| Author |
Message |
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, November 15, 2014 - 2:33 pm 
Finished the book about growing up on a farm.. some parts of their life of course totally alien to what I experienced but other descriptions of learning to iron clothing, indoor clotheslines in the winter, outside in the summer, designated part of the basement for tornadoes, even the concept that mom would often iron while watching the 15 minute soaps and that the gradmothers would see this as a luxury when they visited.. to sit and iron with the tv on. Anyway she writes well so she paints a complete picture.
And another non fiction, Call the Nurse: True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle by Mary J. MacLeod.
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Teach and Uncle Ricky, what are the Child 44 books about? I know I could just look it up but like hearing what you have to say.
Teach.. Christmas is less than 6 weeks away so your vacation/reading time starts sooner!!
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Saturday, November 15, 2014 - 10:45 pm
Teach can probably respond better than I can, Sea, but the first book introduces us to Leo, a demoted MGB (predecessor to the KGB) detective who investigates a serial killer in Soviet Russia shortly after the death of Stalin. That's as far as I've gotten. The direction the story appears to be going in -- along with trying to find the killer -- also concerns Leo's struggle to regain his standing within the MGB and to repair his failing marriage. I'm guessing the 2nd and 3rd books focus on other future cases that Leo works on. Smith is an excellent writer who keeps the story moving along at a brisk pace - I'm enjoying it quite a bit!
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Sunday, November 16, 2014 - 9:52 am
Ay yay yay - I got the second book in 2009 (according to my Amazon file), and all I remember is that Leo is heading a homicide unit - the first of its kind - in Moscow, and he's having issues with his adoptive daughter. Sheesh - that's less information than even Amazon gives! LOL Sorry, I'll have to download it and re-read it before going on to Agent 6! Sorry. 
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, November 16, 2014 - 12:35 pm
LOL! That's okay.. what you've both said gives me a much better idea!! Crime/Thriller/set in Moscow..
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, November 17, 2014 - 7:28 pm
I finished Child 44 this afternoon and loved it, too. The second half really kicked into high gear, vis-a-vis the thrill factor. I should warn you that there are some disturbing scenes (primarily because they involve children), but nothing awful. I'm really looking forward to reading the follow-up!
I'm now enjoying the new Chelsea Cain offering, One Kick, in which Cain introduces a brand new heroine, Kick Lannigan. (Cain is taking a break from the Gretchen and Archie continuing saga.) The plot appears to focus on Ms. Lannigan trying to track down a missing child. Cain has not written a bomb yet, so I expect good things from this new one.
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Tuesday, November 18, 2014 - 7:45 pm
I liked the Chris Bohjalian book, although it is hard for me to read about children in peril. The girl narrator jumped around a lot in the telling, so I could see there was hope. Also, my last sentence in my last post was poorly constructed. The girl's father ran the nuclear plant rather than the small town.
Thanks to Uncle_ricky for mentioning Linwood Barclay recently. I had forgotten how much I like his books. I recently read his A Tap on the Window and enjoyed it. It was amazing how the response to that one tap snowballed.
Now I'm reading The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas. It has been on my TBR list for years!
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Tuesday, November 18, 2014 - 10:49 pm
Nice to hear you enjoyed it, Mak! I admire Barclay's ability to keep cranking out such great stories - what a wonderful gift he has. Thank goodness he's so prolific.
The only book of Bohjalian's I've read is The Sandcastle Girls and I liked it a lot. He's written so many - one of these days I'll catch up with the rest of his stuff. Despite the less-than-cheerful subject matter, I'm glad you ended up liking Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands.
And note to Sea: Seth and I finally finished watching parts 2, 3 and 4 of "Olive Kitteridge"! I was riveted throughout the whole thing. (Seth thought it dragged in parts.) I couldn't get enough of it. The cast was so marvelous. I almost never prefer the filmed adaptation of a book I've read (Gone With The Wind and The Godfather are the only others that immediately come to mind). The HBO production was so outstanding that I found it superior to the book. I bet Elizabeth Strout herself might think so, too, (but that's just wild speculation on my part). 
