You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

Slick's Slugs

1. A Soldier of the Great War 860 pages. Completed 01/07/14.

Connection: Art

2. The Goldfinch 771 pages. Completed 01/29/14.

Connection: Tragic Childhood

3. Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China 538 pages. Completed 02/02/14.

Connection: World War II

4. Truman 1117 pages. Completed 02/18/14.

Connection: Impact of Civil Rights

5. The Lords of Discipline 512 pages. Completed 02/24/14.

Connection: Set in the South

6. A Man in Full 787 pages. Completed 03/02/14

Connection: Author lives in New York

Mickey Mouse's Marchers

7.The Invisible Bridge 602 pages. Completed 03/22/14.

Connection: Historical Fiction

8.Sacred Hunger 630 pages. Completed 04/02/14.

Connection: Slavery

9.Andersonville 768 pages. Completed 05/02/14.

Connection: War

10.A Storm of Swords 1177 pages. Completed 06/06/14.

Connection: 6 Letters in Authors Last Name

11.A Widow for One Year 576 pages. Completed 06/17/14.

Connection: Philandering Husbands

12.Fall of Giants 985 pages. Completed 06/20/14.

Connection: Dynastic families

Road Runner's Racers

13.The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance 832 pages. Completed 06/30/14.

Connection: Secretive and Paternal Community

14.The 19th Wife 525 pages. Completed 06/30/14.

Connection: Women's rights

15.Winter of the World 940 pages. Completed 07/21/14.

Connection: Sweeping Saga

16.Centennial 909 pages. Completed 07/25/14.

Connection: Civil War Soldiers

17.The Last Full Measure 560 pages. Completed 07/29/14.

Connection: Written by a male author

18.Shōgun 1152 pages. Completed 08/22/14.

Connection: Main character is an immigrant

Buzz Lightyear's Bombers

It's good to see that you're almost finished Slck's Slugs! What did you think of Wild Swans?

Janice wrote: "It's good to see that you're almost finished Slck's Slugs! What did you think of Wild Swans?"

I absolutely loved it! Her first-hand knowledge, research and attention to small details was so impressive. I want to read her book Mao: The Unknown Story now.

I keep wanting to read it, but never seem to get to it. I think I have ADSS - Attention Deficit.... Ooooo Something Shiny!

Janice wrote: "I keep wanting to read it, but never seem to get to it. I think I have ADSS - Attention Deficit.... Ooooo Something Shiny!"

I hear you! I seem to have ADAB - Attention Deficit...Oooo Another Book!

Yup - same disease! :)

What did you think of The Goldfinch Suzanne? I have it lined up in Mickey Mouse's Marchers.

Lisa wrote: "What did you think of The Goldfinch Suzanne? I have it lined up in Mickey Mouse's Marchers."

It was definitely a page-turner for me, but it was darker and seedier than my usual taste in books. Still, I'm glad I read it!

Of my Slick's Slugs list, Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China and The Lords of Discipline were fantastic. I'm half-way through A Man in Full and I'm surprisingly loving it. I read The Bonfire of the Vanities years ago and it was just okay for me. So A Man in Full has been sitting on my shelf for years and I finally forced myself to read it. Glad I did!

Nice list, Suzanne, you're really knocking out those chunksters! My husband is a fan of David McCullough, though I don't think he's read Truman. Maybe a gift idea. :) Did you enjoy that read?

E :) wrote: "Nice list, Suzanne, you're really knocking out those chunksters! My husband is a fan of David McCullough, though I don't think he's read Truman. Maybe a gift idea. :) Did you enjoy..."

Yes, I gave it 5 stars. If you are a biography fan - especially of political biographies, you can't go wrong with McCullough!

Judy wrote: "Its nice to see you here in this group also, Suzanne! You sure are knocking out your chunksters quickly."

I know! I took a look at my reading list for the year and realized this was the perfect challenge for me because I had lots of big books I planned on reading this year. It's really nice when some turn out to be fast reads. The Lords of Discipline was one I couldn't put down - I read it in four days. I'm really moving quickly on my current read, A Man in Full as well!

