Weekly Reading Thread June 11-18

A few months back I read Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen for book club and really wanted to read more by this author. So I read an older one-One True Thing. This was a pretty heavy read and I would imagine that if you had lost a parent to cancer, it would be tough to get through. Having said that, it didn't turn me into a sobbing mess. The main character is described as lacking empathy so the whole story is matter of fact. But I continue to be in awe of the way Anna Quindlen writes-she is truly a gifted author.

Vacation for me next week, so I have some lighter poolside reads selected.

I did a reread as well, but finished in January. And now it feels like I didn't time it well :-p. I liked it as much if not more than the second time. But I still can't imagine how this book can be adapted in 13 episodes.

I read When Breath Becomes Air on Tuesday--beginning to end. Thought it was amazing! I was engrossed in the med school and surgery parts. The human body is truly wonderous. Had my schooling followed a normal trajectory, I would have gone to med school.

The literary world, as well as the medical world, lost a treasure with his death. I would put him in a category with Elie Wiesel. A wonderful, and heartbreaking, expression of their experiences and the world through their eyes. I sobbed through his wife's contribution to the book.

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I also finished reading Silent Witness. I had been working on it for a few months. It is about the origins of forensics. It was written by an English person. In the process, I have acquired an English accent while reading. LOL! I suppose the wording ended up translating the accent in my head. It is the damnedest thing.

Also, I read a book about a girl's escape from North Korea. Ten Thousand Miles to Freedom, or something like it. The Girl with Seven Names was better. However, I wonder if Seven Names was written better, more interesting, or did the author embellish some minor things for interest. Freedom was kind of flat, much more tragic. It feels more honest somehow. I don't know.

I think that is all I finished. The ones that I am in the middle of are The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, The Complete Book of Home Organization by Toni Hammerly (A Bowl Full of Lemons blogger, and a cleaning book that was free to read with Prime, and the Imbeciles book.

The Happiness Project has been...well, there are some things that I have found useful. Made it through April. There is a feeling a disingenuousness about the project. Plus, I have had it with her referring to 'being Gretchen.'

The Organization book is gorgeous. I adore the layout of the information. I ordered her cleaning book yesterday because I like this one so much. I am always looking for better ways of doing things. Disclaimer: I have not read her blog to know if the info is straight from the blog. It is all new to me.

The cleaning book is from another blogger. My Kindle isn't handy to retrieve the name. Anyway, I thought it looked interesting and it was free and I wanted to read something other than Rubin's book.

I am hoping that I have Rebecca (Daphne ? Maybe.) in my to be read pile. I need something in the fiction category.

For some reason I got interested in reading about Altamont, so I picked up a book at the library about it. Altamont, the Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day by Joel Selvin. (Why are non-fiction book titles always so dang long?) This was a terrific book about the death of Meredith Hunter at the hands of the Hells Angels at a big free concert at Altamont Speedway in 1969. Many people called it the death of the Sixties. It reads like a novel, I couldn't put it down! I recommend it.

Now I'm reading King Leopold's Ghost, which was recommended a couple of weeks ago by tuesdaysgone . It's about the colonization and enslavement of the Congo by King Leopold II of Belgium. It's also really excellent.

I have a little life on my kindle but know nothing about it. Had a friend recommend it. Should I give it a go?

P.

Another good Anna Quindlen book is Every Last One.  It left me a sobbing mess, but I still recommend it.

This week I finished The Marriage Lie which I enjoyed. It had a ton of twists that held my interest. 3.5 stars.

I'm now reading an old Nelson Demille book Nightfall, about the controversy and conspiracies surrounding flight 800. I haven't read a Demille book in a long time, so I forgot how much I like his writing. This one got rave reviews. Has anyone read it?

I read:

The Thirst by Jo Nesbo (Harry Hole #11). 4.5/5 stars. The heavy handed fakeouts have become formulaic, but I still love Harry Hole and really enjoyed the book.

The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley by Hanna Tinti. 4.5/5 stars. Very well written story about a father and daughter on the move with alternating chapters of their life together and Hawley's past. 

I'm currently reading A Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich.  I don't think I've ever read a true crime/memoir combo before and wasn't sure what to expect - but it's really good so far.

On deck: The Secret History of Wonder Woman, Since We Fell, Killers of the Flower Moon, Saints for All Occasions.

Intersting. A Little LIe is one of the best books I have read, but man the heartwrenching and hand wringing I had to do to get through it. I would be interested in reading another of her books because she is such a great writer but it The People In Trees has even more triggers, I am not sure I can. Hum, I will have to think about it and see. Thanks for your review.

LOVED that book. and yes, like others stated it's NOT plot driven. It's character, and all the little details. My favorite book of the yr so far.

I finished 3 books this week.

King of Lies by John Hart.  This is an older book - the first by Hart.  It rather reminded me of John Grisham's books.  I thought it was an excellent mystery/thriller up until the last couple of chapters - there was too much conversation between the protagonist and a police officer over explaining things.  I would assume his writing gets better and would definitely read more of his work.  4/5

Heartbreak Hotel by Jonathan Kellerman.  The latest in the Alex Delaware series.  I think this one, like a lot of long running series, has perhaps run its course.  I really liked the earlier books, but haven't cared much for the last few. 2.5/5

Silence by Shusaku Endo.  This one is also an older book (1966).  Martin Scorsese recently made a movie from the book and I heard a piece on NPR about the book/movie.  The story of a Jesuit priest who heads, as a missionary, to Japan in the 1600s.  During this time, the Christians in Japan are being persecuted and martyred.  The silence refers to God's 'silence' as this happens.  This one gives an interesting look into a time/place in history that I knew nothing about, as well as raising some interesting philosophical/religious questions. I think it is one of those books that will stick with me.  4/5