The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,960 
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Dec 14, 2015 3:14:28 GMT
Hi readers!
Sorry this is so late tonight.
I read one book: I Fired God-My Life Inside---and Escape from---the Secret World of the Independent Fundamental Baptist Cult
It was very disturbing. This is the group that the Duggars are part of, and I found the beleif system very scary and the abuse appalling.
I'm all for religious freedom. I'm not an advocate of religious freedom being a guise for extremist indoctrination. No child should have to endure this kind of life of physical, sexual and emotional abuse.
I am sure there are many people in this denomination/cult who do not go to the extremes this woman's father did, but he is still being protected and celebrated by this group, which leads me to believe what she says is true: widespread and rampant abuse occurs in the independent fundamentalist Baptist church (the church families like the Duggars associate with.
Extremism is dangerous. It draws abusive and mentally ill people to its tenants. The IFB sect is hardly alone.
Beware all religious or philosophical extremists in our midst---not just the ones that look different or subscribe to another faith.
4.5/5 stars.
What did you read this week?
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Deleted
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Aug 29, 2024 2:51:59 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2015 3:29:07 GMT
well, that looks interesting...and it's at the library. Gonna give it a look! Thanks.
I have been on a Linda Costello binge this week...Kate Burkholder mysteries. Have one more to read. Getting a little burned out, too. Maybe a little Bob Jones bashing is just what I need.
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Post by hollymolly on Dec 14, 2015 3:58:50 GMT
That does sound interesting. I'll add it to my list.
I swear I remember posting on last week's thread, but I don't see it. Anyway, this week I finished The Butterfly Cabinet by Bernie McGill. It went pretty quickly, and held my interest but didn't fascinate me. 3 1/2 stars.
Next I read Joyland by Stephen King. Much better, much harder to put down. It was on my kindle, so it was all I could do to not whip out my phone and start reading every time I had a bit of a pause at work. Not quite as creepy/scary as his usual fare, but a really good story. SK is pretty much a sure thing for me. Never read anything of his I didn't thoroughly enjoy.
Finished it on the plane Friday and started the paperback I brought with me: Love the One You're With by Emily Giffen. I wasn't sure I was in the mood for Chick Lit, but it's making me think. I've had to pause a few times and just go over things in my head for a while because the main character's relationship with her ex boyfriend, and especially her feelings about him then and now, were way too close to the way I felt about XH, and how I am still feeling about the relationship 5 years post-divorce. It's been therapeutic. When her best friend tells her it wasn't true love because he didn't bring out the best in her, I realized how true that is, and despite being told many many times by my own friends and family, am just now fully realizing that XH truly brought out the worst in me. And I've had some major changes in my feelings toward him. As in, I suddenly, and for the first time since we started dating, don't really care if I never see him again. That's pretty huge for me.
Sorry, didn't mean to side track about my personal life. My point was, it's taking me longer to get through because I keep having to stop and self-analyze. I'm also getting distracted because it's giving me ideas for the book I'm never going to write.
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Post by kellybelly77 on Dec 14, 2015 3:59:11 GMT
I finished Angry Optimist: The Life and Times of Jon Stewart by Lisa Rogak. I enjoyed it. I like Jon Stewart and the book did a great job outlining his story, but it wasn't something that I couldn't put down. I also finally finished Peter The Great by Jacob Abbott. I am not even sure why I read this!! I wanted to read about Anastasia Romanov and when I logged it into Goodreads I saw a review for this book. The reviewer said it was the best book he'd read on this time period. The book was well written and a good account of Czar Peter but this time period isn't something I have ever been interested in!! At any rate, I learned a bit and it was a decent read. Just very random.  |
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Post by pjaye on Dec 14, 2015 4:15:42 GMT
One for me this past week - A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. I almost don't know what to say about this book and I definitely have 'book hangover' where I'm still living in that world and I don't quite get my head out of it just yet.
It's about 4 guys who meet at college and form a life long friendship, but their 'center' is Jude who suffered horrific abuse in childhood. No doubt, the descriptions of the cruelty that Jude suffered is one of the hardest things I have ever read, as are the long term effects it has on him. The redeeming feature is that the author also shows us great kindness towards Jude by others. It's a very realistic book, however it doesn't feel like the author exploited the topic, instead it serves to help us understand it better, how it happens and what the consequences are. It's heartbreaking and gut wrenching yet it's beautifully written and you end up wanting to be there for Jude and to hear his story. It's making me cry again as I write this. 5 out of 5 stars.
This is a hard one to follow, not sure what I will listen to next.
