| Author |
Message |
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, July 15, 2014 - 8:33 pm 
Rieann, I easily do have 5000 or more books on kindle.
It is charming and about Buddhism, which I'm very drawn to anyway. Kind of humorous too.
Fight Behavior was good..
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, July 16, 2014 - 11:37 am
Oh my goodness, Rie and Sea - so many titles! And, as we all know, so little time! 
Finished Jo Nesbo's The Bat and though it had a lot of TMI problems, the overall story was good, i.e., I wasn't screaming for the thing to end.
And, FINALLY, my copy of The Goldfinch arrived. It only took 13 weeks! I've finished the first three chapters and am taking my time with it. (I'm glad I didn't read the plot synopsis.) I was thrilled to see (in chapter two) that Theo's mother was reading a Barbara Pym novel (Jane and Prudence)!
Pym is one of my all-time favorites. I hope that with so many people reading The Goldfinch that some will be curious enough to seek out Pym's body of work. Her 13 novels were way too few, but precious nonetheless. She left this life way too early, succumbing in 1980 to breast cancer at age 66. 
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Wednesday, July 16, 2014 - 2:24 pm
Oh dear, now I've got ANOTHER author to add to my "to-be-read" list. Just give me ONE author to avoid, Uncle_Ricky, so it balances out.  Too many books, not enough time!
I'm currently reading Philomena (slow going - but I like it), listening to A Prayer for Owen Meany, and reading Written in My Own Heart's Blood on Kindle (after listening to it on audio). As soon as I finish Philomena, The Little Friend is waiting!
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, July 16, 2014 - 3:36 pm
You are too funny, Teach!
First of all, I have read A Prayer for Owen Meany five complete times and it makes me cry like a baby each and every time! It was for many years my #1 all-time favorite novel (until I read Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov and Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge).
One of the very top thrills of my life -- in response to a letter I wrote to him praising Owen Meany to the heavens -- was the hand-written letter John Irving wrote back to me! I couldn't believe it, a minor miracle for sure.
And the only thing that topped that was the photo he took with me at a reading he did during the promotional tour for A Widow for One Year. He announced at the beginning of the reading, "Please don't ask me to sign anything because I have a strict policy against signing." (groans from the audience). He said NOTHING, though, about posing for pictures, so I rushed up to him after the reading and politely asked if I could have my picture taken with him. He agreed but warned, "make it quick" (he had to leave the bookstore to get to another reading). He posed and I got my precious memento!
As for dear Ms. Pym, I cannot extol her talents enough. In fact I get verklempt just thinking about her wonderful stories. She wrote modern-day tales about life in small English villages that focused on women who were unlucky at love and/or who competed with one another for the attention of the bachelor vicar -- very sweet and poignant stuff like that.
I'm not sure how many are still in print, but all the popular ones are available on Amazon. The ones not to miss are Excellent Women; Quartet in Autumn; A Few Green Leaves; No Fond Return of Love; An Unsuitable Attachment; and my personal favorite, The Sweet Dove Died, as well as the book mentioned in The Goldfinch. They are all nice and (too) short, nothing on the scale of Donna Tartt's mammoth tomes!
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Wednesday, July 16, 2014 - 5:40 pm
That is SEVEN books - are you trying to send me over the edge? Now what SEVEN do I avoid!?!?
I love Owen Meany as well, and WOW - a letter from John Irving would be framed in this house! VERY COOL!! (Off topic - have you seen the Simon Birch movie based on Owen Meany? It's loosely based as the endings are totally and completely different - not to mention the main character's name is changed - but it's one of my all-time favorite movies.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, July 16, 2014 - 6:02 pm
Her books are very easy reading experiences, Teach, trust me! I checked Amazon and saw that Quartet in Autumn is available for $4.94 on the Kindle thing. I don't do Kindle myself, so I don't really know how that whole system works. There was a warning, though, to NOT purchase Excellent Women on Kindle because it's not the book by Pym, but by someone else.
I will get to work on coming up with seven titles to avoid! But then I'm afraid I'd insult someone here (including you!) by mentioning a title that is beloved!
