| Author |
Message |
Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Tuesday, January 02, 2024 - 9:29 am 
Ric, we loved so many of the same books. No surprise there. Glad you are doing better after everything this past year. Here's to a new year of reading.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Tuesday, January 02, 2024 - 7:47 pm
So happy to see you back Ric, and even happier you are on the mend!! I agree with almost all your opinions on books we've both read (have to disagree a bit on Spare - his middle chapters made me a bit nuts w/too much soldier stuff and "my life sucks" that came off as a bit too much "poor little rich guy" style). In general, I like him & Megan a lot, just didn't care for the middle of the book.
I've also copied the books from your list that I've not read so I can add them to my TBR pile! LOL
Reading Goal: I'm attempting to read ONLY books I've already purchased or can get through our library this year. If a special author adds a book to a series I collect, I'll make exceptions, but I'm hoping to save a few pennies this year and read the books I've already bought!
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Kappy
Member
06-28-2002
| Wednesday, January 03, 2024 - 3:24 pm
Aw Ricky ~ The Thursday Murder Club is simply a fun fluff series. No reason to hate on it, lol!! :0) Glad you're healing.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Thursday, January 04, 2024 - 2:12 pm
I'm verklempt over all the kind welcome-back words from all of you (too) sweet critters - THANK YOU!
I agree completely, Jim, about curtailing discussions about the Royal Family. I honestly had *no idea* passions about it run so incredibly high!
No surprise at all, Mary, about our common likes. It's very rare when we disagree! Thanks for turning me on to Riley Sager. I look forward to reading all his other books.
It's so true, Teach, about the middle section of "Spare" - I wish his editor had done a better job of making that section slimmer. And I agree about only reading the books you've bought. I feel guilty buying books and having them sit there like bumps on a log. I bought the Philip Roth biography (by Blake Bailey) over 2 years ago and I still haven't opened it -- I think its 921 pages has a lot to do with that. 
Kappy! Please don't hate me for hating that book. It's just that it drove me crazy because of its cast of thousands. It was impossible for me to care about any of them and the narrative was just too unwieldy. I never would have read it to begin with, but our new boss at work suggested that our department initiate a book club to promote all of that "team-building" silliness. That's the book he chose and even though I hate book clubs, my reputation of "voracious reader guy" forced me to join since it would've been "bad form" to not join. I just want to know if you liked (or hated) a book so that I'm aware of the good and the bad. Book clubs are extremely time-consuming and they take away from valuable (free) reading time! Those book club meetings are so agonizingly painful. (Apologies to any of you who are in book clubs!)
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Thursday, January 04, 2024 - 9:49 pm
Hi all! Good to see everyone. Here is a great list from CrimeReads..
https://crimereads.com/10-new-books-coming-out-this-week-january-2-2024/
From the list I read, The Problem of the Wire Cage by John Dickson Carr. I’m about to start First Lie Wins by Ashley Easton ( my sister is currently reading too) and will most likely read Anna O by Matthew Blake after that.
I’m determined to get back to reading regularly in 2024. So glad 2023 is over.
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Thursday, January 04, 2024 - 9:57 pm
I also ordered, from the UK, The T*at Files by Dawn French. If you ever want to order from UK, Blackwell’s is great. They have free shipping to United States ( would assume Canada too). Here is a link..
https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/home
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, January 04, 2024 - 11:05 pm
Ric, I don't know what made me come in here tonight! Somehow with the pandemic I was just online and not reading much, at least not books. I do read a lot online, blogs and also do lots of webinars. Lots of podcasts while playing Yahtzee online. Doing zoom exercise, also had a fall and a long rehab from a tibial plateau fracture and then several very painful months with arthritis flare.
I'm interested in your stents for glaucoma. avery good friend of mine does have glaucoma but her cataract surgeries were years ago so they probably had no stents. She is going to be 89 in a couple of days so not sure if stents would be offered to her.
I had cataract surgeries that went well but do have early macular degeneration. So many things to go wrong with eyes and we need them.
On your list I've only read the Jodi Picoults and the Osage Moon would interest me, I think.
I wouldn't have liked a boss at any job I had to impose a book club! And a 900 page book, yikes!
I won't get into a Harry vs William discussion but just say I'm not spending a cent on any of their books.
