mom Died, read by the author, and I loved it.

UmmLila, I loved Ministry of Time, too!

DebD

RachelNZ, I'm a fan of cozy murder mysteries, too, and turn to them after a stretch of reading something heavy or dark. I can recommend Carlene O'Connor's Irish Village Mystery series, comprising 10 volumes so far. Light and charming, with feisty, captivating characters and enough intrigue to keep you turning the pages.

My most recent reads:
Camino Ghosts - John Grisham
Zero Days - Ruth Ware
Table for Two: Fictions - Amor Towles
La chica que se llevaron (versión latinoamericana) - Charlie Donlea

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Funny, I listened to Tom Lake on audiobook and (ducking now) actually found Meryl Streep’s narration a bit overdone — it got in the way of the book for me and I didn’t love it as much as everyone seems to.

I just finished The Humans by Matt Haig, and had to look at the publishing date, because holy moly, it’s so much like the TV show Resident Alien with Alan Tudyk that I could actually hear the dialog in my head in Tudyk’s voice! Turns out it was written ten years ago, so maybe the producers of Resident Alien read it and stole the concept. It was a good and entertaining read though.

Now reading The Future by Naomi Alderman. Dystopian techno future fiction.

Just finished the audiobook of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust, which I really enjoyed. And then the news came out about him. Ugh.

Now listening to SA Crosby’s All the Sinners Bleed. Very compelling so far.

kkards

Veteran

Just finished Birnam Wood, by Eleanor Catton. Wondering if any of our New Zealand Fabbers read it, and what you thought.

As I mentioned earlier this was a book group read, and honestly if it wasn’t I would not have finished it. for me the biggest issue was there was not one person in the book who I liked. Not just that the characters were flawed, but they were and continued to be unable and unwilling to change. Or at least that was my read. So the story moved forward but the people in the story did not. Which left me feeling like the book was flat.

Laurie

Veteran

I just listened to The Women, about the combat nurses in Vietnam. If recommended here, thank you. I usually struggle with keeping a focus with audio books, and my attention wanders to the point I have to repeat half a chapter. This story kept my attention after the first couple of chapters. I think it helped that I have very strong visuals of this time from movies and TV shows like China Beach and M*A*SH.
It was strong reminder of what these Vietnam vets - and particularly these women who got no recognition for their service, or help for their PTSD for years - went through while serving, and upon return, and it is so heartbreaking.
I went to a memorial event yesterday and ended up talking for a long time with a guy who signed up for the Marines and volunteered to go to Vietnam when he was 18 (said he never volunteered for another single thing in his life). His story completely echoed what I'd just read, being called a "baby killer", and being literally shunned when he got back.

Laurie

Veteran

Back to recommend Elderhood by geriatrician Dr. Louise Aronson, for those of us dealing with elders, and becoming elders.

April

Veteran

Um , sign me up...

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