Yes, I did see "Simon Birch" - I was afraid I would hate it, but I miraculously enjoyed it. I was scandalized by the name change, but I got over it once the film unfolded. The little boy who played Simon was outstanding!
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Thursday, July 17, 2014 - 8:42 am
No need to worry about insulting me. As an English teacher of 23 years, I am VERY used to people NOT enjoying the same books I do. LOL
I use Kindle almost exclusively, but many times I an get "older" authors through the library for my Kindle, so I'll check that out, too.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Thursday, July 17, 2014 - 9:07 am
Nuts - she is NOT available through our library, but since Quartet in Autumn is inexpensive, I can start there while I whisper in the ear of our library director about adding some Pym to the online availability. I have GOT to finish the other two before I buy anything else, though, or my DH is liable to have a seizure!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, July 17, 2014 - 10:33 am
That would be quite a treasure, Uncle Ricky.. that hand written letter you received!!!
LOL about "Kindle Thing".. I won't tell any of my Kindles you said that ;)
I'm glad you are reading The Goldfinch slowly.. or are you being pulled in to read faster? just because you had to wait so long for it and had such anticipation.. it really wasn't fair that you had to wait and I had it on my Kindle and just started reading because it was being discussed here. I hope it is as great an expericne as you have dreamed it would be.
This book, The Dalai Lama's Cat had enchanted me at times.. yes it is narrated BY the cat, but the way the cat learns from cat experiences and then by telling us of the ways of the Dalai Lama and his staff and meetings the Dalai Lama has with various people.. it imparts basics of Buddhist thought as well. Resonates for me.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Thursday, July 17, 2014 - 11:16 am
Teach, please get through your pressing titles! The Pym books will be around indefinitely and their quality will not diminish one bit! (But thank you for asking the library to add her to the lending pool.)
Sea, the world will have come to an end by the time I get a Kindle or any other type of similar reading apparatus. It's a wonder I ever converted from a rotary-dial phone to an iPhone. Technology's great, but I must hold those little (and big) books in my withering old hands in order to get the complete reading experience!
My heavy reading days are Saturday & Sunday, so I'll soak up big chunks of the The Goldfinch this weekend and next weekend. I hate how work gets in the way, but what can you do? Just be patient, I guess.
I'm glad you're enjoying the cat book - it sounds very interesting. I was once pressured heavily by a friend to convert to Buddhism and it got so out of hand that I had to drop the friend. And, worse, the only pet I ever I had (at age 19) was a cute little black kitty I named Crisco. Sadly, he contracted feline leukemia and the vet had to put him to sleep. Crisco was great company for the two years I had him, but the hurt of losing him was so great that I vowed to never have a pet again. I don't know what I'm going to do if my husband should happen to pre-decease me!
Eeeek...I just realized I've been channeling Debbie Downer and Negative Nancy - please forgive me for that!!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, July 17, 2014 - 5:44 pm
Oooh Ric, I'm sorry about the black kitty. I had a wonderful black cat who lived to be almost 23 and now have the fabulous Katniss, also black. I know it is terrible to lose anyone but there is love there to give, should you ever take the chance. You have to take care of you, though.
(but I'm pretty sure that if you ever took on another kitty, it would be one of the luckiest kitties, ever
I thought the same about Kindles until I got one and I've been totally hooked since 2008. For me most books take their value from the words and ideas but it sure is hard to get a Kindle book sighed ;) (I think there is a way) And there certainly are plenty of what we call dead tree books around for you to hold and wallow through, so all's good in the world there.
That wasn't Buddhism.. not real.. my experience is that they don't impose it on anyone and actually feel it is quite compatible to enhance other religions. I'm very drawn in that direction, but certainly not active.
I hope both you and your husband live a long long time..
Oh, and the cat in the book is a Himalayan cat ..
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Thursday, July 17, 2014 - 6:38 pm
Awww, thank you, Sea. I hope so, too. And I wish only the same for you. We have too many books to read - we need all the time we can get, right?