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Post by smokeynspike on Dec 14, 2015 4:19:10 GMT
I am reading Firewalker by Josephine Angelini.
Melissa
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my3freaks
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,206
Location: NH girl living in Colorado
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Post by my3freaks on Dec 14, 2015 5:28:22 GMT
Thanks for the suggestion Carey Ann, I added it to my never-ending "want to read" list on Good Reads. I went to add the book you read pjaye, and it was already marked as want to read.
I am reading The Liar by Nora Roberts. I haven't read any of her stand alone books in ages, it's a bit draggy in spots, but I like the story, and look forward to seeing how it wraps up.
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Post by belgravia on Dec 14, 2015 5:55:30 GMT
One for me this past week - A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. I almost don't know what to say about this book and I definitely have 'book hangover' where I'm still living in that world and I don't quite get my head out of it just yet.
It's about 4 guys who meet at college and form a life long friendship, but their 'center' is Jude who suffered horrific abuse in childhood. No doubt, the descriptions of the cruelty that Jude suffered is one of the hardest things I have ever read, as are the long term effects it has on him. The redeeming feature is that the author also shows us great kindness towards Jude by others. It's a very realistic book, however it doesn't feel like the author exploited the topic, instead it serves to help us understand it better, how it happens and what the consequences are. It's heartbreaking and gut wrenching yet it's beautifully written and you end up wanting to be there for Jude and to hear his story. It's making me cry again as I write this. 5 out of 5 stars.
This is a hard one to follow, not sure what I will listen to next.
This book has been in my amazon shopping cart for sooooo long and for some reason I haven't purchased it. I think because I've heard that it's such a difficult read...but well worth it. |
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,300
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Post by Mystie on Dec 14, 2015 6:07:41 GMT
Almost done with Agatha Christie! I'm in the "Ws" now.  I also read Frank: The Voice by James Kaplan...it's the first of a two-part biography. The second part came out a couple of months ago and I have that lined up to read shortly. There are a lot of books coming out this year about Frank Sinatra, because his 100th birthday was a couple days ago. It's a good bio about a very very complicated person. I didn't totally love the writing style, but the research seems solid. The second half is called Sinatra: The Chairman, and I think a lot more unsavory stuff will come out on this book, but it will also cover the height of his career, so I'm approaching it with optimistic caution. Right now I'm reading a survivor account of a Jewish woman who took off her yellow star and went underground in Berlin during the war. She dictated this account shortly before her death in the late 90s, and her son has taken years to research the names and dates and get it all organized into a narrative. So far it's interesting. If I could find it I'd post the title, but I'm too lazy to get up.  |
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by gottapeanow on Dec 14, 2015 6:09:09 GMT
I have had A Little Life on my to-read list for a long time as well. I hope to get to it after the first of the year. I read The Guilty by David Baldacci. I have been a big fan of his since his very first book and have read everything he has written. But this one, ugh. The ending was really far fetched. 3/5 stars, and that was quite generous. Lisa |
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Post by pjaye on Dec 14, 2015 6:15:26 GMT
This book has been in my amazon shopping cart for sooooo long and for some reason I haven't purchased it. I think because I've heard that it's such a difficult read...but well worth it. That's true, it was featured on a TV book club show here and that's one of the reasons I picked it up, but a few of the panel commented that they needed therapy themselves afterwards. It's a story that wrings you out totally. I think knowing what the subject matter is, helps a little, I went in prepared for this to be emotionally draining...however if you started reading this and were not aware of the aspect of child sexual abuse and later self harm, it would be even more difficult to get through. Just to clarify on the abuse front, there's no doubting what happens, it is realistic, but it isn't very detailed, there are no detailed descriptions of exactly what is done, it's generally referred to in a broad sense such as "sex"/"when he was with"/ "when he was visited by" etc. To me that makes the subject matter no less horrific, but I was glad for the lack of description in this area. The main character does self harm (cutting) and there are some quite graphic descriptions of that. |
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tuesdaysgone
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Post by tuesdaysgone on Dec 14, 2015 10:41:38 GMT
I read The Tsar of Love and Techno (Marra) and was blown away by it. This is my second book by this author and I'm overwhelmed by his talent. Thanks pudgygroundhog for putting me on this book. The novel is a series of short stories that take place in Siberia and Chechnya between the 1930s and mid 2000s. A painting is the thread that ties all the stories and characters together. The only (very small) part of the novel I didn't like is that you get attached to each character in the short stories and then they may not re appear in another story. This doesn't diminish the quality of the book in any way. If you enjoy literary fiction, this is an excellent choice. I have another book to read, but this novel is one that needs to rest in your mind before you move to another book. |
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Post by fkawitchypea on Dec 14, 2015 10:57:24 GMT
This week I read The Stranger by Harlan Coben. Normally I enjoy his books as a quick read, so I grabbed this from the library. At first I thought the concept was interesting, but it was so all over the place, I couldn't get into it. I pretty much skimmed through from the middle to the end.
