| Author |
Message |
Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, September 30, 2015 - 3:24 pm 
Purr-fect guess, Sea! I'm loving the book but at nearly two pounds, this is one of the (very rare) times I wish I was an e-reader fan. Alas, I shall go to my incinerator reading all my books the old-fashioned way!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, September 30, 2015 - 4:42 pm
LOL.. Never say never!! I know people who, due to changes in their eyes, have been able to read with a kindle and extend their reading life.
But in the past I've read any number of really hefty books back in my paper days.
Tres, glad you liked Ove.. also glad I kept mentioning him here and he caught on!
You might also like Craig Lancaster's character Edward.. and there are two books of him (keep hoping for a third)
I also hope for a day when there is a price drop on A Spool of Blue Thread.
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Tresbien
Member
08-26-2002
| Wednesday, September 30, 2015 - 5:10 pm
Sea, I got A Spool of Blue Thread from my library. I was 38th on the waiting list for the ebook and wished I'd just bought it. Thankfully, with BB live feeds over, I got it finished on time (just barely!). Thank you for Ove!
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Wednesday, September 30, 2015 - 7:49 pm
I hate to admit it but I'm about 50 pages into The Martian and getting tired of all the technical stuff. Hope it gets more interesting soon.
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Thursday, October 01, 2015 - 7:08 pm
Okay, it's getting more interesting.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, October 01, 2015 - 7:28 pm
Hecka, that's good. It does gain in intensity, doesn't it?
I do like the techy stuff but only to point out to myself that astronauts really do have to have multi talents to cope with the unexpected.. but otherwise I could trust that he knew what he was doing and just go with the plot. But yeah he did like splaining it all..but then he was not sure he'd survive and I guess hoped someone would hear or read it in time..
I'm kind of happy I didn't know who was playing him in the movie at the time I read it. Just happier that I could come up with my own picture of him.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, October 01, 2015 - 7:30 pm
This book I'm reading is so well written and describe so well the effects of a child having cancer on a whole family and also that the child is a child, not some little saint. Very sad but still instructive and a very good writing job by the dad, who wasn't a writer.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, October 03, 2015 - 12:27 pm
Excellent.. sad if course but what great parents Christopher had..
He also had such a rare leukemia that at that time only 7 cases were diagnosed in a year worldwide.
He died 21 years ago.
Starting another nonfiction, Trauma Room Two by Philip Allen Green, M.D.
I think it is a series of stories, true ones.. about the harder cases.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, October 03, 2015 - 3:00 pm
The above is fiction, based on real life. It was free, so giving it a chance.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Saturday, October 03, 2015 - 5:10 pm
I find all of this very depressing reading. I'm not taking away from your enjoyment of it. I don't think I'd want to read it though.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, October 03, 2015 - 7:38 pm
Turns out Dr Green's a good writer and I'm learning what trauma doctors go through..
Jimmer IF you are addressing me and "all of this" that I read, I think we've addressed this in the past, so I dont' know what to say.
I don't think I was recommending that you or anyone should read anything they consider unpleasant or depressing, just as I'm sure no one is pushing me to read other genres such as chick lit, romance, mysteries, zombie books, etc.
When I do recommend a specific book , like A Man Called Ove or The Martian, it is because I think some people here might enjoy them.
I'm interested in real life experiences and indeed some of those topics are depressing at times, but they are things people go through. And in reading about them hopefully I understand better those who do go through those experiences and can support them if that is appropriate.
Now I'm a little bit depressed and think maybe this is yet another thread where I'm offending someone. 
(This will pass.. this is where I list my books so I can get my year end total ..)
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, October 04, 2015 - 8:24 am
Sorry Sea. Of course, you're welcome to read, enjoy and recommend whatever you like. I think I can also comment that I don't enjoy certain things.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Sunday, October 04, 2015 - 8:27 am
Both A Man Called Ove and The Martian were terrific! I kind of like that we all have different tastes, that's how I learn about books that might never cross my path otherwise. Even if I generally stick to the genres I prefer. For instance, I can't remember the last time I read a SF book but I really liked the Martian and look forward to the film.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, October 04, 2015 - 8:30 am
Speaking of which, I recently read No Time for Goodbye based on Uncle Ricky's recommendation and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story was interesting and I like his writing style. I'm looking forward to reading more of his work.
