mimima
Drama Llama
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
Posts: 5,022
Jun 25, 2014 19:25:50 GMT
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Post by mimima on Oct 13, 2014 19:18:53 GMT
I finished The Glass Castle-I loved it! Did anyone here read her other books and like them? Our Book Club read Half-Broke Horses and I enjoyed that one as well. I've not read her third book. I finished Hard Times by Robert Vaughn. This one is a series about the 20th Century, each book takes about ten years and follows a group of people who graduated from Jefferson College in St. Louis at teh beginning of the century. We are now reading about their children as well - it's a good way to discuss the history of the US at this time, and I've been enjoying them. I finished a book of short stories that I was reading a bit at at time, Stories and Prose Poems by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. The first story, Matronya's House, came highly recommended to me and was fabulous. The other ones were quite good as well. I don't usually enjoy short stories, but as a few pages at a time in the morning, they were great. I read the first The Giver sequel, Gathering Blue, by Lois Lowry. The society had a very medieval feeling about it, and the story was interesting. I'm looking forward to reading the next one, I hear that it brings characters from the first two together. Finally, I read The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. Written in the first person plural (like "The Ladies Auxiliary," which someone mentioned reading last week, IIRC) it told the story of three sisters who are dealing with their mother's breast cancer. It was a pleasant story, not life-changing, but a good read.
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Post by lbp on Oct 13, 2014 20:01:57 GMT
If you haven't read "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand, run don't walk to the bookstore and get it! Couldn't put it down!
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tuesdaysgone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,832
Jun 26, 2014 18:26:03 GMT
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Post by tuesdaysgone on Oct 13, 2014 22:21:37 GMT
I'm sorry for your loss Pjaye. I finished The Glass Castle-I loved it! Did anyone here read her other books and like them? Yes, if you're going to read another of her books, try Half Broke Horses. It's the story of her mother's life and it really sheds a lot of light on why her mother (and father) behaved the way they did. Interesting how dysfunction lives on in family dynamics.
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Post by marie on Oct 13, 2014 23:17:51 GMT
My book club pick this month is Rebecca by Daphne de Maurier. I am LOVING it! It is so very well written that I'm really dreading when I finish it. Can't wait for our book club discussion in a couple of weeks -- should be a lively one. My book club has also read My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier. We had a very long discussion about a couple of different parts of the book--especially the ending! I am currently reading Fair and Tender Ladies by Chris Nickson. It's the latest in a series of historical mysteries that take place in the 1730's in Leeds, England. Very interesting portrayal of the class structure of the time period. pjaye--I am so sorry to hear about your Dad.
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Post by littlefish on Oct 14, 2014 0:49:11 GMT
pjaye--my sympathies about your dad.
With the school year in full swing I can usually make it through half a chapter of anything before passing out at night. However, I did read the middle grade chapter book Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library this weekend. There is a definite Willy Wonka feel to it, with a little Westing Game and From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankewiler thrown in (and both are referenced in the book). I loved both of those novels growing up so it made sense that I would like this one too. It's a little on the higher reading range for my students to read on their own (third graders) but I'm considering it as a read-aloud.
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,936
Jun 25, 2014 21:50:33 GMT
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Oct 14, 2014 1:38:23 GMT
I missed last week, so I have a few.
Rewinder: Sci-fi time travel book about a young man who is recruited into an elite group of observers of history from a parallel America that never won the Revolutionary War and is separated into castes. Enjoyable and different twist but not amazing. 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
Brain on Fire: Nonfiction true-life Dr. House-type medical mystery. A young reporter starts hallucinating and having seizures and is almost admitted to a pshyc ward when the symptoms rage out if control. I liked it. Quick read, but for some reason I had a hard time getting over that she (the author and victim) worked and now currently works for a tabloid rag magazine. It taints her perspective for me. Still 4/5.
Belzhar: this is a YA novel about a young woman whose boyfriend dies and she ends up in a boarding school for fragile students where she takes a class that is hand picked each year. Special topics in English. This year they are studying Plath and she and her fellow classmate are in for a unique experience. Magical realism and a big twist that I think a lot of the age group this is aimed at, might not like. 3.5 or 4 out of 5.
Annihilation: the first in a trilogy about a future dystopian world where a portion of the United States has turned dangerous by an unknown source. A group of women are sent out on another expedition. The other expeditions haven't gone so well... It was OK. 3/5
Being Mortal: if you are indeed mortal, you should read this book about aging and death. This was a fantastic nonfiction read, and I particularly recommend it for those who are dealing with aging and/or terminal illness of yourself or loved one and those in the medical field. It gives insight to the process, the history and the current state of geriatrics and quality of life at the end if our journey. Easy to read, good anecdotes, and clear arguments gave me so much to think about. I think everyone should read this! 5/5
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Post by pjaye on Oct 14, 2014 11:34:09 GMT
Thank-you everyone for your condolences, I really do appreciate the kind words.
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The Great Carpezio
Pearl Clutcher
Something profound goes here.
Posts: 2,936
Jun 25, 2014 21:50:33 GMT
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Post by The Great Carpezio on Oct 14, 2014 11:38:29 GMT
Pjaye, I also want to extend my condolences. I talk books with my dad too. He has a terminal illness, so your post reminded me to enjoy our book discussions while we can.
Take care.
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