| Author |
Message |
Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Saturday, December 06, 2014 - 3:00 pm 
Y'all are killing me! I finished listening to Edge of Eternity - loved it! Now I'm listening to The 100 Foot Journey, and while it's good, I'm not as into it as I thought I would be. However, I already have The Boys in the Boat downloaded for my next listening book. I'm hoping that in another 10 days - after research papers and final exams are read and done for my college class - I can dive into my Kindle and rip through a few you've talked about over break.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Saturday, December 06, 2014 - 3:02 pm
Yes, Mak, please seek out the film adaptation of "Wild" -- the studio I work for is releasing it, so please feel free to go -- early and often! -- and take your friends, family, etc., too!  (The reviews for it have been fabulous.)
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, December 06, 2014 - 3:29 pm
I read Wild a year ago. As I remember, I felt her attitude just kind of dishonored so many hikers on the PCT and ACT but I do love hiking stories like this and I hope I can see the movie in time.
Uncle Ricky, who is playing Cheryl? I keep thinking it is Laura Dern.
Ha.. wrong.. Reese Witherspoon. Seems like a great fit!!
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Mamapors
Member
07-29-2004
| Saturday, December 06, 2014 - 4:06 pm
Laura Dern plays her Mom.
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Mmq1943
Member
02-22-2011
| Saturday, December 06, 2014 - 4:45 pm
Has anyone read The Three Story House?
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Saturday, December 06, 2014 - 6:21 pm
Neighbor just last week passed along Boys in the Boat to us to read. We haven't gotten to it yet.
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Egbok
Member
07-13-2000
| Sunday, December 07, 2014 - 10:20 am
I'm just popping in to say I've read "Unbroken" last year and found it a really good read. I've known of Louis Zamperini living in the Torrance area (very close to my hometown of Lomita). He was known to visit his old high school of Torrance High and give motivational talks to the students. Also, our little Torrance Airport is named Zamperini Field. It's fun to watch Louis Zamperini finally get his due notice. He passed earlier this year and there was a huge memorial service for him at Torrance High School. There's another great man I also had the pleasure of knowing that I had always wished someone would do his story. He became a non-sensical college football coach after Louis Zamperini was released as a POW. Both were born in 1917 and I think these two great men would have been very good friends had their paths crossed in the 50's - 90's. The other man I speak about is Roland Ortmayer of The University of LaVerne football program. The worst outburst you would hear from "Ort" as we knew him, was "Oh Crum!". He truly had a full, interesting life and inspired many who he mentored. As a past article in Sports Illustrated titled "A Most Unusual Man" stated, he was true to his philosophies and touched the lives of many who had the wonderful opportunity to know Ort. I'm proud to say I was one of those people.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, December 08, 2014 - 3:05 am
That is cool, Eggie. I had wondered if you knew of him, figured of course you did.
Uncle Ricky, Just read that P D James passed away recently, at 94.
Nice review of Wild also in People, especially for Laura Dern's portrayal of the mother.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, December 08, 2014 - 1:44 pm
Oh, no! I can't believe it! Well, actually I can believe it - 94 is a really long life. She was a legend, no doubt about that. I have less than 50 pages to go on A Certain Justice and it's one of the best of hers I've read thus far. Her legacy will live on indefinitely, I'm sure! Thanks for letting me know, Sea.
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Kappy
Member
06-28-2002
| Tuesday, December 09, 2014 - 3:52 pm
I finished The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty a few months back and immediately put in at the library for Big Little Lies by the same author which I just finished. I loved this book. You know from the beginning that someone has died but it's still a surprise at the end as to who and how. I love the characters Moriarty creates and the humor that she infuses throughout the book. Any parent who has dealt with the politics of the elementary school crowd should enjoy this one.
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Knightpatti
Member
12-05-2001
| Tuesday, December 09, 2014 - 10:27 pm
Just finished Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. What a read! Saw the movie first, but the book gives you a lot more insight into the husband and wife.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - 9:57 am
Nice article in People (I think a different issue than the review).. the one with Did He Kill Two Wives? on the cover..
Cheryl Strayed's daughter Bobbi, named after her mother Bobbi, who died too young to meet her grandkids, got to play the young version of her mom in the film, playing with Laura Dern as Cheryl's mom.
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Friday, December 12, 2014 - 6:30 pm
Today I finished The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, such a funny, sad, touching book. I don't think I want to see the movie, though maybe in time I will brave it.