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Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Saturday, July 19, 2014 - 7:01 am
Seems like some of these books are pretty heavy. Anybody have something short, and light hearted to suggest? I'll look into Dali Lamas Cat. I assume that one fits my criteria. I'm embarrassed to say I haven't read a book in over a year. It was the Henrietta Lacks book that was recommended here. It was very good. I just downloaded "Wild". I hope it keeps my interest, I'm easily distracted when reading.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Saturday, July 19, 2014 - 8:10 am
Lakecat - I read The Diary of a Part Time Indian a couple months ago, and it was hilarious and touching all at the same time. It's just a short little thing, but fabulous all the same! It's about a freshman who goes off the rez to attend a public high school and all the cultural things that go along with it. However, the narrator is the 13-year old boy, so it is not too heavy at all.
If you like mysteries, Dana Stabenow's It's a Cold Day for Murder is another quick read but with a good storyline. It takes place in Alaska, so the setting is slightly unusual, but it doesn't play a huge role in the plot or anything.
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Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Saturday, July 19, 2014 - 11:57 am
Thanks for the suggestions. I just got a mini I pad and like the larger print that I can adjust,Ill start reading more. The Indian book seems right up my alley.
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Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Saturday, July 19, 2014 - 12:21 pm
I noticed some here have read We Are Water. She's Come Undone was one of my favorite books ever. Which one is an easier read,We Are Water or I Know This Much Is True?
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Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Saturday, July 19, 2014 - 12:52 pm
I'm new to this downloading thing so I'm thinking $9.99 is the norm to pay for a book. I'd like to get them cheaper. Currently I only have the iBook app. The Dali lamas cat was only $1.99. Is there a better/ cheaper app I should be using? I don't want to clutter it up with a bunch of apps.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Saturday, July 19, 2014 - 1:17 pm
I'd try the Kindle app and look at buying books for it from Amazon, Lakecat. That will at least give you an alternative and a chance to shop for the lowest price. I don't think iBooks is as competitively priced as others (though the app itself is beautiful).
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, July 19, 2014 - 2:25 pm
Lake, I almost never pay that sort of price for a book.. so many bargain and free books out there.
If you can use the amazon app on your I thing, which I see you can.. then you can sub to emails (or there are apps I guess) from bookbub, bookgorilla and amazon to get daily notices of reduced price or even free books. So many bargains out there.
Isn't it wonderful how the various e readers and devices with reading apps allow people who hadn't been reading due to the need for larger print, to take off and read comfortably??
I was with a friend , well two friends and Gary hd brought over his recently acquired Kindle Fire refurb.. but he's had a Kindle for awhile and loved it.. and my friend had the Kindle Fire I gave her and I had my Fire and they showed me the size of the font they were each using which was really large! And in both cases, it was allowing them to enjoy reading.
I'm still way out on the nearsighted range, mostly so I use amaller fonts but I can grow those to larger if needed )
Anyway, you don't have to pay so much for the books as a rule.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Saturday, July 19, 2014 - 4:27 pm
As to your question about which of Lamb's books are easier, I'd rate them just about even. They are both wonderful, but I wouldn't call either of them a "fast" read. The one I blazed through was The Hour I First Believed, but it still was about 3 days of reading. It's one of the things I like best about Lamb - his characters are complex, the stories are interesting, and there's always some underlying philosophical question to which there is NO easy answer!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, July 20, 2014 - 1:37 am
I love his books.
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Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Sunday, July 20, 2014 - 9:02 am
Thanks for the tips. I'm a slow reader, Lambs books are often times lengthy. I guess I'll read a synopsis of each and see what peaks my interest.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, July 26, 2014 - 3:13 pm
I've been reading slowly and doing more walking and BB watching.. but I don't want to stop reading the Dalai Lama's Cat books.. I'm on the second and sadly I think that is it.. but I just don't want it to stop and I'm almost done 
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Monday, July 28, 2014 - 11:45 am
I finished Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson. It was okay. And I got it for free (found it in a room at work). Not sure what's next. Went to the Salvation Army thrift store and they did not have the good selection of books that they had last time. Need to go to the library bookstore soon.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, July 29, 2014 - 9:04 am
I finished the two Dalai Lama cat books.. loved them..
Starting back at the Beginning of Beverly Jenkins' Blessings series, through Bring on the Blessings I read over the weekend and now into the second book.. will continue and the last book is a new one!!!!
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