| Author |
Message |
Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Thursday, November 14, 2019 - 11:31 pm 
I grabbed a "no-waiting-in-line" library copy of Ronan Farrow's relentlessly compelling Catch and Kill. I didn't think I could loathe Harvey Weinstein any more than I already did. Then I read this meticulously researched and written expose about the uber-villainous Weinstein. The facts laid out are shocking beyond belief. I was on the edge of my seat for 95% of the book's 412 pages. I feel so, so bad for all the women Weinstein victimized. Prison is really just too good a punishment. I hope he's sentenced to a very long lockup!
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Saturday, November 16, 2019 - 1:23 am
I whizzed through the Prince memoir, The Beautiful Ones. His level of genius was stratospheric and profound. An amazing revelation I enjoyed was learning how humble he was and how he refused to ever move away from his beloved Minneapolis. The book is roughly 70% photos and 30% text. If you aren't or weren't a big fan of his, I think you might be disappointed if you decide to read it. I was not disappointed at all. His was one of the severest losses popular music has ever had to endure. ☹️
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Saturday, November 16, 2019 - 2:46 am
Thanks for the review, Ricky. I bought the book for my cousin. She hates to read, but she loved Prince. It sounds perfect for her.
I also bought the Elton John book for my sister. I just hope she doesn't buy it before Christmas.
Thank goodness for Costco and their book section. 
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Monday, November 18, 2019 - 6:47 pm
Finished The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz. This is actually the first of the Jane Hawk series. It is very good. So far I have liked all of them that I have read. I started with the 2nd book, The Whispering Room, first. I have also read the 4th book in the series, The Forbidden Door. I'm sure I will read all of the books in the series at some point.
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Jimmer
Board Administrator
08-29-2000
| Tuesday, November 19, 2019 - 7:59 am
Thanks for the recommendations.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, November 20, 2019 - 5:47 pm
Grooch! What a wonderful cousin and sibling you are. I hope your cousin and sister respond favorably to your (very thoughtful) gifts!
I just finished After The Party by Lisa Jewell. It's a sequel to her very first book (Ralph's Party) and you can really tell how much she'd matured as a writer between that book and this one, her 9th published novel. Now that she's moved on to writing stand-alone suspense thrillers, I doubt she'll ever write a sequel again -- this one was excellent!
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Wednesday, November 20, 2019 - 7:59 pm
I read Jewell's latest The Family Upstairs that Mamie mentioned upthread. Thanks for the heads up, Mamie! I pre-ordered it after your post and read it the day it came out. As Mamie said, you will love it Ric.
I restarted another book by Lisa Jewell, Watching You. Not sure why I got set back reading it before. Probably had an ugly migraine. Ugh.
Also reading the memoir, Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me by Adrienne Brodeur. When the author was fourteen her mother enlisted her help in covering up an affair with a family friend. As you can imagine, chaos ensues.
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Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Thursday, November 21, 2019 - 8:12 am
A local author was on the radio talking about his book.
He seemed so entertaining that I ordered the book Outlaw Platoon (Heroes, renegades, infidels,and the brotherhood of war in Afghanistan) Sean Parnell.
It is very good.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Thursday, November 21, 2019 - 12:21 pm
Glad you loved it Rieann!
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Saturday, November 23, 2019 - 8:57 am
I just finished The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern. If you read The Night Circus, you know what a fantastic imagination she has. This book was long and took me longer to read than normal but it was lyrically beautiful and a great read.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Saturday, November 23, 2019 - 9:32 pm
The latest from Michael Connelly, The Night Fire, features Harry Bosch as well as Renee Ballard as they team up to bring down a string of baddies. As usual, the book is thrillingly plotted and the pace is as brisk and exciting as ever. I really love how Connelly has seamlessly introduced the Ballard character to complement and to make the Bosch character even better than he already is.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Sunday, November 24, 2019 - 9:14 am
Mamie - Morgenstern's book just showed up on my Kindle. I can hardly wait to read it, but I've got papers to slog through first.
Also adds the Bosch book to my TBR pile. I can see already that Christmas break is fully booked! **groan**
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, November 27, 2019 - 7:37 pm
Teach, I'm thrilled for you that the break is just a few days away. I think you'll really like the latest Bosch and Ballard adventure.
This afternoon I finished Howard Stern Comes Again, which is a massive collection of the interviews Stern has done over the years. I had no idea he'd released it and I stumbled across a copy at the library. I've never listened to his radio show, but as I thumbed through the copy I could see that the interviews he included were all in transcript form. Reading a transcript, to me, is even better than listening to the actual interview because you can really concentrate on the content -- yet another reason to love books!