Before that, I read The Truth by Michael Palin. Good writing, story, theme and travel, plus some twisty twists. I enjoyed it. Here is Michael Palin, summarizing the book.
youtube.com
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Friday, December 12, 2014 - 6:54 pm
The day after I finished Wild, I saw a commercial for the movie. As soon as I saw Reese walking under that monster pack, I thought "Hey! That looks like Wild!" Uncle_Ricky and Sea, I will be checking out this film!
Sea, we live in the last town before the northern terminus of the Appachian Trail. I have read about, and talked with, hikers who have completed the trail. I have even hiked a very small portion. It was interesting to read about the PCT and hear some comparisons to the AT. As to Strayed, she was one hot mess when she began the hike, woefully unprepared! I enjoyed seeing her growth as she persevered. She did come to respect the trail, and herself, by the time she finished. It seems it was a real turning point in her life.
Mmq1943, I have not read The Three Story House. Is it good?
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Saturday, December 13, 2014 - 11:51 am
Finally finished listening to The Hundred Foot Journey, and now I'm on to listening to The Boys in the Boat. After Wednesday, I will be English paper free for almost an entire month, so I am going to read like a fiend over Christmas break! WOOHOOO!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, December 13, 2014 - 7:26 pm
Mak, Wild is getting award nominations. Reese optioned the book before it was released, which was a smart move.
I think I had read read so many AT books by more serious hikers and the timing wasn't right for her book.. plus it was pretty overpriced at first. I waited and snagged it for $2.49.
I figured you had to be close to the AT..
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, December 13, 2014 - 7:43 pm
I would recommend the nonfiction This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Times of Esther Grace Earl, which is about a girl who was supported by a whole community of online friends, eventually including author John Green. Yes it can be sad, but a wonderful book. I read them back to back.
I just finished Unbroken. Amazing life, but expanded my knowledge of WWII immensely.
So much that was hard to read,but well worth it. Also the Q&A with Laura Hillenbrand was interesting, especially that she wrote both books while living with severe medical conditions.
Jimmer, I recommend it.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, December 15, 2014 - 9:14 am
One Hundred Names for Love memoir by Diane Ackerman, author and poet who wrote The Zookeeper's Wife and other books, about her writer husband's stroke and afterwards.
Very well written, so far.
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Monday, December 15, 2014 - 10:40 am
Thanks for the recommendation, Sea. The author referred to her in his acknowledgements, but I hadn't realized there was a book.
I'm reading The One-Way Bridge by Cathie Pelletier. I don't know why I haven't gotten around to reading her books before this. She has been on my TBR list for years. The book is very funny and I can relate to these characters living in a small northern Maine town.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, December 15, 2014 - 11:40 am
Mak, she was a real amazing girl, and the internet involvement is so heart warning.. so often the internet is negative. We know from tvch is can be supportive, and what these people did to support each other.. I think I have to re- read it.
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Tuesday, December 16, 2014 - 1:33 pm
Sounds like a must-read for me. Thanks, Sea. I sent a sample to my Kindle so that I won't forget about it.
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Kep421
Member
08-10-2001
| Tuesday, December 16, 2014 - 2:20 pm
I just read The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. This book is fantabulous....I could not put it down.
The book relates to slavery and servitude endured by both black and whites during the 1700-1800...and tells the story of a small irish child who becomes indentured to a slave owner on his plantation in Virginia.
The story is told through the views of Belle, the plantation owners grown slave child who runs the Kitchen House where the Irish immigrant child Livinia becomes indentured, and through the eyes of the child herself.
I HIGHLY recommend this book...
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Tuesday, December 16, 2014 - 5:42 pm
Kep421, I absolutely loved that book!
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Tuesday, December 16, 2014 - 6:37 pm
I enjoyed The Kitchen House as well. Shortly before I read it, I had read The Help, which I absolutely adored. The Kitchen House wasn't quite as good, IMHO, but I think my opinion was also biased by proximity. (Same thing happened when we watched Gran Terino one night - and Boy in the Striped Pajamas the next. Sobbed like a baby on the first one, and barely tears on the second...definitely would have been different if we'd watched them in reverse order!)
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, December 16, 2014 - 7:21 pm
I also ADORED The Help!!! And the movie too.
Kitchen House sounds good too.
This book I'm reading.. well I'm learning a lot! And love this couple too.
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