| Author |
Message |
Scout
Member
01-19-2005
| Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 3:15 pm 
I'm currently reading "Banished - Surviving my Years in the Westboro Baptist Church". I'm sure everyone knows about this group - they're the ones who picket soldiers' funerals, gay rights events, etc. They are utterly despicable, and I always wondered how/why they considered themselves a church and what reasoning they had for what they do.
They are pretty much one huge extended family (cult). They believe in predestination (including it being already determined who is going to Heaven and Hell) and believe that God is a totally wrathful God- not a loving one. From what I read, it seems like they go out to picket, not to get converts or to save anyone, but pretty much to just point out that everyone (besides them) is going to Hell.
Fred Phelps is the most homophobic, narcissistic human being that ever lived who desperately gets off on attention of any kind. And the tactics he uses, and signs he makes to inflame everyone, just feeds him. They start indoctrinating the kids early on and even though they send them to school, they encourage them only to be friends with members of the group.
What I didn't really know is how many of them are lawyers and how well they understand exactly how far they can push it. They want to be attacked or touched physically so that they can sue. They say they picket soldiers funerals because they don't believe in killing, but they pray for the deaths of anyone who believes differently than they do. They believe they have the absolute right to free speech and somehow miss the irony that the soldiers they are picketing are the ones ensuring they have that right.
The saddest thing of all was how they were so happy when they were sued by soldier Matthew Snyder's father and were ordered to pay 10.9 million. They loved the publicity of that and "knew that God would never make them pay". And sadly, not only did they not have to pay, the judges ordered Snyder's father to pay their court costs.
The girl writing it, Lauren Drain, talks about how much "fun" it was to picket. Basically, she ended up getting kicked out of the group (but not because she stood against their principals). The title makes it sound like she was there against her will - especially with the word "survive" in the title. But she never expresses remorse or empathy with her victims. I get the impression that if they hadn't asked her to leave, she would still be there happily picketing with hate signs. The book just feels like more of the "need for attention" that they all seem to feed off of.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 3:50 pm
Scout thanks for that summary. I've seen it in the bookstores and was curious about it.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 3:52 pm
Just began Nora Roberts' WHISKEY BEACH last night, after zipping through Binchey's novella FULL HOUSE.
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Scout
Member
01-19-2005
| Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 4:18 pm
Mameblanche - is the novella worth buying for Kindle?
Mak - I am re-reading The Dome to get ready for the mini-series, also. I'm reading it on Kindle, but I picked up a hard copy at the bookstore and it is HEAVY!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 4:19 pm
I want to read that book, Scout..waiting for it to take a price dip on Kindle. Now and then it happens. But I'll have second thoughts about providing any money for it..
I finished the third hiking book in a row by the same guy and and now just beginning Roger Ebert's bio, which is instantly so well written...
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Scout
Member
01-19-2005
| Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 4:24 pm
Seamonkey - I am really anxious to read Ebert's biography. He really was an amazing person.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 5:53 pm
I am almost reluctant to read fast, because I want the book to last.. I'm still very early in his childhood.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 6:29 pm
I'm reading Lauren Graham's book Someday, Someday, Maybe and Carol Burnett's Carrie and Me.
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 6:39 pm
The Ebert bio sounds good, Sea. I know what you mean about wanting to make the book last.
Scout, I dropped Dome on the floor yesterday, and it made such a loud bang! I was very glad it didn't land on my toe.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 10:08 pm
Scout I thoroughly enjoyed it. :-)
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 11:24 pm
I read Dome (and 1963) on Kindle and was so happy to not be lugging around a huge book.
Not much reading time today, but the last three books I read for the journey and what happened but the writing was just okay and the editing and proofreading were horrible.. Ebert's book so far is interesting and well-written and thought provoking too.
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Scout
Member
01-19-2005
| Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 7:20 am
Thanks, Mameblanche - I will have to get it on Kindle. You know I'm a big Maeve Binchy fan.
Mamie - I saw Carol Burnett the other night on Leno. I'd like to read her book also.
I had no idea Lauren Graham had written a book - I had to go look her up on Amazon to see if it was the Gilmore Girls Lauren Graham. Did you enjoy her book?
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 7:59 am
Scout, I've just started it. It comes out next week and so far, so good.
Mak, I remember having to prop The Dome up all kinds of ways to make it comfortable to read. That was before I got my Kindle and I think from now on, those big ones go only on Kindle!
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Thursday, April 25, 2013 - 8:57 am
Bad Move by Linwood Barclay.