Seeing other posts, I have missed this thread.
Currently reading Lakota Woman by the late (and later had different names) Mary Crow Dog. There was a movie and a later book.. nonfiction book is interesting and very real.
A new book came out in Beverly Jenkins' Blessings series (fiction) about a fictional small black town, Henry Adams, Kansas. I always end up reading the entire series when one comes out.. and I enjoyed every one of them again, and the new one.
Another fiction, The Lost Bookshop that jumped back and forth between timeframes and was pretty good. Evie Woods.
When I finish Lakota Woman I think I will jump into a biography of Jane Goodall.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Friday, January 05, 2024 - 12:31 am
Oh, Lynn, it's so nice to catch up on your news! I was about to go to sleep when I saw you'd posted and tomorrow is going to be such a busy day I doubt I'll have a chance to respond, so I'm doing it now, right quick.
I'm not sure if all types of glaucoma allow for the stent insertion. I have narrow-angle glaucoma (I think), so let's assume that type allows for the stent. I remember my doc had a tough time inserting each of them because I could hear him struggling to put them in, but he got it done. The stents eliminated the need for me to use the Dorzolamide/Timolol drops, which I had to use twice a day, every day (for the past 2 years), in order to keep my optic-nerve pressure readings below 20. When I saw the doc a couple of weeks ago, my readings were 11 (left eye) and 13 on the right. Had I not been eligible for the stents, I guess I would've had to keep using the drops indefinitely. I hope your friend is able to inquire about the stents -- I do *not* miss using the drops at all.
I'm sorry about your fall and about the macular degeneration. Even though I have the inner spirit of a 25-year-old, I definitely have the body of a 65-year-old (66 next month), so over the past 3 or so years, I've gotten a huge taste of the trials and tribulations of the ailments associated with aging. Let's hope we can keep everything at bay for as long as we can!
Well, I have to be up early tomorrow for work, so I'll sign off and wish you well!
Hi Laurie, nice to see you, too - thanks for the tip about Blackwell's!
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Friday, January 05, 2024 - 10:48 am
Hi my literary friends! Happy New Year. Stepping into '24 with cautious optimism.
Just started MY NAME IS BARBRA, by Streisand herself, last night. So far it is EXCELLENT. It's my 1st book of the year.
Like Rieann, I'm determined to read more books (and spend less time surfing the Net.)
Finished Cathy Kelly's OTHER WOMEN and enjoyed it, although it took me a while to sort out all the main characters. Since I started it a while ago, I count it as the last book of '23.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, January 05, 2024 - 1:43 pm
Ric, so far, I have early macular degeneration and the hope is that it won't progress. My Dad was diagnosed with early macular degeneration in his 50s and put on Ocuvite. Probably told to stop smoking, but that came in his mid sixties.
I had been likely to wear sunglasses for years with light eyes and with contacts but after that I just wore them year round for UV protection. And started taking Areds2 eye vitamins at some point. My ophthalmologist had diagnosed my Dad, so I would remind him to look.
Then one of the DNA tests came out with results on 2 genes for macular degeneration and I had one copy of 1 gene and two of the other. That got the doctor's attention. But mine was really diagnosed after cataract surgery, when they can see that area. I am a decade ahead of you and have friends in singing group close to 90 and beyond 90, so I experience aging and see more.
As for your hand, yes, people don't realize how an injury can affect a person for quite some time!
I hope yours heals well.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, January 05, 2024 - 1:45 pm
Reading back a bit. I also loved Educated.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Sunday, January 07, 2024 - 12:15 pm
New year and I'm listening to (and LOVING) The Dutch House. Tom Hanks reads it, and he is fabulous!
On Kindle I have The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store and The Berry Pickers going. I started H&E, it was going a bit slowly as the pages long paragraphs w/a million commas was driving me a bit batty as I tend to read at night (when I'm tired). Then BP came through on Libby, so I read the first 25% of that. Both books are marvelous stories, so going back and forth is working for me.
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Thursday, January 11, 2024 - 3:21 pm
Just finished "American Dirt" by Jeanine Cummins. It was very good. Will make you look at migrants differently.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Friday, January 12, 2024 - 6:49 pm
Heck - that was my first Cummins book, and I've since read The Outside Boy and The Crooked Branch. They were both excellent! I've got her book A Rip in Heaven on my TBR list for this year as it's about her own cousin's murder.
