| Author |
Message |
Sugar
Member
08-15-2000
| Friday, March 24, 2017 - 12:25 pm 
I just finished Close Enough To Touch by Colleen Oakley. The main character has a very rare allergy to human touch. Albeit a bit predictable, I enjoyed it and plan to check out her book, Before I Go.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, March 27, 2017 - 12:07 pm
I read a book that was free at the time.. The Weight of Happiness: On Food, Body and Spirit by Ayelet Kalter, who is a dietician in Israel.
She used one case that went on a couple of years.. It was odd, but interesting, partly the interest was over different names and foods. No giant insights, but illustrated the complex reasons why it is often difficult to maintain a healthy weight.. In the case of the woman she met with even pushing into diabetes along with hypertension and physical pain and limitations. Also lots of kg references of course.
Just going to start a novel, Lily and the Octopus@ 🐙 about a gay man whose main companion is Lily the dachshund. They can talk to each other. The Octopus is a tumor in Lily's head.
Sounds sad, but sweet.. We will see.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, March 27, 2017 - 1:58 pm
7% in and I like this book!
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Monday, March 27, 2017 - 2:12 pm
Sea, I liked it in the beginning too but it takes some weird turns and lost me.
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Sugar
Member
08-15-2000
| Monday, March 27, 2017 - 3:50 pm
Look forward to hearing your opinion Seamonkey.
The only reason I finished it was because I had surgery andcouldn't get to the library. I recall there were a few of us here @TVClubhouse who didn't care for the book.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, March 27, 2017 - 6:00 pm
Oh well.. I guess I will get there.. Will definitely let you all know..
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, March 28, 2017 - 6:49 am
I read some of Lily and the Octopus (in a bookstore by accident while I was waiting for someone). You know all too well how I'm not generally a fan of sad books but I found what I read was quite quirky and enjoyable. I'll be interested to hear what you think of it as well.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, March 28, 2017 - 5:13 pm
LOL.. by accident?
So far it is quirky and one might thing the guy is seeing thing.. definitely hearing things.
I do have friends who use pet psychics to find out what their pets want in some situations and.. I'm not judging.. if they can make a choice I'm all for it.
But we will see how it goes.
I often like different books than most posters but I also often agree on many books as well.
I'm almost afraid for this one to totally fall apart.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Tuesday, March 28, 2017 - 5:21 pm
I'm definitely in the "thumbs down" camp about Lily and the Octopus. I just didn't get it.
Last night I finished American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst by Jeffrey Toobin. Exhaustively researched and excellently written. I had no idea how involved her crimes were. She is one lucky lady to have escaped a far more severe prison sentence. Mr. Toobin also wrote the book upon which "The People vs. OJ Simpson" TV series was based. I won't be surprised if we someday see a similar adaptation about the whole Patty Hearst saga -- absolutely fascinating.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, March 28, 2017 - 5:33 pm
That was a really fascinating case, for sure.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Tuesday, March 28, 2017 - 7:15 pm
I'm lazy, but I want to thank whoever recommended Barclay. I'm reading The Accident and thoroughly enjoying it. As an English major, though, this line was PERFECT (and exactly sums up my feelings about Melville): "That f*c*ing whale. I never did finish that book."
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Tuesday, March 28, 2017 - 7:34 pm
You're welcome! That was me! I'm thrilled you like his stuff too. He is a genius!
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Tuesday, March 28, 2017 - 8:21 pm
I suspected you, Uncle Ricky! However, I might not be so thrilled with you tomorrow when I've had no sleep because I've stayed up all night to finish this book! LOL
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - 6:42 am
I'm reading one of his books right now as well. I think he should be paying Uncle Ricky royalties. 
by accident ....
You know how you're browsing through a bookstore and a title and cover catches your eye, you start reading and before you know it you've read a good part of the book. That's reading by accident. 
I read quite a bit of The Fault in Our Stars the same way before it became really popular. Then I read the whole book when my DD was reading it and saw the movie with her. It had a surprising amount of humor and funny lines. I enjoyed it.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - 9:39 am
Yes, I do know!!
I recommend the book This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl, nonfiction, sad, but amazing how her internet friends and John Green cake together to support her.. No support group romances but heartwarming..
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - 10:14 am
I gladly take the blame for causing sleep disruption that comes from reading "too much" - think of all those years (when you slept as babies and toddlers) and reading was, sadly, not an option.
As for royalties, the best royalty is knowing that I've been able to attract new aficionados to Mr. Barclay's fabulous writing. 
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Wednesday, March 29, 2017 - 6:57 pm
I saw your Twitter exchange today, Ricky - how cool to talk to the author!
And you're right -- sleep disruption due to reading is a common ailment in this house. It's WAY more fun when the reading is a good book rather than essays, that's for sure, and since it's vacation...well, who has to set an alarm to get up in the morning? WIN WIN!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, March 30, 2017 - 8:31 am
So, I liked the book. I cried at the all too familiar scene at the vet.
Not a perfect book, rather odd. But anyway..
Jimmer, I don't think you would enjoy it.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Thursday, March 30, 2017 - 10:07 am
Authors are really good about chatting on Twitter and most social media sites. I just saw a review that I did was reposted on Facebook by the author and the publisher.
Sea, the whole bit on the boat was so strange.
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Sugar
Member
08-15-2000
| Thursday, March 30, 2017 - 10:11 am
I kept thinking the man would be the one with the "octopus".
Just finished, never mind not really worth mentioning and the main character was cowed by almost everyone with whom she came into contact.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Thursday, March 30, 2017 - 11:24 am
Thank you, Teach, for noticing. As Mamie mentioned, most authors are very good about responding or otherwise acknowledging the comments made by their readers. I wish I had the talent to write reviews (the way Mamie does) so that I could get them reposted on the various social media platforms. Alas, that will have to wait until my next life rolls around.
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Kappy
Member
06-28-2002
| Thursday, March 30, 2017 - 12:23 pm
Stayed up til 2 am to finish The Girl Who Wrote in Silk by Kelli Estes. Very good! I was afraid it might become too much of a 'romance' novel but each time the author started to veer that way, she got back on course.
The main character inherits a rundown mansion on Orcas Island in Washington and while doing repairs on it, she comes across an intricately embroidered sleeve which tells part of a story. In doing research on the sleeve, she unravels a story about her own ancestors.
Even though portions of the story are predictable (which is where the 'romance portion comes in), I found myself not wanting to put the book down until I knew what had happened to the woman who stitched the sleeve in the beginning.
The story felt timely in that it dealt with the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the effect it had on Chinese living in Seattle at the time, both those who had immigrated here and those who were born here.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Thursday, March 30, 2017 - 12:43 pm
Uncle_Ricky, you have the talent. You SHOULD be writing reviews.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Thursday, March 30, 2017 - 4:49 pm
Awww, Mamie -- kindness itself (that's what you are!). I wrote and edited my running club's monthly newsletter for 10 years. I enjoyed it but the pressure of coming up with something creative (and interesting) each month was a workout! It's so much more calming to "just read" (and that includes reading reviews written by you, Mamie).
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Thursday, March 30, 2017 - 7:55 pm
Thank you kind sir
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