| Author |
Message |
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, December 15, 2015 - 8:24 pm 
And Toronto is pretty big .. but maybe they will bump..
Looking good if goofy a bit.. and happy, Ric!!
Great stories!! I did love Garp!
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Kappy
Member
06-28-2002
| Wednesday, December 16, 2015 - 12:23 am
Great stories, Uncle Ricky!
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Wednesday, December 16, 2015 - 1:16 am
I don't know, Uncle Ricky, I think it's perfectly acceptable to look a bit goofy when taking a picture with one of your favorite authors. I know dang well I'd be totally fan girling taking a pic with one of my favorite authors, lol!
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Wednesday, December 16, 2015 - 10:38 am
Very cool! I have never met one of my favorite authors and I would definitely being geeking out if I did.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, December 16, 2015 - 1:40 pm
Thanks everyone! I'm glad you liked my trip down memory lane. 
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Reenie
Member
06-24-2006
| Wednesday, December 16, 2015 - 8:40 pm
I'm listening to "Brooklyn" by Colm Toibin. I am enjoying it, especially since Brooklyn NY is my hometown!
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Thursday, December 17, 2015 - 10:22 am
Ricky, I'm forgetful enough that if I read your previous post about your JI encounters, I have forgotten, so I thoroughly enjoyed reading (or re-reading) your latest post! Owen Meany was a treasure. I'm sorry to hear the latest book isn't.
I just finished The World's Strongest Librarian by Josh Hanagarne. It's his memoir of living with Tourette's and his attempts to control it. He also told quite a bit about his life in, and teachings of, the Mormon church, which was interesting to me. Anecdotes about incidents in the library seemed to be thrown in at random times. Other chapters told of his marriage and attempts to have a child. The story was a bit disjointed but still enjoyable.
Next TBR is either Mary Higgins Clark's Deck the Halls/Carol Higgins Clark's The Christmas Thief (two books in one volume), or The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Friday, December 18, 2015 - 10:04 am
I just finished two that I really enjoyed. One I really liked and one I loved.
Before I Go by Colleen Oakley, I really liked. It was about a young woman who finds out her cancer is back and she doesn't have much time so she decides she needs to find someone for her husband. But in doing so, she misses out on a lot of time. Had me crying.
I loved The Things We Keep by Sally Hepworth. Anna is a young woman with early onset Alzheimer's and as she begins her life in an assisted living facility, she falls for a young man who has a form of dementia. There is also another woman who starts working there after her husband dies and the three connect in a special way. Loved it! It comes out next month and definitely a must read.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, December 18, 2015 - 8:06 pm
OK this is strange.. I just bought a kindle book, The Journey by Keitha Smith which is a novel and was on sale for $0.99 .. written by an author from New Zealand. Fine. Then I get an email telling me that this very order entitles me to a promotional code that I can apply to my next qualifying order.. on a free copy of "Kung Fu Panda"
I just don't see the relationship but I guess Amazon does.
Mamie, both books sound good.. both a bit high priced on Kindle at present.
For the one you loved, you should do a review on Amazon. So far there is just one review and even the reviewer is sad that hers is the only review because it looks bad and is a low rating.. so you need to balance it out.. (meaning I trust that it has to be better than the other reviewer is saying, though it sounds like she has good points about one character getting over involved.. she herself worked in such a facility I gather, but for a novel sometimes I think you have to go with the feeling more than knit picking everything to death..
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Tresbien
Member
08-26-2002
| Saturday, December 19, 2015 - 6:32 am
I'm reading The Nightingale now and enjoying it so far. Holocaust themed books seem to find me. I might take a break and finish it after the holidays.
Loved your John Irving story Uncle_ricky. I have not read Owen Meany but will now.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Saturday, December 19, 2015 - 10:54 am
I'm surprised the review is actually up because you really are not supposed to post reviews of books not released until closer to release date. I did post a review on my blog and goodreads but they usually want it the week before it comes out and this one doesn't come out until the 19th.
I can see her point about getting too overly involved but like you said, it's a story, not real life. You have to go with emotions in reading.