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - 2:07 pm
I agree it was incredibly well acted. I was pretty certain you would love it!
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Friday, November 21, 2014 - 10:31 am
I finished One Kick and was only slightly disappointed that it wasn't as good as Cain's five previous thrillers, all of which featured serial killer Gretchen and her nemesis, Archie. This new one -- featuring missing-child rescuer, Kick Lannigan -- had its exciting moments, but Cain introduced one (important) character very abruptly and that jarred the narrative too much for my taste. The book was good - it just wasn't great.
I'm now wolfing down the new autobiography, Bill Parcells: A Football Life, by the ex-Giants/Dolphins/Cowboys coach. The excerpt I read in Sports Illustrated was good enough for me to track down a copy from the library. The 100 pages I've read thus far have been excellent.
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Friday, November 21, 2014 - 5:56 pm
I agree, Ricky, about Barclay's gift for writing. He pulls you into the story right away and keeps you guessing.
The Persian Pickle Club seemed like chick lit at first, light and fun. Then I realized it was also a story of survival during the Depression, including a long-standing drought in the farmland setting. Throw in a missing husband, some drifters, and the complicated relationships in the Persian Pickle Club's quilting group, and it is an increasingly interesting story. I did not see the ending coming! And I loved the ending! Plans have been underway for a few years now to turn this into a film. I would enjoy seeing it play out on film.
Today I started Wild by Cheryl Strayed who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. On the first page, she told of losing her boot over a cliff. I think this will be good.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, November 21, 2014 - 6:57 pm
I read that.. hard to remember exactly why but not my favorite of the many hiking books I've read but at least it was real (I accidentally read one that seemed to say it was real and was a novel).
But I do love reading about the PCH and I've read quite a few memoirs of people who hiked the ACT (Appalachian Trail.. which probably is closer to you, Mak...).
You feel like you are sort of hiking along (without the mangled feet and toes and such).
The book by the nurse was just delightful of the genre of All Creaturs Great and Small, etc.
Now reading a book that I bought because I got the second book and it is sort of weird.. in that I want to slap the protagonist around at times but think he is right in his suspicions. But the writing just isn't brilliant at all.
I'll have to look.. <name of protagonist>'s Starfish.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, November 23, 2014 - 9:33 am
Ugh.. the second book is a prequel and so far, not enthralled.. but will finish and hope to be done with clunkers..
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, November 28, 2014 - 6:52 pm
Not a prequel but pre and then sequel, better than the first but happy to be done.. so much that was illogical and maddening.
Now reading Fosse by Sam Wasson. Liking it.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Saturday, November 29, 2014 - 9:40 pm
I am reading The Three Musketeers for our book club. None of us finished it this past month so it's a continuation. We are aLso going to read a book about Paul McCartney, can't remember the title, because the author is coming to our book club in a couple of weeks to discuss it.
And for my own pleasure, I am reading Andy Cohen's new book and enjoying it.
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Sunday, November 30, 2014 - 11:29 am
I'm enjoying Andy's book as well, Mamie. I read it off and on between other books. My favorite part about it is Andy adopting his dog and falling in love with him. 
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, December 01, 2014 - 5:41 pm
I finished the Parcells autobiography and though it was way too long, I enjoyed it.
Then I devoured the new Michael Connelly (The Burning Room) - yet another superb Harry Bosch-focused novel - highly, highly recommended!
I then had my first Ivy Compton-Burnett experience (Pastors and Masters) - it was really a novella, but it was a workout because 98% of the story was dialogue, so you have to pay really close attention to the character names. It was her debut, circa 1925, so I'm hoping her more recent books are a bit easier to read.
I'm now getting comfy with A Certain Justice by P.D. James. She's written 19 novels - after I finish this one I'll only have 6 left to go!