I also read Rouge Lawyer by John Grisham, another one from the library. This one at least held my attention. It typical Grisham, a legal drama about a lawyer fighting the evil corrupted system.
My library has been really light on new books recently and I am trying to avoid increasing my Amazon bill before Christmas. At this point, I'm desperate for a good read!
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Post by tara595 on Dec 14, 2015 13:09:55 GMT
I've been in such a reading slump lately! I didn't even read last month's book club selection - which is highly against the rules! this month my book was chosen - Inside the O'Brien's by Lisa Genova. I'm really looking forward to it.
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,960
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Dec 14, 2015 13:38:43 GMT
One for me this past week - A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. I almost don't know what to say about this book and I definitely have 'book hangover' where I'm still living in that world and I don't quite get my head out of it just yet.
It's about 4 guys who meet at college and form a life long friendship, but their 'center' is Jude who suffered horrific abuse in childhood. No doubt, the descriptions of the cruelty that Jude suffered is one of the hardest things I have ever read, as are the long term effects it has on him. The redeeming feature is that the author also shows us great kindness towards Jude by others. It's a very realistic book, however it doesn't feel like the author exploited the topic, instead it serves to help us understand it better, how it happens and what the consequences are. It's heartbreaking and gut wrenching yet it's beautifully written and you end up wanting to be there for Jude and to hear his story. It's making me cry again as I write this. 5 out of 5 stars.
This is a hard one to follow, not sure what I will listen to next.
This was draining. I read it this summer, and it took a while to get into it for me. I would recommend and it leaves a lasting impression, but it was intense and not super fast moving (and very long.) It was like The Goldfinch to me. I AM glad I read it, but it was a bit arduous. |
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Post by pjaye on Dec 14, 2015 13:52:13 GMT
would recommend and it leaves a lasting impression, but it was intense and not super fast moving (and very long.) It was like The Goldfinch to me. I AM glad I read it, but it was a bit arduous I found it emotionally draining & confronting, but not arduous reading, I couldn't wait to get back to it each time, I always had hope that things would get better for Jude. I loved it much more than the Goldfinch...that book needed an editor with a red pen who wasn't afraid to use it, not so in this book, I felt it all needed to be there. |
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Post by pjaye on Dec 14, 2015 14:00:43 GMT
I just finished The Grownup by Gillian Flynn. It's a creepy little short story (just over 60 pages or 1hr in audio).
I saw it in the new releases at the library and didn't know anything about it...probably a mistake to listen to it while walking around the block tonight in the dark!
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janeliz
Drama Llama
I'm the Wiz and nobody beats me.
Posts: 5,641
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Post by janeliz on Dec 14, 2015 14:12:58 GMT
Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson. Very funny and occasionally poignant. Two thumbs up.
Life and Other Near-Death Experiences by Camille Pagan. This was a Kindle First book, I believe. Lots of touching and funny moments. I enjoyed it and would definitely read something else by this author.
Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner. Another winner for me. I thought it was a sweet look at first love and growing up. I'm a fan of Jennifer Weiner's, and appreciate her storytelling.
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,648
Location: The Grand Canyon
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Dec 14, 2015 14:34:00 GMT
I read The Tsar of Love and Techno (Marra) and was blown away by it. This is my second book by this author and I'm overwhelmed by his talent. Thanks pudgygroundhog for putting me on this book. The novel is a series of short stories that take place in Siberia and Chechnya between the 1930s and mid 2000s. A painting is the thread that ties all the stories and characters together. The only (very small) part of the novel I didn't like is that you get attached to each character in the short stories and then they may not re appear in another story. This doesn't diminish the quality of the book in any way. If you enjoy literary fiction, this is an excellent choice. I have another book to read, but this novel is one that needs to rest in your mind before you move to another book. Glad you liked it. It's definitely one of my favorite books this year and A Constellation of Vital Phenomena is one of my all time favorites I think. I can't wait to read his next book. |
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,648
Location: The Grand Canyon
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Dec 14, 2015 14:35:45 GMT
One for me this past week - A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. I almost don't know what to say about this book and I definitely have 'book hangover' where I'm still living in that world and I don't quite get my head out of it just yet.