Suzanne wrote: "Lisa wrote: "What did you think of The Goldfinch Suzanne? I have it lined up in Mickey Mouse's Marchers."

It was definitely a page-turner for me, but it was darker and seedier than..."

Sounds good to me! I am glad you enjoyed it. I haven't read any of her books before but I have this and The Secret History lined up in the Chunkster challenge. I am looking forward to both as I have heard so much about them (some good, some bad).

Finished Slick's Slugs! Now on to Mickey's Marchers:)

Congratulations on finishing the first task. I had to add your #1 book to my TBR list.

Cherie wrote: "Congratulations on finishing the first task. I had to add your #1 book to my TBR list."

I hope you are a Helprin fan. While I enjoyed Winter's Tale and Memoir from Antproof Case, I did not enjoy this one nor Freddy and Fredericka. I won't be reading Helprin any more.

Suzanne wrote: "Cherie wrote: "Congratulations on finishing the first task. I had to add your #1 book to my TBR list."

I hope you are a Helprin fan. While I enjoyed Winter's Tale and [book:Memoir f..."

No, I have never read anything by this author. He has never been on my radar until I saw your book list.

You gave it four stars but you did not enjoy it?

The summary sounds interesting and Chrissie gave it five stars and a pretty good review. I generally trust her to know if something is worth reading or not. If it is not, she says why and I can decide for myself if I want to add it to my list or not. Who knows if I will live long enough to get through all 1600+ books on my TBR list.

Helprin's books are full of wit and invite analysis worthy of any book discussion. It is for this reason I gave it four stars, even though I did not particularly enjoy it. I don't know if I appreciated his writing more in my earlier days, or if his style of writing has changed over the years? This style of modern writing is definitely not to my taste any more. I agree with you about Chrissie. I generally agree with her analysis of books and use her recommendations as well. It is one of the reasons I read A Soldier of the Great War. Since you've never read Helprin, go ahead and give him a try. Just because he's not to my taste, doesn't mean he won't be to yours!

I just finished Sacred Hunger, which is a work of historical fiction about a slave ship/slave trade. While Booker Prize winners are sometimes misses with me, this one was wonderful! My review can be found here: http://coldread.wordpress.com/2014/04...

Did you find the content to be heavy? I have to space out reading stories about slavery because they can be so emotionally draining.

Janice wrote: "Did you find the content to be heavy? I have to space out reading stories about slavery because they can be so emotionally draining."

Not too heavy. You don't really get emotionally involved with the characters, but obviously the subject matter is oppressive. What I really appreciated about this book is the examination of what drives men and how at the root we're not so different.

Whew! It took along time, but I finally finished Andersonville, which was really, really good! I'm halfway through Mickey's Marchers...

Looking forward to my annual Game of Thrones read, to be followed by the annual watching of the corresponding television series. Can't wait to find out what happens in A Storm of Swords!

Just finished A Storm of Swords and it was fantastic! Martin is so totally unpredictable. The "red wedding" scene was so heartbreaking - you get so invested in characters and Martin doesn't seem to have any qualms about killing them off. This book was quite the stunner!

I knocked off another one! A Widow for One Year has earned John Irving a place on my favorite authors list. If he can take a storyline like that, and turn it into a novel that I loved, the man has earned it!

Hello Suzanne, just stopped by to take a peak at your chunkster lists. More than a few authors/books I'd like to read here. Wanted to say that I read and loved Wild Swans a few years back. Great job on your progress... you're really going like gangbusters!

Suzanne wrote: "Just finished A Storm of Swords and it was fantastic! Martin is so totally unpredictable. The "red wedding" scene was so heartbreaking - you get so invested in characters and Martin ..."

I agree with you! I was so shocked about this! Just wait, it doesn't change either.

Tejas Janet wrote: "Hello Suzanne, just stopped by to take a peak at your chunkster lists. More than a few authors/books I'd like to read here. Wanted to say that I read and loved Wild Swans a few years back. Great j..."

Thanks so much Tejas Janet! I loved Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China so much I bought author's book called Mao: The Unknown Story. Not sure when I'll get to it, but it could be on next year's Chunkster list!

