Books! How do you read and what do you read?

The Stranger 1942

Lillian Bos Ross

(also issued as ‘Zandy’s Bride’ in 1974, movie released with same title
I’ve had this book for a decade, never read it, don’t know why-just didn’t
What a delicious treat to find a book you’ve discarded and find it is fabulous!

Critics Review: "Ross’ novel is more than a pioneer romance. Ross lived on her homestead in the Big Sur area from 1923 until her death in 1959, and her novel has the realism of a documentary. As a character, Zande isn’t sugarcoated; relentlessly honest, he’s true to the mores of the time and his surroundings. He’s chauvinist, racist, brutal and ruthless. But, determined and tough, he’s also faithful to his own strict moral code. Like the feral grizzly bear he battles in the book, Zande is fascinating to watch. Ross’ writing isn’t the typical language of romance novels, either: Her prose is simple and spare. Zande’s rough dialect, for instance…"

The author knows far too much about brutish men-where did she learn how these men thought and acted?


Goggled author insufficient info. Where did she obtain her info?
 

The book about dogs"Inside of a Dog" by Alexandra Horowitz was interesting but I didn't finish because it was too detailed.The author is the head of the Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College,Columbia Univ
The book I'm reading now is'Promises to Keep' by Joe Biden,always liked him but really didn't know much about him.When he wrote the book,he was O'Bama's Vice President Its an interesting read
 
...Getting tired of the Doc Savage books/pulps (4 years completed so far, at approximately 12 per year = 48) currently reading those first published around 1937... the tone/feel of these books changes over time and is getting darker.

Started reading a bunch of science fiction by C. J. Cherryh. Just finished; "Rimrunners"; didn't care for it, tough read- sometimes disjointed. Murdering, hiding and fleeing arrest while sleeping, fearing & playing power games with, other characters in the book is not an entertaining plot for me. I will be more selective of this author's works in the future.
..think I will re-read her Chanur series next (fairly entertaining, if I remember correctly).

Enjoy!
 

Still waiting for Where the Crawdads Sing .. at the end of a long list.

Recently read:
The Dancing Girls - M.M. Chouinard
The Couple Next Door - Shari Lapena
.. both good - trouble is, I always figure out the ending.

Next in line:
The End Of Her - Shari Lapena
If You Tell - Gregg Olsen
 
I like reading political knowledge with a bit of history of course, and then I like reading spiritual books.
jerry old said:
The Stranger 1942

Lillian Bos Ross

(also issued as ‘Zandy’s Bride’ in 1974, movie released with same title
I’ve had this book for a decade, never read it, don’t know why-just didn’t
What a delicious treat to find a book you’ve discarded and find it is fabulous!

Critics Review: "Ross’ novel is more than a pioneer romance. Ross lived on her homestead in the Big Sur area from 1923 until her death in 1959, and her novel has the realism of a documentary. As a character, Zande isn’t sugarcoated; relentlessly honest, he’s true to the mores of the time and his surroundings. He’s chauvinist, racist, brutal and ruthless. But, determined and tough, he’s also faithful to his own strict moral code. Like the feral grizzly bear he battles in the book, Zande is fascinating to watch. Ross’ writing isn’t the typical language of romance novels, either: Her prose is simple and spare. Zande’s rough dialect, for instance…"

The author knows far too much about brutish men-where did she learn how these men thought and acted?


Goggled author insufficient info. Where did she obtain her info?
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then
 
Have been trading books with couple of ladies during the pandemic.
Most of them were romance novels.

Ordered 4 books from Thrift books.
One of them is by my favorite author , Nevada Barr,,,BORDERLINE.

Had forgotten how some her novels grab you & hold you glued to them.

As to shape of the books I received , they are in good shape.
Arrived in the time frame I was given.

Biggest compliant I have is all the ads I'm getting from Thrift books.
 
I'm reading Advertisements for Myself by Norman Mailer on OpenLibrary -- mainly to look at his writing style. I made it halfway through The Executioner's Song but got tired of the characters, so I returned it. I need at least one character that I care about in order to get through a book.
 
I've got 6 books on hold at the library. New authors to me. I scan Amazon and the internet for authors.

The Star Side of Bird Hill - Naomi Jackson
We Cast A Shadow - Maurice Carlos Ruffin
America Street - Ibi Zoboi
A Bright Ray of Darkness - Ethan Hawke
In a House of Lies - Ian Rankin
Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Resistance - Zora Neale Hurston

If anyone has read these books, would love to get feedback.
 
It I hadn't found a copy of Ethan Frome (and it wasn't too thick) I never would have read the author Edith Wharton. I was impress with her story telling craft. I then read The House of Mirth and enjoyed it. I never would have believed that I would enjoy reading a novel about New York High Society in the late 19th century, but it happened. I'm now into The Customs of the Country and I'm experiencing the same quality of writing while being confronted with a protagonist that I loath. I suppose this may be looked upon as an early anti-hero book or a tale of redemption and growing up. However it ends I will finish this and move onto her more famous book The Age of Innocence.
 
Sliverfox said:
With all the snow & cold ,, am reading A WALK in the WOODS by Bill Bryson.
Its about hiking the Appalachian trail.

Makes me forget that its snowy cold here in PA.
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Silverfox,I loved 'A Walk in the Woods', a funny book,at times I felt I was right there when he is describing what he&his friend Steve see on the trail
I saw the movie version in 2015,a major disappointment,not worth seeing.It starred Robert Redford "Bill',Nick Nolte'Steve',Emma Thompson plays Bill's wife in a brief appearance.Redford&Nolte were miscast Sue
 
The book I'm reading now is"Breaking the Code' by Karen Fisher-Alaniz
Karen's father is a member of the'Greatest Generation' never really told his family what he did during WWII.On his 81st birthday,he gives Karen 2 weathered notebooks with more than 400 letters he wrote to his parents. As she is reading them,discovers what secret role he played in the war
I started the book yesterday,what I've read so far is interesting
 
Just finished A Gentleman From Moscow by Amor Towles. This is a very rich, detailed and interesting novel. It was a nice diversion from the adventure/mystery fare I enjoy. My only criticism was that the author went a little "over the top" trying to show off his vocabulary - sort of like adding a little too much spice to an already brilliant dish.
 
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JonDouglas said:
Just finished A Gentleman From Moscow by Amor Towles. This is a very rich, detailed and interesting novel. It was a nice diversion from the adventure/mystery fare I enjoy. My only criticism was that the author went a little "over the top" trying to show off his vocabulary - sort of like adding a little too much spice to an already brilliant dish.
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I loved, loved, loved this book. I thought it was beautifully written. Also thought his other work, "Rules of Civility" was very good.
 

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