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Thursday, November 28, 2019 - 7:18 pm
Finished "Rattle" by Fiona Cummins. It was good. She left it wide open for a sequel.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Sunday, December 01, 2019 - 12:32 am
Kappy! Thank you so much for making me aware of Steve Cavanagh and his Eddie Flynn series. Earlier tonight I finished the first in the series, The Defense. It was delightfully wicked fun, despite being a tiny bit implausible. I was having too good a time following the intricate and intense story to let the implausible bits distract me. I'm really looking forward to the other three in the series. I should be all caught up within the next couple of months.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Tuesday, December 03, 2019 - 12:58 am
Tonight I finished Grant Ginder's second novel, Driver's Education. It's a vast improvement over his debut. I came THISCLOSE to giving up on it, though. (!) In fact, I had to re-read the first three chapters just to make sure I was getting the characters to make sense (because of the multiple shifts in time).
Doing that ended up really helping to get me settled in with the story, which focuses on a man, his son and his son's son. I was ultimately very impressed with the outcome, despite the complex narrative (it really wasn't that complex, I was having trouble concentrating, I think). Because I never knew my father nor my two grandfathers, I was concerned I'd find the whole thing sad. Instead, it was rather sweet, but with just a little bit of sadness. Grinder is a really good writer. No wonder his full-time (day) job is teaching writing at NYU.
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Wednesday, December 04, 2019 - 9:31 pm
I am playing piano for the musical Fun Home, so I borrowed the book from our library. It's a graphic novel and a complex, dsyfunctional family story that is very moving.
We've been rehearsing music only for about 9 days, so tonight we did all the music beginning to end. We already knew from the soundtrack and practice of songs that it was an emotionally tough show, but sh*t -- tonight just emotionally destroyed every single one of us. At least 4 songs had every single one of us in tears. I have never been involved in a show that is that raw and absolutely incredible.
I am going to be a wreck for the next 7 weeks, but it is one time where the musical is better than the book! Still recommend the book, though; it's 7 chapters and a bit over 225 pages, so a pretty quick read.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, December 05, 2019 - 12:44 am
I read that years ago.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Sunday, December 08, 2019 - 6:54 pm
Teach, how wonderful you play the piano - I had no idea. I can only imagine how rewarding it must be to be involved in a project that moves you so emotionally while also making such a major contribution to the program. I've never read a graphic novel - maybe I'll start with Fun Home - I saw the stage production here in L.A. a few years ago and really enjoyed it.
This afternoon I finished the Carrie Fisher biography by Sheila Weller, Carrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge. It's quite comprehensive and well written. It's really amazing she lived to age 60 considering all the close calls she had along the way. I also didn't know she (Fisher) had written so many books of her own. I was only aware of Wishful Drinking, so I'll have to track down her others.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, December 08, 2019 - 10:26 pm
Ric, if you haven't seen the documentary Carrie's brother did about Debbie and Carrie, it is well worth tracking down. And the book he wrote, as well. Debbie was truly unsinkable in a world that just kept pulling her down.
toddfisher.com
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Monday, December 09, 2019 - 12:56 pm
Finished The Total Package by Stephanie Evanovich. Originally picked it up because of the last name. Totally different author. Oh, well. It was okay.
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Jimmer
Board Administrator
08-29-2000
| Monday, December 09, 2019 - 1:43 pm
Finished reading Stephen King’s The Institute. It’s about an institute (sorry ... couldn’t resist) and children with special abilities. Although it contains paranormal elements it’s more science oriented than purely supernatural.
It’s a well worn topic of late, but King does it well. He also poses an interesting dilemma of ends vs. means. I love the characters and mood of his books and he writes children well. I’d almost love it if sometime he’d just write a happy non-scary story, his characters are that enjoyable on their own.
Anyway, it’s a good story that likely won’t disappoint anyone familiar with his work. I enjoyed it.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, December 09, 2019 - 4:28 pm
He is a real talent..
My now retired dentist had kids in a school in Maine, and went back for parents weekend and Stephen King was one of the other parents. Dr Eriksmoen said that Stephen was incredibly interested in the other people. Asked a ton of questions about being a dentist. Seemed he had a kind for details and it shows in his writing.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, December 09, 2019 - 6:39 pm
Thank you, Sea, for the tips!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, December 10, 2019 - 8:10 pm
You will enjoy both, I am sure, Ric.
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