| Author |
Message |
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, January 01, 2019 - 4:07 am 
I seem to have read 68 in 2018.
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Tresbien
Member
08-26-2002
| Wednesday, January 02, 2019 - 1:53 pm
That's phenomenal Sea!
Some of you enjoy book lists as much as I do so here's WashPost's best of 2018:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/
entertainment/books/best-books-of-2018/?utm_term=.5d16c22c4b7e
I very much enjoyed Fatima Farheen Mirza's A Place For Us recently. I'm always fascinated by how people from different cultures adjust or not to life here.
I had barely started Jason Matthews' Red Sparrow before I knew it was good enough to give to several friends as a holiday gift. It didn't disappoint. If you like spy thrillers, give it a try. It's the first of a trilogy written by a former CIA officer, and it shows in all the details.
Was surprised to find that The Magnolia Story is free on amazon prime. As a Fixer Upper fanatic, I appreciated Chip and Joanna Gaines' authentic telling of their story.
Started Naomi Klein's No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump's Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need but found it somewhat out of date already and stopped reading. Felt a little bit bad about that since I had asked the library to buy it and they did.
Just started Nathan Hill's The Nix, which I know some of you recommended. Thanks for that one!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, January 02, 2019 - 2:53 pm
I have run into some good freebies on Amazon Prime. Thanks for the heads up on that one!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, January 02, 2019 - 2:56 pm
Hmm not free now, but that is ok.
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Tresbien
Member
08-26-2002
| Thursday, January 03, 2019 - 5:41 pm
Sea, I was surprised to find the Gaines' book on my fire tablet under For You >>Reading Included With Your Prime last week. I see on their site now that it was available until January. I'll be keeping a closer eye on that section myself.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Sunday, January 06, 2019 - 2:57 pm
I came across a copy of the new Rock Hudson biography (All That Heaven Allows) at the library. And even though I'd not heard of the author, Mark Griffin, I decided to try it out (promising myself I'd stop if it wasn't good after 50 pages). I'm pleased to report that it's excellent. Griffin covers films of Hudson's I'd never heard of before as well as his extremely complicated personal life. It's a really well-researched biography; a little on the long side, but compelling. I once bumped into him (Hudson) at my local supermarket and he couldn't have been nicer - very gracious and not at all aloof.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, January 06, 2019 - 4:37 pm
Finished Sally Field's bio just now.. What a tormented life but how accomplished.
I feel like I should write to her that while she thought no one wanted her to get the part of Sybil... Actually the real Sybil, who was really named Shirley, told Connie Wilbur that she thought Sally would be good. They had no way in casting and Dr Wilbur only thought the flying nun? But Shirley was sure.
Sally's history makes my head spin...
I think now I will read the hardback of Fredrik Backman's Britt-Marie Was Here. So far, not so likeable.
I bought it from Friends of the Library for a dollar and will donate it back.
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Sunday, January 06, 2019 - 5:14 pm
Sally's book was wonderful. So thought-provoking and captivating.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, January 07, 2019 - 5:54 pm
So I got into that book and finished it today..
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Kappy
Member
06-28-2002
| Monday, January 07, 2019 - 6:55 pm
Seamonkey, Britt-Marie Was Here was very odd for the first half and the character was certainly not enthralling or very likeable. But by the end, I was very glad I had stuck with it. It's a very different type of story about a small town that is broken by the economy and an odd woman who ends up stranded there. Bit by bit, things begin to change due to a small group of kids determined to have a soccer team. I remember thinking that if I didn't know who the author was, this story could have taken place any where.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, January 07, 2019 - 7:42 pm
Yep. I did like the end better than the beginning, though I wondered about what choices she made. Hoping for Paris.
Now starting Robin by Dave Itzkoff, bio of Robin Williams.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Tuesday, January 08, 2019 - 9:45 pm
Finished Old Gold by Jay Stringer and thoroughly enjoyed it. Have gotten a couple of chapters into the second one, Runaway Town
Actually returned a CD/audio book today because the narrator read SO slow it drove me nuts! I usually listen with an audio app, but Overdrive didn't have this one. When I took it back, the gal at the desk pulled the dead tree book and gave it to me.
I'm now listening to My Oxford Year - it's OK. Nothing spectacular, but it's the light escape that's nice during that first week back to school and resuming 15-hour days.
I'm also reading The Monday Girl on Kindle. It is not good. Main storyline isn't awful, but the narrator preaches for pages at a time about social issues. It's so out of place for the soap opera style plot it has. I'll finish it, but I'd almost bet money I could tell you how it will end right now. (I'm also wondering if this one started out as a fan fiction at some point - though I haven't cared enough to look it up.)
