| Author |
Message |
Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 15, 2013 - 8:59 pm 
After dithering about what to start reading, I'm still reading the hardback of Big Russ and Me, which mostly stays in the bathroom for reading in there, and on my Fire, started reading I am Malala and I wish she had won the Nobel Peace Prize she was nominated for.
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Denecee
Member
09-05-2002
| Wednesday, October 16, 2013 - 10:13 am
Teach, I was saying that "It" the book was scary not 11/22/63 lol, but there were some moments in 11/22/63 that made me panic a bit
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, October 16, 2013 - 12:28 pm
Since no one else has mentioned it yet, I wanted to acknowledge -- especially to all our friends up north -- the great moment in Canadian literature that occurred last week when Alice Munro was awarded the Nobel Prize. She's the first Canadian to ever win it!
I once wrote John Irving a fan letter (early 1990s) and in it I asked, among other things, what writers he was fond of. Much to my surprise, he wrote back and the answer to that question was Alice Munro and Robertson Davies. I immediately, of course, put both of them on my reading list! I'm not that big a fan of short stories, but I did read Munro's Open Secrets and really enjoyed it. But she's written a ton of other stuff, so there's plenty to choose from!
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Wednesday, October 16, 2013 - 12:37 pm
That was an exciting moment for Canadian literature!
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Reenie
Member
06-24-2006
| Wednesday, October 16, 2013 - 1:31 pm
Very good news for Alice Munro and Canadian literature!!! Congrats.
I am reading "Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea" by Barbara Demick. Very very interesting reading. Not dry at all, I highly recommend it.
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Calamity
Member
10-18-2001
| Thursday, October 17, 2013 - 10:30 am
Thank you, Wargod, Denecee, and Teachmichigan, for your input! I was a little concerned because the blurb on the back of the audio case hinted there might be some bad force coming after Jake/George. But maybe that was referring to what Al said about you could change the past but it wouldn't be easy. Well, all I can do is keep listening and find out. Only 25 (I think) more discs to go, lol. Whew. The length is a bit daunting but since I'm enjoying the story, it's nice to know there's a lot more to come!
And congratulations to Alice Munro. Quite the honor.
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Jasper
Moderator
09-14-2000
| Thursday, October 17, 2013 - 4:41 pm
 for Alice Munro!
Calamity I can understand your feelings, but I on the otherhand like what Shirley Jackson short stories I have read. The Lottery has stuck with me since highschool.
Does anyone read David Sedaris books. tmi here but I practically wet myself laughing everytime I read his books.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Thursday, October 17, 2013 - 5:19 pm
Love, love, love Sedaris - a comic genius if there ever was one. I've read practically everything of his, but my fondest memory is reading his debut (Barrel Fever) - that one is nearly 20 years old, but I still recall vividly the tears I shed from the hysterical laughing fits those stories caused. (And, yes, I've been close to upsetting my underwear, too, when reading his stuff.) A comic genius indeed. 
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Jasper
Moderator
09-14-2000
| Thursday, October 17, 2013 - 10:33 pm
His Black Peter story had me giggling for months after every time I thought of it. And when I tried to read it out loud to my hubby, I just couldn't get more than a few sentences out without dissolving in laughter. I have one sitting on the shelf right now to read.
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Calamity
Member
10-18-2001
| Friday, October 18, 2013 - 12:14 pm
Japser: Jackson is a fantastic writer. She just scares the socks off of me! And the vibe I get about her based on her stories reinforces that sense of unease, paranoia, creepiness, or whatever it is. Of course, that's just an impression, can't say that it's accurate at all.
I've never read any of Sedaris' books myself but I listened to him reading from one on the radio once. Very funny.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Friday, October 18, 2013 - 12:39 pm
I just found that he's going to be appearing at Cal State Northridge on November 16 (just 10 miles from where I live!), but I can't go because I'll be out town that weekend. Drat! 
That one story (from Barrel Fever) he wrote about going out on a date with Mike Tyson is the one that convinced me Sedaris was a "keeper" - man was that story funny! 