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Saturday, December 19, 2015 - 6:36 pm
Sea, I received the "Kung Fu Panda" offer on something non-related too. LOL
I enjoyed your John Irving story as well, Uncle_ricky.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, December 19, 2015 - 7:17 pm
Maybe they allowed the review because they are taking pre-orders on Amazon, or maybe they just made a mistake.
I think perhaps it was a topic near and dear to her heart so she noticed the discrepancy more than most would.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Saturday, December 19, 2015 - 8:35 pm
It's been a while since I read a non-fiction work and having heard good things about $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America by Kathryn Edin and H. Luke Shaefer, I secured a library copy.
Wow! I had no idea that welfare was pretty much obliterated after the Welfare Reform Act of 1996. This is an immmensely readable (and disturbing) book about the state of our nation's working poor.
Having grown up with a single parent (in the '60s and '70s), we were definitely in the poor category. I distinctly recall my mother saying she'd never go on welfare (and she never did). But today's single parent doesn't have that option anymore. The authors do a good job of explaining just how difficult it is for families to survive. I've always considered myself extremely lucky to have grown up when I did and this book really underscored that point.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Sunday, December 20, 2015 - 9:57 am
Thanks Tresbien and Rieann. Forget to include that note to you in my previous post!
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Monday, December 21, 2015 - 3:38 pm
Just read What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan. Good suspenseful story about a missing child, his mother and the detective in charge of the case.
I started You by Caroline Kepnes. Very interesting so far, Uncle_Ricky.
I am also reading David Spade's book Almost Interesting. Rude and crude like he is but there is a lot more to him than just that.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, December 21, 2015 - 4:31 pm
I hope you like You, Mamie. (That's a weird sentence to write!) I'm patiently waiting for the follow-up. And it's only fitting that I'm currently reading Maybe in Another Life by the delightful Taylor Jenkins Reid. I never would have heard of, or read, any of her stuff had it not been for you. (Ahhh, there's that "you" word again.)
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Scout
Member
01-19-2005
| Tuesday, December 22, 2015 - 11:05 am
i just finished Kate Morton's newest book, "The Lake House". It was excellent. I love the way she advances the story but goes back and forth between time periods. I really love her books.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Tuesday, December 22, 2015 - 1:08 pm
Oh Uncle_Ricky! This book is so wrong on so many levels but I cannot stop turning the pages! Everyone is so sick in it. LOL The Lenny Letter has a bit of Hidden Bodies in today's email. I do have it already and it's going to be hard to not read it until closer to it's publication date in February.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Tuesday, December 22, 2015 - 1:25 pm
I had no idea the Lenny Letter was excerpting Hidden Bodies. Interesting! I'm glad you're finding You to be a page-turner. It's one of the more twisted (but fun) books I've read in a long time. I'm sure Hidden Bodies will offer more of the same shenanigans!
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, December 22, 2015 - 4:12 pm
I haven't been posting much in this thread recently but I wanted you all to know that I'm enjoying your posts. I love this thread!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, December 22, 2015 - 6:20 pm
Finished The Residence, based on many many interviews with former (and some current) White House staff, first ladies, some of the children of presidents who lived there.. totally fascinating.
Another nonfiction now Dr Feelgood about the doctor who created the drug he hooked himself on and a range of people from JFK, Marilyn Monroe, Robert Cummings and many many more.. pretty astounding from the very start.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Tuesday, December 22, 2015 - 9:13 pm
Finished listening to The Man in the Moss today, and I still don't know what the hell happened! LOL It was intriguing enough that I'll pick up the kindle and read it on the written page, though.
I'm also listening to the second half of Gulliver's Travels and am enjoying Ways to Die in Glasgow on Kindle.
I LOVE CHRISTMAS BREAK AND READING TIME!!!
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Wednesday, December 23, 2015 - 4:35 pm
Uncle_Ricky! I started my review of the book with What the heck did I just read and why did I like it so much?! Loved it. And as dirty as I feel, I liked Joe. I cannot wait to see what happens with Amy in Hidden Bodies. He might have met his match.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, December 23, 2015 - 9:40 pm
Loved your review - 5 out of 5 stars - that's great! Scanning through your other reviews, you don't give out too many 5s. Let's hope Kepnes keeps things rolling along with Hidden Bodies. I can't wait til February gets here!
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