Whatcha Readin'? A Book Thread

I've gotta get my reading material organized. In my backseat, in my front seat, in my bags, night stand, kitchen and of course on shelves. I have at least three Bill Bryson books started. Think I'm up to owning every book he's written...now want to finish each one at a time. I know he hates dogs, but otherwise one of my favorite writers. Then again David Sedaris once wrecked a book talking about executing mice.
 

fureverywhere said:
I've gotta get my reading material organized. In my backseat, in my front seat, in my bags, night stand, kitchen and of course on shelves. I have at least three Bill Bryson books started. Think I'm up to owning every book he's written...now want to finish each one at a time. I know he hates dogs, but otherwise one of my favorite writers. Then again David Sedaris once wrecked a book talking about executing mice.
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I've read many of Bryson's books. I have shelves full of books from my pre-kindle days. But I now travel with dozens of book in a nice wee package weighing less than 3/4 lb including the case.
 
So far, zero on the holding my interst meter with the books I've started in on. One I had to take a good look at the cover to make sure it hadn't been placed on the wrong shelf at my library and maybe should have been in Y/A = young adults, the other, I had grabbed all off the new books I brought home off of the new books section, I didn't have a lot of time as my bus was coming soon, next trip, I won't forget my book list, I'll add to my list before heading over there.

What I was supposed to pick up was, The Warmth Of Other Suns and Someone Knows My Name, but without my list, I was lost. Will look for these when I go back to the library on Mon or Tues. In the meantime, I still have two books, Eve and Letters to Zell left to try and see if they will hold my attention.
 

One thing to remember is that any book, Young Adult included can be a fascinating read. On day I was in the teen section keeping my daughter company. Of course I had to wander and pick up a pile of interesting things. Several were big books of pictures and text and several historical events I had never heard of. A boat full of explosives en route to the front lines that ended up blowing up the dock and much of the surrounding town. Really in depth accounts and illustrations throughout. I also discovered graphic novels. At our age we can feel free to devour anything.
 
fureverywhere said:
One thing to remember is that any book, Young Adult included can be a fascinating read. On day I was in the teen section keeping my daughter company. Of course I had to wander and pick up a pile of interesting things. Several were big books of pictures and text and several historical events I had never heard of. A boat full of explosives en route to the front lines that ended up blowing up the dock and much of the surrounding town. Really in depth accounts and illustrations throughout. I also discovered graphic novels. At our age we can feel free to devour anything.
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I wasn't implying otherwise, I just said the book I was reading read like a it belonged in the juvie section, this doesn't mean there aren't great books to be found and read by adults in such a section. I actually read two books from the y/a section this year that I enjoyed very much, but when a book is categorized and the jacket reads as if it was written with what I felt might have a more sophisticated writing pattern yet the book reads like cat and the hat, then, I have a little problem with it sometimes. There are many brilliant titles located in the y/a section of the library considering I've worked in that section of the library ordering for, dispensing, stocking and reading to youngsters, I know this first hand. :)
 
fureverywhere said:
One thing to remember is that any book, Young Adult included can be a fascinating read. On day I was in the teen section keeping my daughter company. Of course I had to wander and pick up a pile of interesting things. Several were big books of pictures and text and several historical events I had never heard of. A boat full of explosives en route to the front lines that ended up blowing up the dock and much of the surrounding town. Really in depth accounts and illustrations throughout. I also discovered graphic novels. At our age we can feel free to devour anything.
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I've read a few books labeled as young adult and loved them. They were fantasies which are not my typical read, but they involved magic, etc and well written.
 
I just finished The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty. It takes place in Australia and I really enjoyed it. Now I'm on The Daemon by Anthoney Peake. Some of the paragraphs I have to read twice to really wrap my brain around what he is saying. I've watched the author explain some of it on YouTube and that helps.
 
Currently reading yet another one of my 5 for $1.00 books: "Started early. took my dog" by Kate Atkinson (2010), up to p.244 (350 pages), and still haven't a clue what it's about!
Did find the little dog, always hidden in the bottom of a car.
Have also discovered that a retired police super has stolen a little 5-year-old girl.
Blurb at the back describes the plot as 'Dickensian' brilliance!?
The very last page (p. 350) even quotes a poem (3 verses) by Emily Dickinson. :dontworry:
 
Started reading The Godforsaken Daughter by Christina McKenna. Decided to save it for the planes as it is one of those that will make time fly. I've read one of her books before and enjoyed it, and I've got a third one of hers on my Kindle.
 
I'm reading Bedford Square by Anne Perry which is a Victorian mystery set in late 19th London. I love the atmosphere of this type of book. It makes me crave tea and blueberry scones.
 
chic said:
I'm reading Bedford Square by Anne Perry which is a Victorian mystery set in late 19th London. I love the atmosphere of this type of book. It makes me crave tea and blueberry scones.
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I guess I'm not the only one who gets to craving something the people in my book are having. I've finally just gotten to where I try to have whatever it is so I can get it out of my head. Sometimes I'll tell my husband "Well, the people in the book I'm reading are eating "whatever it is" so I guess you know what we'll be having for dinner. Usually it involves going to the store and getting something.
 
Linda said:
I guess I'm not the only one who gets to craving something the people in my book are having. I've finally just gotten to where I try to have whatever it is so I can get it out of my head. Sometimes I'll tell my husband "Well, the people in the book I'm reading are eating "whatever it is" so I guess you know what we'll be having for dinner. Usually it involves going to the store and getting something.
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I used to read gothic novels and wondered what a scone was. I didn't find out what a proper scone was until 1999. I like plain or raisin with lots of butter and jam. And tea with milk.
 