I'm jealous of Mamie and Rieann being able to read the Andy Cohen - I'm 34th in line at the library, but there are only 4 copies in circulation. 
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Tishala
Member
08-01-2000
| Tuesday, December 02, 2014 - 10:10 am
I hope I'm not out of bounds by doing this, but I have a friend whose first book will be out in April and I want to help her sell a few copies. It's called After Abel and Other Stories (available for preorder on Amazon).
I'm terrible at describing these things, but the stuff I've read has been very good. It is basically retelling of Biblical stories from the point of view of women (think of it kind of like Wicked visits the Bible, but smarter, without Kristen Chenoweth, and with lots more Jews). The writer, my friend Michal, is smart as a whip--we met in grad school--and has had her poetry published pretty widely, or at least as widely as poetry gets published these days.
You can read a bit about her on the book's page if you like. I know she'll be doing some readings and other events but they aren't all finalized yet. I know she'd appreciate your support of you think her book sounds remotely interesting to you.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, December 02, 2014 - 10:33 am
It sounds interesting, Tisha; hopefully they will put out a Kindle edition as well.
I'm still slogging through Fosse.. not really a slog, as it is interesting, fascinating and kind of horrifying in terms of his treatment of women and his own health.. but it is a very long book, over 700 pages. I'm thinking possibly there are lots of notes in the back, but that remains to be seen and I'm not bothering to look forward to check..
I'm learning a lot about his process, wow..
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, December 05, 2014 - 3:09 pm
I finished Fosse, which ended with his death on the street on the way to opening night of his last work.. Complex man and doomed himself to early death .. years of chain smoking just part of the deal. I was correct, so it ended at 600 pages and then went into notes, index, etc.
I will say it held my interest.
Pondering my next choice..
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, December 05, 2014 - 3:22 pm
Not for long.. next up is Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Friday, December 05, 2014 - 9:11 pm
That one was really good Sea. Hilenbrand's writing style is marvelous. I'm almost positive you'll love it.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Saturday, December 06, 2014 - 9:10 am
What is it about (in a general non-spoilerish way)?
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Saturday, December 06, 2014 - 10:24 am
Besides being one of the most popular non-fiction works of this decade, the film version will be released later this month, Jimmer.
It's a biography about Louis Zamperini, who grew up here in the L.A. suburb of Torrance and went on to become a track athlete in the 1936 Olympics. Next came his amazing survival skills during World War II (amazing is too mild an adjective, though). The book's centerpiece section spotlights his time in a POW camp and which explains the Unbroken title.
Hillenbrand does a thorough job of profiling his childhood, his high school and college days, the trip to the Berlin Olympics (a fascinating section all by itself), the WWII era (keep in mind my earlier note about "amazing") and then his post-war life.
This is one of those "not-to-be missed" books. The pre-release buzz about the film has been very positive, too.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, December 06, 2014 - 1:45 pm
Hillenbrand is an excellent writer.. (non fiction) Seabiscuit was marvelous.. also made into a movie but the detail.. I learned so much about the history, horses, etc.
This is my kind of book!
Another book that is selling well currently, that I read awhile back and LOVED was The Boys in the Boat, also nonfiction and so good I wish I still had it to read for the first time.
I was at Rite Aid the other day and an older gentleman was engrossed in a paperback copy and I didn't realize HOW engrossed as I commented on what a GREAT book it is.. had to repeat myself and he heartily agreed, while keeping his eyes on the page. I get it.. I was pulled into another story that is true and amazing and involves the Olympics. (Rowing.. and intercollegiate rowing.. Washington vs Cal vs eastern schools.. depression era). Marvellous.
And I got Unbroken for a great low price, too.
Yes the movie directed by Angelina Jolie is getting lots of buzz.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, December 06, 2014 - 1:46 pm
Speaking of movies.. Mak, you were reading Cheryl Strayed's Wild and that is coming out as a movie, too. I gather it was quite an experience for the lead actress.
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