Suzanne wrote: "I knocked off another one! A Widow for One Year has earned John Irving a place on my favorite authors list. If he can take a storyline like that, and turn it into a novel that I loved..."

Oh noooooo. Another chunkster added to my list and a new author. Did you HAVE to say that you loved it?

Cherie wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "I knocked off another one! A Widow for One Year has earned John Irving a place on my favorite authors list. If he can take a storyline like that, and turn it into a no..."

LOL! I know, I know, Cherie - if you are like me, it's not like I'm short of books to add to this list!

Oh, and I almost forgot, Cherie - A Widow for One Year takes place in Vermont and Amsterdam, so it could count for a visit to the Netherlands on the Around the World Challenge...

Suzanne wrote: "Oh, and I almost forgot, Cherie - A Widow for One Year takes place in Vermont and Amsterdam, so it could count for a visit to the Netherlands on the Around the World Challenge..."

Great for telling me where they take place, Suzanne. I have never been to either place. My AtW challenge is really only for Australia, but I like to report if I go somewhere new. I've been to Spain with several books, but I have yet to really look for books from specific countries. I mark them in my TBR list, but I do not have specific shelves other than Australia.

I just finished Book I of Ken Follett's Century Trilogy, Fall of Giants. Very fast paced and entertaining!

Judy wrote: "Wow, Suzanne you are moving right along with this challenge."

My goal is to have Road Runner's Racers completed sometime in August!

I just knocked off two more! I enjoyed both The 19th Wife (4 stars) and The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance (5 stars) very much!

I very much enjoyed Centennial. You just can't go wrong with a Michener book!

Judy wrote: "Suzanne wrote: "Judy wrote: "Wow, Suzanne you are moving right along with this challenge."

My goal is to have Road Runner's Racers completed sometime in August!"

I have no doubt that you will mak..."

Thanks, Judy! I'll be reading Shogun Volume 1 for August and should complete the next section. I have a friend who has been after for years to read it - I have a feeling it'll go quickly:)

I just finished the third part of the Shaara Civil War trilogy called The Last Full Measure. It was wonderful! Now, on to Shōgun!

Suzanne - I loved Shogun! I think I tried to read everything James Clavell had written up to that time. It has been many years since then. I really should look at his latest, but have too many other good books in the way. I hope you enjoy it!

Cherie wrote: "Suzanne - I loved Shogun! I think I tried to read everything James Clavell had written up to that time. It has been many years since then. I really should look at his latest, but have too many o..."

I plowed through the first 150 pages yesterday. I just couldn't put it down! It's wonderful!

Cherie wrote: " I really should look at his latest, but have too many other good books in the way."

He passed away in 1994, so nothing very recent available. Of course, there are three more books in the Asian Saga series after Shogun, did you mean those?

Your progress is impressive! Some of your books go beyond chunkster - the number of pages you'll have read when you're done will be staggering. And of course I'll have to add some to my tbr. This really makes me realize how far behind I am.

Camilla wrote: "Cherie wrote: " I really should look at his latest, but have too many other good books in the way."

He passed away in 1994, so nothing very recent available. Of course, there are three more books ..."

Yes, I knew that he had passed away. I meant the books after Noble House. I don't think I read what is considered #5 and # 6. I am pretty sure I read them all out of order. I know I read Shogan first, and then I think I read King Rat. I only have vague recollections of scenes from them. I really loved his characters.

jaxnsmom wrote: "Your progress is impressive! Some of your books go beyond chunkster - the number of pages you'll have read when you're done will be staggering. And of course I'll have to add some to my tbr. This..."

Thanks, Jaxnsmom! It definitely helps when the books are real page-turners:)

I knocked off two more chunksters and completed Road Runner's Racers. YAY! Nureyev: The Life was not one of my favorites. It needed a good editor. I enjoyed Shōgun once I got past all the historical inaccuracies. It was a great saga. I'm going to read Tai-Pan next.

Suzanne!!! Are your wrists okay? I wonder looking at the size of some of those books you have read! My my, how did you do it?

I liked Tai-Pan if this is the one that talks about the guy in the white suit. The Hong Kong history was fascinating. I wonder how I would feel about them today? I read them so many years ago.