I'm about to start reading The Martian, Mame! Good to hear the positive recommendations.
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Rvon
Member
12-11-2003
| Sunday, October 04, 2015 - 10:58 am
Sea, do not be sad. I love that we all read so many different books.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, October 04, 2015 - 12:12 pm
I just feel sad that real life is depressing .. I consider the reactions TO those things to often be uplifting and inspiring and I cannot tell you how many cancer patients are abandoned by people they thought were friends or even family when those people couldn't "handle" the topic. Of COURSE in those cases it is unavoidable and in reading we have choices of what to read and not to read.
And Jimmer, of course you have your opinions.. just seemed like it wasn't that long ago we had the same exact discussion in this thread.
But at least we are both consistent 
===
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, October 04, 2015 - 12:13 pm
The author of The Martian again commented, in conjunction with the recent reviews and previews of the movie, that he was quite surprised that it caught on the way it did since his target audience was somewhat geeky SF fans who read his stuff for free online and he only put the book in Kindle format at the request of his fans and Amazon doesn't allow a permanent $0 price, so at that time he put $0.99. The price is higher these days, $7.99, but I paid $4.99, which is actually more than I pay as a rule. Glad I did!
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, October 04, 2015 - 1:54 pm
when those people couldn't "handle" the topic
Rather ironically, people also have to be able handle it and not get depressed and worry about having offended someone when someone says that something they like is not for them. People do like different things.
Anyway, back to the books!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, October 04, 2015 - 3:55 pm
True. I wasn't commenting on people here handling topics but people in life and why I read what sounds depressing
But I was actually coming her now wondering if you are hooked on The Martian.. I know I kept reading longer than usual and returning to the book and ignoring other things like TV or games and Mame did an all-nighter when she read it. The movie looks like it will be good, and it sounds like they kept the sense of humor of the main character, which I really enjoyed.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, October 04, 2015 - 3:59 pm
I haven't started it yet but I will be very soon. Unfortunately, my reading tends to be a bit sporadic compared to when I was younger and had fewer distractions (I miss that time in a way). I'm really looking forward to it. It's great that you liked it.
I appreciate your comments, Sea.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, October 04, 2015 - 6:36 pm
Well you certainly have worthwhile distractions in your family and pets and work..
It reads pretty quickly once you get into it.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, October 05, 2015 - 2:50 pm
I totally get your side of things, Sea, and I also (equally) get Jimmer's side. I like books with tough subject matter, but I consume those much more infrequently than I do books with fun subject matter like the Linwood Barclay books.
And, Sea, I've never read a single word of yours that could be termed offensive!
Jimmer, I'm thrilled you enjoyed No Time for Goodbye - hooray!
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Monday, October 05, 2015 - 3:11 pm
Jimmer - be warned - Sea is right - it's a fast, gripping read. I ended up pulling an all-nighter and read it through from start to finish in one go! Been ages since a book grabbed me like that. Although I admit it did take a few pages for me to become really hooked (it's got a LOT of hard-science data-stuff that I admit to skimming). Can't wait to read your op of it. The previous book, a Jane Fonda bio, was really interesting but I read bits of it over a period of at least a couple of weeks. Not gripping at all.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, October 07, 2015 - 4:46 pm
I finished a memoir.. this author wrote a novel about Lewis of Lewis and Clark, who died young and suspiciously on the Natchez Trace.
She decided to promote the book by walking the 442 mile route, 15 miles a day, and recruited her Dad to drive each day drop her off in the morning, take her back to whatever place they were staying, usually a B&B.
They had a dodgy relationship, and he is quite a character, to put it mildly.
We get some chapters from his point of view. Partway through, her mother joined them.
Anyway the beginning of the book irritated me, and had some poor meditating editing or writing, but it won me over.
Just finished.
Not Without My Father: One Woman's 444 Mile Walk of the Natchez Trace, by Andra Watkins.
In the book, they discover that the Trace ends in 442 miles, so I guess she didn't want to change the title.
Her husband walked with her a few times too.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, October 07, 2015 - 4:48 pm
Now starting This is What I Want, by Craig Lancaster.
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