I used to love gothic novels and also the true murder stories but I guess I read so many of them I'm not not as into them as I used to be. I also didn't know what a scone was until Starbucks came out with some and then I have had a few really good ones at teas my daughter has taken me to. I love them with clotted cream!

 
Linda said:
I used to love gothic novels and also the true murder stories but I guess I read so many of them I'm not not as into them as I used to be. I also didn't know what a scone was until Starbucks came out with some and then I have had a few really good ones at teas my daughter has taken me to. I love them with clotted cream!

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I've seen what are called scones in the US like at Panera, and scones in the UK aren't like those at all. I was baffled when I saw them shaped like triangles some with blueberries. Scones in the UK look like this and are plain or with raisins:

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I'm reading Bill Brysons' latest release..the road to little Dribbling subtitled '' more notes from a small Island'' ..it's the long awaited sequel to his very first book, Notes from a Small island which he wrote about 20 years ago about his arrival and subsequent travels and life in the UK as an American incomer during the early 70's , absolutely hilarious even given that much of it was poetic licence ...sad to say this book is not a patch on any of his other books all of which I've read and loved...and certainly not in the same league as the original Notes from a small Island. I still Love Bill Bryosn as a writer but this one is a big disappointment..he seems to have lost his witty edge, and become a grumpy old man, and it certainly shows all the way through the book ...shame!!
 
I have enjoyed a number of Tony Hillerman's mysteries. They are set on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico and Arizona. He included a lot of the Navajo culture in them. He died about 3 or 4 years ago.

I also like John MacDonalds stories which are mostly set in south Florida. He died in 1986, but his books are still good.

Books bought cheap at a book sale are a bargain and good to read.
 
Susie said:
Currently reading yet another one of my 5 for $1.00 books: "Started early. took my dog" by Kate Atkinson (2010), up to p.244 (350 pages), and still haven't a clue what it's about!
Did find the little dog, always hidden in the bottom of a car.
Have also discovered that a retired police super has stolen a little 5-year-old girl.
Blurb at the back describes the plot as 'Dickensian' brilliance!?
The very last page (p. 350) even quotes a poem (3 verses) by Emily Dickinson. :dontworry:
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::;

Update:
for some unknown reason many of the characters in this book start murdering each other--some grisly descriptions of murder scenes, making even the thick-skinned, investigating officers sick!
But where is the main character-the little dog; maybe I'll find out in the remaining 10 pages?!

Playing it safe with my next book which is approved by today's critics: "Rogue Lawyer" by John Grisham.
 
Finally something that's holding my interest, I've gone through quite a few books since this thread was started and nothing was doing it for me, I think I'll stay away from the fantasy fiction or even that which tries for realism to some degree. There was one or two auto-biographies, of which were ho-hum too, but, this one, "How I shed My Skin, by Jim Grimsley is turning out to be an interesting book though sadly a quick read. I'm trying to drag it out a bit, while I search for something else to read after.
 
I just finished "Persepolis", about an independent minded girl growing up in Iran and trying to make sense of it somehow. Funny that I always thought graphic novels were for teens. But depending on the story quite absorbing actually. The first I ever picked up was " Larceny in My Blood". A seasoned criminal trying to educate his way out of they system...very graphic, rough reading, but excellent if you stay with it. Also "Rover, Red, Charlie"...it's graphic horror but a lovely story in the end.
 
I just started " Born on the Fourth of July". I'm a history buff and have read so many war stories, but this one I'm going to have digest in small parts. The book opens and pulls you in. You're laying there in the jungle with Ron and the bullets are raining down. Everyone is running and screaming and the bullets keep coming. Something I notice with books like this is kind of a catharsis. When you put it down and then go about your day you're happy for just ordinary stuff.
 
For New Years I'm going to read through all of Maya Angelou's books again. Not her poetry, although beautiful...I love Gwendolyn Brooks too...I'm just a bit dim with poetry appreciation. I'm also skipping the first book only because I've read and re-read it so much I can recite whole chapters. The second book and on begin when she was in her late teens and twenties.
 
I just finished "The Red Queen" by Phillipa Gregory. I love her writing but it's really hard to keep all the characters straight in my head. She writes historical novels and everybody is either Henry or Richard or James or Margaret or Mary. "Henry" comes riding in with his 5000 men to depose the king, who is also Henry, but there's another Henry who's fighting for the King Henry (at least today....tomorrow, he and Henry might be after Henry's head). In the meantime, Henry's wife Mary and Henry's wife Mary are plotting to get their sons, Henry and Henry declared the heir to the throne so that they can marry Lady Mary or Lady Mary or possibly Lady Mary. Add the ten Richards, the seven James and any number of Margaret's to the mix and you need a cheat sheet. It would be so much easier to understand if there were a few Tiffini's, a Kourtney or two, and at least one Nevaeh.

Now I'm reading "A Strangeness in My Mind" by Orhan Pamuk. I am really enjoying it because it's mostly set in Istanbul from 1969-2012.
 
jujube Darlin', something helpful for me that I learned when I went back to school. An index card of characters and their relation to each other. Easy book mark and you can keep adding names as the book progresses. That sounds like an awesome book though!!!
 

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