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Buba1113
Member
07-20-2009
| Friday, April 26, 2013 - 12:30 pm
I'm reading Wallace by Jim Gorant. It's the account of a pit bull that catches Frisbies. Anybody have recommendations for books about animals.
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Friday, April 26, 2013 - 1:27 pm
Buba, two of my favorites about cats are...
Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned about Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper
and
Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron
My aunt highly recommended a dog one...
Last Dog on the Hill: The Extraordinary Life of Lou by Steve Duno - Its on my bookshelf but I haven't gotten to it.
She also enjoyed one about an owl...
Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O'Brien
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, April 26, 2013 - 7:36 pm
Strong second for Homer's Odyssey!! What a CAT! and you can find video of Homer online. I've also ready Dewey..
Oh.. Dean Koontz wrote about his golden retriever, Trixie and I HIGHLY recommend that book, A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog. Such sweet writing, especially considering his usual subject matter.
http://www.amazon.com/Big-Little-Life-Memoir-Joyful/dp/B003BVK2YY/ref=sr_1_29?ie=UTF8&qid=1367028867&sr=8-29&keywords=dean+koontz
Merle's Door was okay, though I don't enjoy the part about letting a dog roam so much.
Until Tuesday was quite good.. a dog and a wounded warrior helping each other.
A Dog Names Slugger Liked very much.. dog and girl with CP.
Cleo: the Cat who Mended a Family. Good.
Scent of the Missing about training of a search and rescue dog.. love it!
All the books by James Herriot, of course!!
Well, that's a start, right?
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Friday, April 26, 2013 - 8:09 pm
I need recommendations, too. Our library is sponsoring a book challenge for adults - five months of reading one book a month w/whatever the theme is. For May the book has to have a main character whose name starts w/a J or a B.
Since we have to read a new book, all of Diana Gabaldon's book about Jamie Fraser are out.
I looked for a Jack Reacher novel through our library's digital Overdrive, but they're all on hold (probably b/c of the movie).
I need something that is light like the Reacher novels, though, because I'm also reading the two novels with my AP kids AND dealing with all the graduation/prom stuff as senior advisor -- not to mention that my own kid is graduating! ACK!!
I'd love something that is available through Kindle's free Prime library since I really don't want to pay for a new book when I've got 400 of them sitting on my Kindle waiting to be read. 
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Friday, April 26, 2013 - 8:56 pm
I loved the James Herriot books.
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Friday, April 26, 2013 - 9:42 pm
Sea, I've been meaning to read Scent of the Missing . Glad to hear it is good.
Just remembered another dog story...
Following Atticus: Forty-eight High Peaks, One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship by Tom Ryan
I haven't read it, but I'm dog sitting three adorable miniature Schnauzers and remembered hearing of this book. It is supposed to be very good.
Teach, I can't think of anything off of the top of my head, but I'll think on it. I'm a big fan of the Reacher novels. I was apoplectic when I heard Tom Cruise was to play him-lol!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, April 26, 2013 - 11:30 pm
Following Atticus was interesting, too. and I cannot remember the title but there is one about a blind (legally) man who made it out of one of the Twin Towers with his guide dog..
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Saturday, April 27, 2013 - 7:31 am
Rieann - I had the SAME reaction to Cruise as the choice for Reacher. I actually watched the movie on a recent plane trip, and it bugged me enough that I doubt that I'll ever pay to see him play that role if future movies are made.
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Nickovtyme
Member
07-28-2004
| Saturday, April 27, 2013 - 9:12 pm
Been slowly reading my copy of "A Memory of Light" by Robert Jordan. Its the last book in his mammoth Wheel of Time series and it took 20 years to get here.
Though he died before he could complete it...I'm really glad a pretty good Author, in his own right, Brandon Sanderson picked it up and finished it.
It may not be ending exaclty as Mr. Jordan had envisioned but its probably pretty close.
It's kinda sad in a way...there won't be any more books to look forward to...I think thats why its taken me so long to finish it. It's bitter sweet and I hate to see it come to an end.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, April 27, 2013 - 10:05 pm
I can certainly understand that.. wanting to drag it out as long as possible.
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Saturday, April 27, 2013 - 10:32 pm
Is it really the last book, Nick? I've got the last 3 or 4 in the series that I haven't read yet and I think Darren has the one before this one he hasn't read. Huge, huge series, I don't think any of the books are under 800 or 900 pages and most are well over 1,000 pages long.
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