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Friday, October 18, 2013 - 4:55 pm
I love his Six to Eight Black Men (a Dutch Christmas story). Hilarious!
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, October 21, 2013 - 4:53 pm
Finished Stone Rain, the final Zack Walker thriller. It was a bit more serious than the previous three ZW stories. And I can understand why Linwood Barclay moved on to other stories since there really wasn't a lot more he could have done with the characters. But all four books are definitely worth reading.
My copy of the latest Chelsea Cain (Let Me Go) is ready for me to pick up at the library, so I will begin that tonight. The advance word is that it's really good, so I'm really looking forward to it.
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Jasper
Moderator
09-14-2000
| Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - 9:26 pm
I have that as my next up uncle_ricky. I'm looking forward to it as well. This will be the first one I have read, all the others I listened to on audio and she had a great narrator(s). When she did Gretchen the hair on my neck stood up, it was exactly how I imagined she would sound.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - 10:07 pm
I finished Big Russ and Me.. enjoyed it.. more of a bio of the author, the son..
Next hardback is The Curve of the World.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Tuesday, October 22, 2013 - 10:21 pm
I am reading The Tulip Eaters by Antoinette van Heugten. It's very interesting to me because it deals with the Nazis in Holland and I am of German/Dutch descent.
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Jasper
Moderator
09-14-2000
| Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 9:15 am
I've been listening to The Highway by CJ Box
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 9:19 am
Yes, Jasper, I did notice that you had secured a copy of Let Me Go. I'm about 100 pages into it and it's definitely intriguing. That's interesting that you experienced the previous five books on audio. People are constantly urging me to try the audio, especially because we spend so much time in our cars here in Souhern California.
Alas, I'm a stubborn Luddite who sticks to the old-fashioned  paper versions. And don't get me started on those Kindle/Nook/etc. things. The day I start using one of those will be the official end of my life! Okay, rant over. Sorry for yapping on and on about my death-grip on books. I hope you really enjoy Let Me Go!
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Jasper
Moderator
09-14-2000
| Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 11:39 am
I used to have an hour and half to two hour journey each day to work and I'd rather listen to a book than the radio. It's all in the narrator for me. I've totally scrapped listening to some books based on that and then read them. I do have Kobo on my IPad and some books but I've not actually read anything on it. You never know, my mom reads a book a day I think and we gave her a Kobo last year and she loves it, although she has smacked herself in the nose a few times with it falling asleep while reading lol.
The CJ Box book is good, once again it features Cody Hoyt and some other characters from Back of Beyond. Have you read any of his uncle_ricky? You'd probably like them.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, October 23, 2013 - 1:06 pm
Thanks for the recommendation about Mr. Box, Jasper. I took a peek at his Wikipedia page and the description of his works definitely sounds appealing. As is my custom, I will have to go all the way back to his first (Open Season) and work my way through his entire oeuvre. I have officially added him to my list of writers to check out.
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Jasper
Moderator
09-14-2000
| Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 4:16 pm
I started The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom.
Uncle_ricky I was looking back thru posts and it's very interesting about the Cain books being made into a series. Hope you keep us posted.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 6:15 pm
I liked The Kitchen House, although Grissom's narrators aren't as strong as those in Poisonwood Bible or The Help. Still - a good story.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, October 27, 2013 - 6:13 pm
Finished Curve of the World and on to an E Lynn Harris novel for my paper reading.
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Calamity
Member
10-18-2001
| Monday, October 28, 2013 - 11:02 am
Just got Bird Sense: What It's Like to Be a Bird from the library.
Still listening to 11/22/63.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Tuesday, October 29, 2013 - 11:19 am
Will do, Jasper! I found the story on Deadline.com (from last year) that announced FX is the network that's developing the series. There have been no follow-ups, so I'm guessing that they're still working on the adaptation.
http://www.deadline.com/2012/05/fx-developing-female-series-killer-drama/
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