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Archive through January 10, 2007

Reality TVClubHouse Discussions: Movies & Library ARCHIVES: Movies & Library 2009 - 1: Let's share...what are you reading? 2006-2008: Archive through January 10, 2007 users admin

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Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Thursday, December 21, 2006 - 8:09 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
I just finished Stephen King's book Cell. Very good.

Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Thursday, December 21, 2006 - 8:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mamie316 a private message Print Post    
GAL, the grieving really wasn't the heart of the book. I think it was about the healing. And she also had to deal with the sickness of her daughter, Quintana, which I think helped her move along.

I am now onto reading something fun, I Gave You My Heart But You Sold It Online by Dixie Cash. Sounds like a country song, doesn't it? I wanted something light and fun to read.

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Thursday, December 21, 2006 - 8:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
Hit the jackpot at Sam's Club tonight -- got State of Fear (Crichton) and Conviction (North Patterson) in hardcover for under $5 each! Sooo -- now I'm reading "The Art of Happiness" by the Dalai Lama, Wildfire by Nelson Demille AND State of Fear. :-) LOVE the holiday season!

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Sunday, December 24, 2006 - 4:07 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
I liked A Year of Magical Thinking very much and then was asked to do a trade on bookcrossing so someone else who really wanted it got it and I got a good book in trade.

Mamie, do you know the update on what happened after the book in Didion's life???? Sad...

I find that memoirs written by authors can just be treasures and then you understand them more.. also books that authors write about writing.. try Stephen King's, Amy Tan's, Ann Lamott's for starters..

I picked up a coffeetable book about.. well it is half a history with lots of pictures, of ABBA and then the other half tells about how the musical came to be. It was 20% off, then I get another 10% and I had a15% coupon too. Interesting. I did love the musical, which I saw in Vegas with Zachsmom, Pcakes and Lkunkel.. we all wore feather boas too.

As for Lisey's Story I thought it started slow but by the end I liked it or at least cared what was going to happen. I think it reflects on King's post-accident mindset where he is more introspective, taking stock of his life and relationship and all. Anyway I liked it ok.

My next book will be Sharon Osbourne's new biography.

Oh and a book I read awhile back.. well no I didn't read it just looked at the picture because I also bought it on CD.. Anderson Cooper's memoir.. it was unabridged and he did the reading and I loved it.

Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Sunday, December 24, 2006 - 8:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mamie316 a private message Print Post    
Elizabeth is reading Stephen King's book On Writing.

Didion's story was very sad.

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Sunday, December 24, 2006 - 10:03 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
I enjoyed Anderson's book, too -- amazing what he has seen and lived through.

Lycanthrope
Member

09-19-2002

Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 12:16 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Lycanthrope a private message Print Post    
For some reason, I have been soaking up several novels over the past few weeks. I'm way behind on my DVR and DVD's because of it.

What I'd recommend: "The Last Templar" by Khoury; it is in the same historical mystery vein as "Da Vinci Code", but it is much better written in my opinion. And it has actual historical flashbacks, which were the height of the book for me.

The Testament: Another historical mystery, but this time based around two rival secret societies and the Holy Grail...with a twist. Fun reading.

The Dexter books of course, if you've read my posts under the TV Shows thread. The Dexter books are so easy to read, darkly funny, but with a real touch of human badness to keep it real.

Stephen King's "Cell". I hated the ending, but the story was good. The fact that I almost stopped reading at the death of my favorite character tells me how deep I was into the story.

Marysafan
Member

08-07-2000

Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 8:00 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Marysafan a private message Print Post    
I read Fannie Flagg's "A Red Bird Christmas" just before the holidays, which was perfect timing. A sweet story with likeable characters, but fair warning, the ending is kinda hokey.

I am now about 2/3s of the way through Elizabeth Berg's "Pull of the Moon." I have loved all of the other Berg books that I've read to date and there have been several, but I am not enthralled with this one. I have resisted the urge to chuck the darn thing across the room at least twice already. I don't suffer fools or whiners easily, and this woman is both...in spades.