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Chieko
Member
11-20-2003
| Friday, January 12, 2024 - 11:48 pm
I'm reading Lessons in Chemistry and really enjoying it. It is really different than the usual read.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Saturday, January 13, 2024 - 10:01 am
Teach, I love anything Ann Patchett and The Dutch House is great. Wish I had listened to Tom Hanks. I heard Meryl Streep reads Tom Lake.
Chicko, I loved Lessons in Chemistry and they did a good job of the show on Apple. Brie Larson was perfect.
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Saturday, January 13, 2024 - 7:15 pm
Just finished "What Alice Forgot" by Liane Moriarty. It was very good. Most of the other books you all are suggesting, have several months holds on them.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Sunday, January 14, 2024 - 8:59 pm
I have the same problem, Heck - I always add my name, though, as our consortium is now buying more copies when the wait gets so long. I went from 20 weeks on The Berry Pickers to all of a suddent it being available! I finished it in 3 days! It was soooo good!
I was also able to get A Rip in Heaven on audio via Hoopla, so I'm about 40% of the way through it. It is also excellent.
On Kindle, I'm still slowly getting through The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. The loooooooooong paragraphs are killing me, so I'm also reading the very light Rules in Love by Brindi Kennedy. I'm very much looking forward to the holiday tomorrow so I can read all day long!
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Wednesday, January 24, 2024 - 5:47 pm
And unfortunately "Educated" came back to bite me last night. Had a nightmare about the father being burned so bad.
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Kappy
Member
06-28-2002
| Thursday, January 25, 2024 - 11:58 am
What Alice Forgot was one of my favorite Moriarty books. I also enjoyed America Dirt and Dutch House. I've had Educated on my list forever so I guess it's time to actually get in line at the library for it. :0)
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Egbok
Member
07-13-2000
| Thursday, January 25, 2024 - 12:18 pm
Mods, if this post is not allowed on this thread, then please remove, thanks.
I borrowed an Audiobook from my library by Barbra Streisand, "My Name is Barbra". She narrates her book and it includes bits and pieces of her singing when she was starting out. So far it's an interesting read about her life, encounters with people in the business, her love of certain type of clothing and growing into a singer and actress. I highly recommend listening to this book.
I'm only half way through and I wanted to share.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Thursday, January 25, 2024 - 10:01 pm
That sounds marvelous, Egobk. I've added it to my TBR list.
I still haven't finished The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, and now I'm reading a second Kindle book that has even longer paragraphs - one was EIGHT Kindle pages (on a Fire 8" tablet). It's Paul Lynch's Prophet Song. Once again - the story is good, but the structure is killing me. Not only are there no paragraph breaks, but the dialogue doesn't use any breaks OR quotation marks. I'm trying to figure out if this structure is part of making the point of the novel or if it's actually his style. This is the first book of his I've read, so I'll have to check out more when I'm done. It's a Libby loan, so I've got to get it read in the next 2 weeks.
I also read A Very Typical Family and enjoyed that one - it was a relief to have normal paragraphs! LOL
On audio I thoroughly enjoyed So Long Chester Wheeler and am now LOVING The Change by Kirsten Miller. Highly recommend both!
I also read Claire Keegan's newest book w/3 short stories: So Late in the Day. I always admire her writing and how she does so much with such short pieces.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Thursday, January 25, 2024 - 11:09 pm
Eggie & Teach, I'm currently reading Barbra Streisand's memoir as an ebook. It's huge but very enjoyable. I envy that you get to hear her sing on the audible version. I am taking my time with it, savouring it.
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Friday, January 26, 2024 - 2:06 am
Teach, wasn't there another author, from long ago, that wrote that way? I'm thinking Wiliam Faulkner, but I could be wrong. Whoever it was, I had to read him in an English lit class. It drove me batty, and I had young eyes back then. And it's very hard to retain what you are reading. Never again.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Sunday, January 28, 2024 - 5:03 pm
Grooch - yep, Faulkner does it, and it started with James Joyce. I always told my students to listen to them on audio (I used to have an account w/Recorded Books just so I could rent the cassette tapes for these types of books!).
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