It's about 4 guys who meet at college and form a life long friendship, but their 'center' is Jude who suffered horrific abuse in childhood. No doubt, the descriptions of the cruelty that Jude suffered is one of the hardest things I have ever read, as are the long term effects it has on him. The redeeming feature is that the author also shows us great kindness towards Jude by others. It's a very realistic book, however it doesn't feel like the author exploited the topic, instead it serves to help us understand it better, how it happens and what the consequences are. It's heartbreaking and gut wrenching yet it's beautifully written and you end up wanting to be there for Jude and to hear his story. It's making me cry again as I write this. 5 out of 5 stars.
This is a hard one to follow, not sure what I will listen to next.
Definitely one of the most depressing books I read this year.  I loved the depth and development of characters, but at some point I was like "enough!". I gave it 4/5 stars (would've been five stars if I didn't feel it was so extreme). |
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,648
Location: The Grand Canyon
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Dec 14, 2015 14:37:18 GMT
One for me this past week - A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. I almost don't know what to say about this book and I definitely have 'book hangover' where I'm still living in that world and I don't quite get my head out of it just yet.
It's about 4 guys who meet at college and form a life long friendship, but their 'center' is Jude who suffered horrific abuse in childhood. No doubt, the descriptions of the cruelty that Jude suffered is one of the hardest things I have ever read, as are the long term effects it has on him. The redeeming feature is that the author also shows us great kindness towards Jude by others. It's a very realistic book, however it doesn't feel like the author exploited the topic, instead it serves to help us understand it better, how it happens and what the consequences are. It's heartbreaking and gut wrenching yet it's beautifully written and you end up wanting to be there for Jude and to hear his story. It's making me cry again as I write this. 5 out of 5 stars.
This is a hard one to follow, not sure what I will listen to next.
This was draining. I read it this summer, and it took a while to get into it for me. I would recommend and it leaves a lasting impression, but it was intense and not super fast moving (and very long.) It was like The Goldfinch to me. I AM glad I read it, but it was a bit arduous. Funny you mentioned The Goldfinch. When my friend wanted to know in a nutshell about the book, I told her it was a depressing Goldfinch. |
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,648
Location: The Grand Canyon
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Dec 14, 2015 14:45:33 GMT
Since I posted last I've read:
Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson. 4/5 stars. I liked this one more than her first book and thought it was great. She writes with candor and humor about mental illness (and also just some funny anecdotes).
The Turner House by Angela Flourney. 4/5 stars. This is more like 3.5 stars to me, but I rounded up because I think it was a great debut for a new author. There was one storyline I just didn't care for, but I liked the premise of the book and the setting of Detroit.
Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg. 3/5 stars. I fear this one suffered from high expectations from me. I liked the writing and characters (would certainly read another book by the author), but I just didn't connect with it.
Career of Evil by Robert Gilbraith. 3/5 stars. These books are so weird for me to read. I love the writing and I feel compelled while reading it, but at the end I feel like nothing much happened in the book and the character stories and their relationships haven't developed.
I'm getting ready to start The Gilded Hour by Sara Donati. I love her Into the Wilderness series and I'm excited to read this one. About a pair of women doctors in NYC in 1880s (including some real historical figures). NYC, historical setting, and strong women characters - I'm down!
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Post by pjaye on Dec 14, 2015 14:51:03 GMT
I loved the depth and development of characters, but at some point I was like "enough!". I gave it 4/5 stars (would've been five stars if I didn't feel it was so extreme). But don't you think this is just so extreme when it happens in reality? It happens and those kids never get to say 'enough' I don't think you can ever have 'mild' child abuse. If the author is going to explore this topic then she needs to take it to where it goes in reality. I remember one time a few years ago, I walked into the ICU and my patient for the night was a morbidly obese woman who had just had bariatric surgery (she was in ICU because there were complications) and she had hundreds of self inflicted cuts all over her arms and her legs and a long history of depression and psychiatric admissions...plus the extreme obesity. I remember looking at her and thinking "what did someone do to you to make you hate yourself so much?" Abuse like that is extreme and I think the author was right in taking it so far and making people see it for what it is and to face the discomfort of the consequences. |
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,648
Location: The Grand Canyon
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Dec 14, 2015 14:56:21 GMT
I loved the depth and development of characters, but at some point I was like "enough!". I gave it 4/5 stars (would've been five stars if I didn't feel it was so extreme). But don't you think this is just so extreme when it happens in reality? It happens and those kids never get to say 'enough' I don't think you can ever have 'mild' child abuse. If the author is going to explore this topic then she needs to take it to where it goes in reality. I remember one time a few years ago, I walked into the ICU and my patient for the night was a morbidly obese woman who had just had bariatric surgery (she was in ICU because there were complications) and she had hundreds of self inflicted cuts all over her arms and her legs and a long history of depression and psychiatric admissions...plus the extreme obesity. I remember looking at her and thinking "what did someone do to you to make you hate yourself so much?" Abuse like that is extreme and I think the author was right in taking it so far and making people see it for what it is and to face the discomfort of the consequences. I know it happens in reality and child abuse is extreme. My comment was more in regards to this: The child abuse and self harm alone was enough to make the story work. Although the number of child abuse incidents was a lot. I don't doubt it happens in real life - but it did seem extreme. Then it was adding the abusive boyfriend (although yes, I see how that happens to people who suffered child abuse) and then killing Willem. For me personally, I think the story would've been more effective if that had been dialed back a bit. |
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Post by kckckc on Dec 14, 2015 15:10:44 GMT
I finished two books this week.