Not only that, she has my pet peeve...an east coast superiority complex. She visits the midwest like it's some foreign country with quaint villages and the most delightful charming inhabitants. *gag*

My plan is to finish the book today and then immediately start something else so that this insufferable woman will leave my brain. Grow a backbone already. What wretched life lessons have you passed to your daughter? Wait until you are fifty before taking your turn?

In the relative scheme of things your life is not all that miserable, but you certainly are! Live your life! And if you choose not to...then don't go whining because you didn't get a turn, or feel that you missed out. It was your choice.

Now I know why guys cringe when women want to talk about their feelings. I apologize to all of you who may have loved this book. This woman lived a life that I would never choose to live. I can't relate to her on any level.

Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 8:20 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mamie316 a private message Print Post    
I haven't read that one and I don't think I will now! I know what you mean about reading about whining women. I'm reading Circle Of Three by Patricia Gaffney. The main character, loses her husband, who she didn't love in the first place, and sinks into this weird depression and sits around wearing his clothes. I wanted to slap her already.

A Redbird Christmas was a really sweet little story.

Heyltslori
Moderator

09-15-2001

Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 8:38 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Heyltslori a private message Print Post    
HAHA Mary! I love your book reviews! "Insufferable woman" hahaha! I actually enjoyed Pull of the Moon...but maybe it was my mindset at the time I read it. Sometimes, I think, something speaks to you in a book depending on what is going on in your life at the moment. I'm sorry you didn't like it. You should go ahead and chuck it across the room! LOL

Marysafan
Member

08-07-2000

Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 10:12 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Marysafan a private message Print Post    
Sorry for the earlier rant. I just got my dander up thinking this rich woman from Boston would pull up in my drive way in her BMW, and gawk at me while I am enjoying the beautiful scene from my front porch and feel that she could just waltz up and join me without so much as an invitation. It's so condescending and in my opinion outright disrespectful.

I don't think she would like it very much if I popped up on her front porch, rang the bell, and said, "Mind if I have a look around? I've always wanted to see inside one of these professionally decorated homes where there's a place for everything and everything is in it's place. I'm bored with my life, so I thought I would leave my husband a note on the kitchen table, take off in my pick up truck and head for New England. So here I am!"

Seamonkey
Moderator

09-07-2000

Thursday, December 28, 2006 - 8:48 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Seamonkey a private message Print Post    
LOL.. I think the character is well-written and that is why she does such a good job of getting your goat.. I didn't find her the most likeable of characters either ..

I think Berg should talk to you about a good character from another point of view.

Cndeariso
Member

06-28-2004

Friday, December 29, 2006 - 6:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cndeariso a private message Print Post    
a MUST read! LOL "I Like You (hospitality under the Influence)" by Amy Sedaris. absolutely freaking hilarious! a book on everything from thank you notes to cooking with a lot of extras. i haven't laughed so much in years!

some of the chapter titles include:
A Rich Uncle Comes to Visit
When You Get to Play Nurse
The Cavity Hole
And Rabbits

i REALLY love this book!

Marysafan
Member

08-07-2000

Monday, January 01, 2007 - 5:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Marysafan a private message Print Post    
I decided that the new year brings another chance to read those books that I've promised myself I would read "someday." I have a whole shelf of these thick stalwart soldiers waiting to challenge my mental mettle. They stand there side by side staring me down every time I select a slimmer, more gentle tome.

First up is "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett. I'm afraid that I've already become attached to Tom the builder and his ragtag family. I am intrigued by the woman with the strange eyes and her odd looking son. And I have already come to hold Prior Philip most dear, taking him into my heart as I would a brother worthy of my love, to be cherished and held close, wanting to protect him from the harm that I am sure awaits him.

The plot is such that it's made me gasp, "Oh my goodness!" right out loud twice already, and I'm only on page 156 of slightly less than a thousand pages. I've got a long journey to travel with these characters, I think we may grow old together!

