| Author |
Message |
Scout
Member
01-19-2005
| Thursday, January 14, 2016 - 1:14 pm 
Rupertbear - I love that book, too! I love all of Fannie Flagg's books. My favorites of hers are: "The All-Girls Filling Station's Last Reunion" and "Standing in the Rainbow". I just love the way she writes.
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Friday, January 15, 2016 - 9:45 am
I'm reading Puzzled Indemnity by Parnell Hall. One of the main characters is negative and annoying, so I'm not really enjoying it. I do want to know whodunnit so am speeding through.
On another note, our local library is in serious need of serious funds after our town government cut our budget. We are having continuous fundraisers, seeking grants and running the library mostly with volunteers. If you could, would you please vote for us to win a $2,000 grant? Go to the site, click on Voting Begins January 15, scroll down to District 24 and click on Friends of the Millinocket Memorial Library. You can vote once every day between now and January 31. Thanks! www.masoniccharitablefoundation.org/
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Friday, January 15, 2016 - 11:19 am
Done, Mak 
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Friday, January 15, 2016 - 1:19 pm
I voted, too, Mak.
Yesterday I finished Would It Kill You to Stop Doing That? by Henry Alford. It's a witty collection of essays about manners (and the lack thereof) in modern society. He is quite funny as he examines 21st century behaviors related to how people treat one another. He's a regular contributed to the New York Times and the New Yorker, too. I laughed out loud at many points in the book -- I'll be tracking down his other books.
And this weekend I'll watch "The Martian" as it was finally released on Blu-ray earlier this week.
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Rupertbear2
Member
07-15-2015
| Friday, January 15, 2016 - 2:18 pm
Reenie and Scout- I've become a fan, too!
I'll definitely be reading more of her books because she is a wonderful novelist.
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Friday, January 15, 2016 - 2:26 pm
Voted, Mak. 
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Friday, January 15, 2016 - 8:52 pm
I just don't see The Martian being a comedy. Really?
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Friday, January 15, 2016 - 9:20 pm
I thought in the book the main character had quite a sense of humor in his logs.. haven't yet seen the movie but I'm guessing that comes through.
But I wouldn't have thought comedy.
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Mak1
Member
08-11-2002
| Saturday, January 16, 2016 - 5:06 am
I like Fannie Flagg too. The sense of humor does come across in the Martian movie, but I wouldn't have thought to put it in that category.
I'm reading the book Amy Winehouse's father wrote, Amy, My Daughter.
Thank you for the votes! I discovered the voting resets around 9 p.m. so I can vote at night if I'm going to be traveling and may forget the next day. Our library opened in 1919 and has never closed, not even during the Depression....until this summer. The Town Manager shut it down while we worked on a complicated lease agreement with the town. People swarmed in when the doors reopened in September, some in tears. Some of our town leaders have no idea how much value a library has to a small town.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, January 16, 2016 - 5:56 pm
I've read Mitch Winehouse's book.. so sad, really. I think her mother has now written a book.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, January 23, 2016 - 1:26 am
I read a memoir, Crazy Free: the Epic Spiritual Journey by Melissa Wyld, who has hiked the PCT and basically is a bit of a nut job. Can you tell I was irritated throughout the book? It was free for a day and one of her friends, Carrot Quinn, asked people to download and read it. Carrot also wrote a book and she can also be a bit of a flake but less of a nut job and I followed her hikes last summer.
So..definitely don't recommend.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Saturday, January 23, 2016 - 1:30 am
I think next is Flight 93: The Story, The Aftermath, and The Legacy of American Courage on 9/11 by Tom McMillan.
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Kappy
Member
06-28-2002
| Saturday, January 23, 2016 - 2:17 pm
Mak ~ I completely understand how important libraries are to so many people. Ours is now closed two days a week and when Tuesday noon comes around, there is always a crowd waiting at the door for it to open again.
My current reading is a flop so I'm sending it back to the library unfinished. That's saying alot since I can only think of 2 other times in my life that I didn't finish a book. After having absolutely loved three of Liane Moriarty's books (The Husband's Secret, Big Little Lies, What Jane Forgot), I put myself on the reserve list for The Hypnotist's Love Story - waited 3 months for my turn at it - was overjoyed that it arrived right before the rain storms and then boom, it is the biggest bore. Being newly retired, I have decided Life is literally too short to not enjoy what I am currently reading.
I'm moving on to the Will Trent series by Karin Slaughter starting with the first one Tryptch. We'll see how it goes.
Loved A Redbird Christmas - So different from her other books but very charming.
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Egbok
Member
07-13-2000
| Saturday, January 23, 2016 - 6:41 pm
I've been retired about 2 years now and just recently got back into reading. I've been scrolling back through the threads to get book recommendations from all of you here.
I decided to get a library card and have been placing books on hold for future reads. Right now I'm halfway through The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. It's one of those "hard to put down" books!