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Sunday, January 13, 2019 - 12:56 am
I'm sure I'm one of the last -- if not THE last -- to board the Liane Moriarty fan train. As they say, it's never too late. I don't know why I've never been motivated to read her stuff. It took my boss's urging to change that.
My boss and I have worked together for nearly 17 years and though she knows what an avid reader I am, she and I rarely chat about books. A couple of weeks ago she asked if I had read Nine Perfect Strangers. I replied "No" and asked who wrote it and she replied "Liane Moriarty." So I said I knew who she was but I'd never given her a try. Because my boss has never recommended any writer so specifically before, it intrigued me enough to seek out the book and I found a library copy last week.
I loved it! Interestingly, in checking out the ratings/reviews on Goodreads and Amazon, I was shocked to find dozens of 1-star ratings and quite a few people saying it's the worst book she's ever written. (!!!) As far as I concerned, that makes me look even more forward to reading her other works (except for Big Little Lies which I'll probably skip because I saw the HBO adaptation). If I do read it, I'll probably save it for last.
For those of you who've read Moriarty, do you like her stuff? Hate it? Somewhere in between?
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, January 13, 2019 - 12:12 pm
I really really liked Big Little Lies. I haven’t watched the HBO show (yet). I’ve just read the book.
That’s the only one of her books that I’ve read but I plan on reading more. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, January 13, 2019 - 1:07 pm
Never heard of her. Nice for you to discover an author you like.
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Sunday, January 13, 2019 - 6:45 pm
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty was one of my favorite reads of the past few years. Imagine (if you will) passing out at the gym and waking up thinking that the year is 2009. Alice had forgotten everything about the past 10 years of her life. Of course, this made her life very confusing and gave her the opportunity to really observe and re-evaluate the life she had been living before she blacked out. I think you might love this book as much as I did, Ricky. I plan to read more of her work but just haven't gotten to it yet.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, January 14, 2019 - 12:27 am
Thanks for the feedback Jim, Sea and Mak. I know Mamie loved Big Little Lies, too, and What Alice Forgot seems to be a big favorite among her fans -- I'm pleased you think I'll love it, Mak - yay!
I just now finished David Sedaris's Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls, his offering from 2013. I was very surprised to find it's not one of his better efforts. It was mercifully short, so I was able to zip through it quickly. Doing so allows me to now experience my first time reading Tana French, specifically her debut, Into The Woods. People rave about her stuff, too, so I hope her writing connects with me the way Moriarty's did. 
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Monday, January 14, 2019 - 9:55 pm
I adore Tana French! Have you ever read Philip Rickman? He's fantastic, too - especially his Merrily Watkins series.
I finished My Oxford Year yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed the fluff. I'm also enjoying the second Jay Stringer/Eion Miller book.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, January 14, 2019 - 10:49 pm
I know I have read something by Tana French, but it was way in the past.
I am up to Good Morning Vietnam in the Robin Williams bio..
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Tuesday, January 15, 2019 - 1:41 pm
Teach, I'm thrilled you like Ms. French - yay! I'm 75 pages into her debut, which I erroneously referred to earlier as Into The Woods - the correct title is In The Woods. I'm really enjoying it. It was Sally Field raving about French's latest book that pushed me to finally seek out one of her titles. Regarding Mr. Rickman, sadly, the library carries his books, but only in E-book format. My Luddite-ness prevents me from ever pursuing that format. I'll probably be forced to adopt E-books in the future - if so, I'll track down Rickman's works then.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, January 15, 2019 - 1:45 pm
Trees will thank you 🌲 😉 🌲
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, January 15, 2019 - 2:38 pm
I find it fascinating how strong paper book sales have remained compared to ebooks. I think ebooks are at 10-20% of sales but they have stalled at that point.
I have mixed feelings about the format, though I love borrowing ebooks from the library.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Tuesday, January 15, 2019 - 4:15 pm
The books I read are borrowed (exclusively) from the library. I'll only turn to E-books if I find myself completely unable to physically visit a library. And since libraries that lend hard-copy books aren't going to be disappearing anytime soon (I think), I should be okay for a while.
Those stats about book sales staying strong are very interesting (and comforting!).
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Littlebreeze
Member
02-18-2001
| Thursday, January 17, 2019 - 10:00 am
I need a real book in my hands. I'd never use an E-reader. I purchase all of my books so I have quite an extensive library. My books are my treasures.
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Katycat74
Member
07-17-2014
| Thursday, January 17, 2019 - 12:00 pm
I need a real book in my hands too. I have read books electronically, when I go away on vacation I find it easier, but any other time real books it is!
I never buy books however, I'm ALWAYS at the library.
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