I can't imagine what it is like to take on a project that would probably not be completed in my lifetime. I don't know if I could go into something like building a cathedral with the knowledge that I will not be there to see it completed...but then I remind myself that life is a journey, not a destination...and I "get" it. It's the doing, not the having done. I am just a small link in the chain of those who have come before me, and those who will come after.

The time is right I think for this journey. Something to get me through January. January's are cold and hard. A good book helps.

Hermione69
Member

07-24-2002

Monday, January 01, 2007 - 5:43 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Hermione69 a private message Print Post    
Marysafan, that is my favorite Ken Follett book ever. In fact, I believe it was the first one I read and all the others disappointed me because they just couldn't live up to it. I recommended it to a coworker a few years ago and he still talks about that book and how much he loved it.

Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Monday, January 01, 2007 - 6:10 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mamie316 a private message Print Post    
I have just started reading The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. I've heard such glowing things about it. I hope that I'm not disappointed.

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Monday, January 01, 2007 - 7:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Teachmichigan a private message Print Post    
Mary, you will ADORE Pillars! It is my all time favorite too. :-)

I finished Wild Fire (DeMille) over the holidays -- too scary if even half of what is written about is true.

Now I'm reading State of Fear, but since school starts up again tomorrow, it'll take me a bit longer to get through it. :-)

Kattatude
Member

04-28-2005

Tuesday, January 02, 2007 - 7:56 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Kattatude a private message Print Post    
I loved The Pillars of the Earth, too! Also my favorite Follett book. It's been years since I read it. I may have to read it again.

I'm reading and the Shofar Blew by Francine Rivers right now.

Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Wednesday, January 03, 2007 - 4:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Mamie316 a private message Print Post    
I highly recommend The Thirteenth Tale. It really is beautifully written and just draws you into it from the start. It went up, down, all around until the A-ha moment at the end. Loved it!

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Tuesday, January 09, 2007 - 12:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
Just finished Love and War by John Jakes, now I will begin Heaven and Hell. Thanks for all who reccomended this John Jakes trilogy, I am loving it. it is right up my alley. I love Westerns with the romantic aspect of it. However, I do NOT like the harlequin romance novels. I'd rather have more of a story, a tale, than a seedy tryst surrounded by some plot and words leading up to another seedy tryst. JMO LOL!

Scooterrific
Member

07-08-2005

Tuesday, January 09, 2007 - 12:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Scooterrific a private message Print Post    
I just read Hanibal Rising.

Supergranny
Member

02-03-2005

Tuesday, January 09, 2007 - 7:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Supergranny a private message Print Post    
Hey Scooterrific...was it any good? I remember when I read Red Dragon it scared the bejabbers out of me. I didn't want to take any pictures in to be developed (We ended up getting a polaroid camera).

I am almost finished with Deep Freeze by Lisa Jackson. It is a good thriller right from beginning to end.

Twinkie
Member

09-24-2002

Tuesday, January 09, 2007 - 8:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Twinkie a private message Print Post    
I'm reading Dean Koontz's Forever Odd. I love to rotate between him and Stephen King and I just finished his book Cell. My next book is The Secret on Ararat.

Cablejockey
Member

12-27-2001

Wednesday, January 10, 2007 - 6:54 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Cablejockey a private message Print Post    
I am in the middle of The Bolelyn Inheritance by Phillipa Gregory. An absolutely fascinating look into the court of Henry the Eighth from the viewpoint of three women who were there at the time. You feel as though you are there to watch all the scheming and intrigue, as history unfolds such as no dusty old history book could ever tell. A must read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
Here's a link for more info on the book. http://www.harpercollins.com.au/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=0007190328

Grooch
Member

06-16-2006

Wednesday, January 10, 2007 - 7:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Grooch a private message Print Post    
Wow! That book costs $55! I didn't realize new books cost that much now.

Cablejockey, if you are enjoying that book, you should try "The Other Bolyen Girl" by the same author. It was great.