I'd also like to say that although I have a Kindle, I truly enjoy holding a book in my hands and reading that way. The one key thing I miss about reading on a Kindle is having the capability of enlarging the font, lol!! With a book, I enlarge the font with 1.75 readers.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, January 25, 2016 - 12:31 am
That's marvelous, Eggie. It's never too late to return to reading - the single greatest gift humanity gets to enjoy. I hope you end up loving The Goldfinch as much as many of us here have done.
Yesterday I finished Hope's Boy by Andrew Bridge. I think the L.A. Public Library website praised it and it caught my eye. Oh boy, did it pack an emotional wallop. Mr. Bridge chronicles his life as a survivor of the foster child care system, including the harrowing MacLaren Hall here in Los Angeles.
I was a wreck by the time I reached the end of it because I was so, so worried about how his life turned out. There's so much I want to say about it, but that would be giving away too much. It's one of the best books I've read by someone with a tough childhood. And I thought I had it difficult growing up. My life was paradise next to his. His story left me feeling very, very sad, but I'm glad I read it!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, January 25, 2016 - 10:42 am
Flight 93 was well researched and I learned about the people more and the town and really appreciated all that was written.
Starting a memoir
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Monday, January 25, 2016 - 10:44 am
Uncle_ricky, I am so happy this morning. I just got an advance copy of Taylor Jenkins Reid's new book One True Loves! It comes out in July.
I read And Again by Jessica Chiarella. It was about a cloning program with the first 5 subjects's stories. Their bodies are cloned but parts of their brain are put into the bodies so that they can be the same people in all ways. But of course, somethings seems wrong to all of them. It was rather slow moving and it left me wanting more. It was just lacking something for me.
I am also reading Stay Close by Harlan Coben. Good so far.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, January 25, 2016 - 4:36 pm
Wonderful news, Mamie! I am counting the days until July. (And, yes, I am insanely jealous you got the advance copy. But then you deserve it seeing as how you have spread the word so nicely about what a great writer she is.)
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, January 25, 2016 - 9:33 pm
Um, I had to leave but the memoir is Radical Survivor: One Woman's Path Through Life, Love, and Uncharted Tragedy by Dr Nancy Saltzman.
She survived breast cancer, but lost her husband and two sons when a private plane crashed, then lost one parent and then the other had Alzheimer's. I gather we learn how she got through all that.
I had downloaded a sample of a book that has raves about the writing and didn't want to pay that much but thought if it is really great. Well there was a forword, also praising the writing but that was the only think IN the sample.. the Forword by Abraham Verghese, who is a writer I like, but... . That book is When Breath becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.. who was a young neurosurgeon.. in fact he was chief resident but was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor. Sounds like he was quite remarkable. But I wish the book was on sale.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Friday, January 29, 2016 - 6:17 pm
I just read The Portable Veblen by Elizabeth McKenzie. If you like quirky characters, this is definitely the book for you!
http://oneblogtwobroads.com/2016/01/29/the-portable-veblen/
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Saturday, January 30, 2016 - 9:48 pm
I finished listening to Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone this morning. It's been years since I heard it, and I'd forgotten how much humor there was. The first 3-4 books I listened to when my DS was hooked on them. The latter books I heard in bits and pieces, fits and starts, as DS would take the CDs with him when he'd switch between my car and DH's. Over this year, I'm going to relisten to all of them again - in full.
I'm also thoroughly enjoying American Gods, and I've just picked up The Seventeen-Second Miracle for our library book club read. Has anyone else read this one? It sounds distinctly different from our previous library club reads (which is the point, I suppose).
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, January 31, 2016 - 6:17 pm
I finished Radical Survivor, which was well-written, but perhaps could have been edited to be a bit shorter.
Starting another memoir by a man who cared for his grandfather who had Alzheimer's. The Sea is Wide: A memoir of caregiving by Rundy Purdy. Not really started yet but it has glowing reviews from hospice people and nurses.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, February 01, 2016 - 10:59 am
On Saturday I finished Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari. It was a delightful experience, cover to cover. I can't believe he's only 32 and has accomplished so much. His Netflix series ("Master of None") is marvelous, too. I hope he keeps writing books.
Yesterday I dived into The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson by Jeffrey Toobin. Kelly Oxford raved about it on Twitter while reminding everyone that the TV adaptation premieres tomorrow night on FX - she's read it three times. I'm 3/4 done and I can see why she raved about it -- extremely well written!
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Egbok
Member
07-13-2000
| Monday, February 01, 2016 - 12:26 pm
Thanks for your input on the O.J. Simpson book Uncle Ricky. I've placed a hold for it via the Library and I'm number 2 on the list, so should be getting it soon.
I finished reading The Goldfinch and absolutely loved it! I'm now starting Room by Emma Donoghue.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Monday, February 01, 2016 - 1:09 pm
I want to read Aziz's book. Have you seen his show Master of None? Very funny.
I finished Missing Pieces by Heather Gudenkauf last night. I really enjoy her mysteries.
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