Last Ragged Breath by Julia Keller. This is the latest in a mystery/police procedural set in a small coal mining town in West Virginia. I have enjoyed the series and this is a solid addition.
Nine Essential Things I've Learned About Life by Harold S. Kushner. Kushner is a rabbi and the author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People. This includes essays on belief, conscience and forgiveness among other things. I think it is well worth reading even for the non-religious.
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Post by pjaye on Dec 14, 2015 15:16:16 GMT
Then it was adding the abusive boyfriend (although yes, I see how that happens to people who suffered child abuse) And this is exactly why I thought it worked, there were several warning signs for Jude at the start of that relationship but he wasn't capable of seeing them as the rest of us would be. The things that would make us run are the very things he considers normal so it is not surprising at all that he gets into this relationship, because it's still in his 'comfort zone' and he isn't able to recognise that it's all wrong. Then he gets hit the first time and because his self esteem is so low he forgives him. The author putting him into a normal, healthy relationship would have been easier for the reader but not at all realistic. I was actually listening to that part and going "no no no" in my head, while at the same time knowing it was inevitable. |
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sharlag
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I like my artsy with a little bit of fartsy.
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Jun 26, 2014 12:57:48 GMT
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Post by sharlag on Dec 14, 2015 15:56:00 GMT
I just finished the Audible of Dogtripping by David Rosenfelt. It's about a couple who rescue mostly Golden Retrievers, but other large and elderly/ill dogs that have a low chance of survival in shelters. They live with at least 2 dozen dogs most of the time.
The main point of the story is their move across country from California to Maine with 25 large dogs. This author writes other books, mostly mysteries, with the character Tara the Golden Retriever included in most of the plots. It's funny and heartwarming and uplifting. That's exactly what I was going for!
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Post by katiescarlett on Dec 14, 2015 16:12:50 GMT
I am currently listening to Seven Eves by Neil Stephenson and I really, really like it. It's very long (25 CDs) and it gets way too descriptive for me of the technical/scientific issues but the underlying story is fascinating. In a nutshell, the moon blows up and it is discovered that the earth is going to be destroyed in two years by flaming chunks of the moon raining down which is going to last for 5,000 years. So they have nowhere to go but space and they begin building an "ark" connected to the international space station. Depending on how it ends it may be my only 5 star read for 2015.
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,960
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Dec 14, 2015 21:41:31 GMT
I am currently listening to Seven Eves by Neil Stephenson and I really, really like it. It's very long (25 CDs) and it gets way too descriptive for me of the technical/scientific issues but the underlying story is fascinating. In a nutshell, the moon blows up and it is discovered that the earth is going to be destroyed in two years by flaming chunks of the moon raining down which is going to last for 5,000 years. So they have nowhere to go but space and they begin building an "ark" connected to the international space station. Depending on how it ends it may be my only 5 star read for 2015. I REALLY want to read this one, but it is so long, I have put it aside for now. I am excited to see your review. I don't remember for sure, but I don't think anyone has read it on this board yet. |
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ComplicatedLady
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Post by ComplicatedLady on Dec 15, 2015 4:40:52 GMT
I finally FINALLY finished Outlander 2 Dragonfly in Amber!
My goal was to finish it by the end of the year and I just made it. It took me months to read--not because it wasn't good but because my reading time is so limited these days.
I enjoyed it but I'm definitely waiting until 2016 to even think about starting the third book.
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I loved the depth and development of characters, but at some point I was like "enough!". I gave it 4/5 stars (would've been five stars if I didn't feel it was so extreme).
