Reading thread - Week of Oct. 25 to Oct. 31

I don't usually participate in these threads because it takes me so long to finish a book these days. I read all day at work, and my eyes are just wiped out by the end of the day. I've started listening to audio books on my commute, and I'm making it through those books much faster than the ones I'm actually reading.

I just finished the audio book I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson. It's YA, and I loved it. It has a spiritual aspect that is much different that my typical genres, and the imagery is beautiful. I also thought the relationship between the twins to be quite genuine.

I just started the audio book of Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I also love this one, so far. The narrator is wonderful, and I think she really makes the audio book a good choice for this one (although her American accents are rather amusing).

Before Americanah, I tried to listen to the audio book of The Poisonwood Bible, which is one of my favorite books, but I just could not deal with the narrator.

For real books, I'm currently reading My Year With Elenor by Noelle Hancock. It is light and easy and I am enjoying it so far.

I'm also re-reading The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan. I read it in college and enjoyed it. DD is reading it in her English class, so I thought I would join her so that we can talk about it.

Also reading Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfield. I've liked the other books by this author, but I really dislike the characters in this one, and I just can't get into it. I'm about half way through, but keep putting it down to read other things.

I think Little Bee is on my bookshelf, OP. May have to bump it up on my to-read list after your review.

Happy to be back participating in one of my favorite threads.
I had a long road trip this weekend so I listened to an audiobook : Ian McEwan's Saturday. The entire story takes place over a 24 hour time span. A respected surgeon in central London is on his way to meet with a friend when he has a fender bender accident. That one event sets off a string of consequences. Much of the story is told thru flashbacks that flesh out and develop the other main characters. It was very well read.

The writing is incredibly beautiful but I'm not used to an audio format. There were so many times in the story I wanted to go back and "re-read" a line or two to really enjoy his language. Still a good book and made the trip go by very quickly.

The book is The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony.  Is that the same?  I am enjoying it so far! 

Last week I read The Good Shufu Finding Love, Self and Home on the Far Side of the World by Tracy Slater  It's a non fiction book and here's part of the description           from goodreads.com: "Shufu: in Japanese in means housewife and it's the last thing Tracy Slater ever thought she'd call herself. A writer and an academic, Tracy carefully constructed a life she loved in her hometown of Boston. But all of that is upended when she falls head over heels for the most unlikely mate: a Japanese salary man based in Osaka."  I wanted to read the book because I love Japan having spent some time there, and was hoping it would be good. It was, it's written well. Very interesting read.

I read bits and pieces of Jane Austen's England by Roy Adkins flipping through to the most interesting parts, rather than reading it cover to cover. It's a wonderful book about what life was like during Jane Austen's life in England. There are all sorts of topics-Marriage, child rearing, education and fashion, and so on. It is a very interesting book and I've learned a lot so far, mainly that I wouldn't have wanted to be a woman during those times! Oh my, woman were really treated as 2nd class citizens, or worse!  When their husbands died they couldn't inherit anything it went to the next male relative (something Jane Austen mentions in her novels) so they often remarried over and over just to keep a roof over their heads since they couldn't earn their own money either. The worst thing was you couldn't get a divorce if you were a woman (although your husband could divorce you but it was very expensive). He was allowed to beat you as much as he wanted, but he couldn't kill you. He could also SELL you to another man, as long as he brought you to the market square on a certain day with a rope around your neck and led you there like a beast. Can you believe it?

I'm still reading this amazing book and being very grateful I was born when I was

Debbie in MD.

This week I read The 100-year-old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. I had gotten and returned this book to the library two times before I finally read it. It is a hoot! I really liked the creative storyline and humor!

I loved this book! So charming and funny!

Didn't post last week, so I have a few to talk about.

She Will Build Him A City by Raj Kamal Jha - Didn't get it. Too fantasy/magical realism for me. Total yuck and still can't figure out why I read the whole thing.

The Midwive's Confession by Diane Chamberlain - Fluff and predictable. 2.5 to 3 stars.

The Girl In The Spider's Web by David Langerkratz - This is the continuation of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo series. I was hesitant, but ended up enjoying this one. It seemed a little faster paced and it helped to have read the original trilogy.

Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell - Loved this one! It is the story of a Ukranian family that relocates (flees) to Canada and the hardships they face working the land, adjusting the a new cultural view of justice, family strife, and natural disasters. It is an unflinching story full of sadness and strife, but there are glimpses of true love, endurance, and faith as well. It is a hard one to explain without giving anything away.

The Suicide of Claire Bishop by Carmel Banasky - This book has been compared to The Goldfish by Donna Tartt. . . and it is similar in that a piece of artwork is a central character in the book. However, I enjoyed this book better. I found it to be more focused. However, I can;t say I loved it (didn't love The Goldfinch either). However, I do recommend it and the ending was worth the read.

Yes, My Accent Is Real by Kunal Nuyyal - I agree with the poster a week or two ago - this was ok, but disappointing in that there are only brief time devoted to stories about The Big Bang Theory. I would describe it more as an ode to his father than a humors autobiography.

The Small Backs Of Children by Lidia Luknavitch - The description of this book did not prepare me for the convoluted, graphic, explicit sexual references in this book. I am certainly not a "pearl-clutched" (I loved Tampa, by Alissa Nutting) but I found this unnecessary and gratuitous at times. I also could not understand the relationships between some of the characters. Maybe it is just to "artsy" for me.

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica - Enjoyed this and found it to be worthy of the description "thriller". I particularly liked that the author was able to change my view of two main characters as the story progressed. I also thought she did a credible job taking us into the mind of a woman as she mentally unwound.

Did You Ever Have A Family by Bill Clegg - This has gotten some mixed reviews here, but I loved it!!!!! 5 stars and one of my favorites this year. The way the stories of each character intertwines and the movement of time forward and backwards just worked so well. While all the characters were flawed, I found myself wanting to know them intimately as the story progressed. Read it in one day.

Forgot to say that I read Little Bee earlier this year and thought it was an amazing book. I also rated it 5 stars. It was extremely well written and is a book that stays with you and makes you think. The characters and the book haunts you for weeks and months afterwards. It's a book that you never forget, and personally those are the types of books I like. It was recommended to me by a friend that works at Barnes and Nobles. She was right-I loved it!

I agree with Gottapeanow-the ending left no doubt in my mind either. I knew what happened. I didn't think it felt too rushed and I didn't think I needed any more information. I think the book was perfect just as it was.

Debbie in MD.