Books on the Nightstand discussion

I'm in a major mental slump but am very slowly working through War and Peace (I've been reading a chapter a day.) Also working on Middlemarch. Am listening to Patrick Kennedy's memoir A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction. My at home books is M.C. Higgins, the Great.

What a really bad time. Did not finish a book in Feb. Losing my job soon and an elderly mom has really done me in .

Gerald wrote: "What a really bad time. Did not finish a book in Feb. Losing my job soon and an elderly mom has really done me in ."

Sorry to hear that, Gerald.

Gerald wrote: "What a really bad time. Did not finish a book in Feb. Losing my job soon and an elderly mom has really done me in ."

I'm so sorry, Gerald.

I have at least two books on my TBR list this month. I'm currently reading Midnight Plan of the Repo Man, and then will be reading The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin for a Sci Fi book club that a local science museum has just started (the first book was The Martian).

I hope things get better soon Gerald. :-(

I've just started reading Royal Flush and I'm thinking I might end up not finishing it. That's not a good sign 25 pages in.

Sorry to hear Gerald...

I am currently reading and liking it just haven't had enough time to read. Especially since I have 4 other books checked out from the library...
...Need to find time for all of this.

Gerald wrote: "What a really bad time. Did not finish a book in Feb. Losing my job soon and an elderly mom has really done me in ."

It may not help much be we are here and listening. Hoping life improves for you.

Thanks everyone!

As per recommendations of a BOTNS episode, I'm currently halfway through Get in Trouble and loving it!

Well, the good news is that my book club is reading for March, and I've already read it - so I get a bit of a reprieve on that front. But for April we're reading , so I'm going to get a head start on that. I am still waiting on books for three different Postal Book Clubs, so as soon as I get those they'll move to the top of the list. For funsies I'm listening to and , and reading and . Oh, and studying for my PMP, so I guess technically reading , too ;)

Listening to by Isabel Allende. One ofmy favorite authors.

I am reading for my book club: My Secret Sister

I am listening to: Shopaholic to the Rescue

I just started Paris by Rutherfurd and am listening to The Girl on the Train.

Just started listening to and not really loving it like I thought I would and up next is

I just finished "Queen of the Road" by Doreen Orion. I really enjoyed & could see myself in some aspects.

I'm reading and . I just finished - a 4 star for me.

I'm currently reading a collection of Original Bavarian Fairy Tales put together by Franz Schonwerth and The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, which I've been meaning to pick up for a long time. On audio, I'm listening to The Voyage Out by Virginia Woolf (who I love!) and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which is fantastic so far.

Finished A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction as an audio.

Starting When Breath Becomes Air in e-book form.

I'm sorry you're going through a rough time, Gerald. Spring is coming, and hopefully better things will bloom for you.

My plan to read the Neopolitan novels this winter is not going well as I have not even cracked the first one yet.

The Booktopia list coming out has caused me a bit of stress - no way I'll get to all of those by early May.

Haphazard reading this month with a bit of travel requiring a different sort of book, etc. I finished 5 books in February, but nothing yet this month.

In print, I'm reading Mr. Splitfoot and The Singer's Gun.

On audio, I'm enjoying Hidden Bodies, though finding it a bit more dark and bitter, and slightly less campy than You.

Before the month is through, I need to read my current postal book club pick, too.

So many books.....

I've just started "Everybody's Fool" by Richard Russo (coming out May 3rd). It should go right to the top. Excellent!

Red Ruby Heart in a Cold Blue Sea

Finished by Colm Tóibín-- 3 stars

Think this may be a case where the movie is better than the book.

My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Reading The Opposite of Everyone in print, and listening to Reconstructing Amelia on audio.

New to the group: I got to pick my book club's next read last night: Me Before You. After slogging through Follow the River last month, yeah!!

I've never read more than 2 books at a time, but this month I'm working on 5! 1 novel, 1 nonfiction, 2 short stories and 1 essay collection.

Novel: 'On Such a Full Sea' by Lee (Loving it)

Nonfiction: 'The Swerve' by Greenblatt (Liking much)

Short Stories: 'May We Shed These Human Bodies' by Sparks (Loving it) and 'The Dog Said Bow-Wow (Loved 1st story, others varying degrees of less so)

Essays: "Ten Years In A Tub" by Hornby (10 years of his monthly column on reading first published in The Believer. I'm reading it in snatches and enjoying. He's pointed me to some good books and bands too.)

Ten Years in the Tub: A Decade Soaking in Great Books is my constant nightstand companion. It's the perfect palette cleanser between books and just right when nothing else is calling my name. I haven't loved all of Hornby's novels (most of them, though!), but I adore the way he writes about books, and by extension, life.

Nadine wrote: "I've never read more than 2 books at a time, but this month I'm working on 5! 1 novel, 1 nonfiction, 2 short stories and 1 essay collection.

Novel: 'On Such a Full Sea' by Lee (Loving it)

Nonfict..."

1) The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
2) The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun
3) Lilac Girls
4) The Nest

Also have to squeeze in The Nightingale for book club on the 24th!

I'm working on a few books in March! Book ADD.
audio book


Want to read:



Whew!

I read The Widow which was only okay for me... and then was completely bowled over by We Need to Talk About Kevin. What a powerful, dark and fascinating book, it will stay for me for a long time.

Now I'm trying to decide what to read next. Maybe The Book of Negroes? Maybe The Golden Son? Maybe Eileen? Any thoughts would be welcomed :)

Robin wrote: "I read The Widow which was only okay for me... and then was completely bowled over by We Need to Talk About Kevin. What a powerful, dark and fascinating book, it will s..."

Robin wrote: "I read The Widow which was only okay for me... and then was completely bowled over by We Need to Talk About Kevin. What a powerful, dark and fascinating book, it will s..."

I really enjoyed Eileen, and it's a pretty quick read. I haven't read the other two.

A Little Life!!! Ann!!! ....... how could you do this to me! Your love of this book got me to pick it up and then I was too deeply invested in it to abandon it (JUDE!) when things got tough. I can't abandon Jude as so many did throughout his life!!!! I am on page 600 and I am taking it to the end, hoping for the happiest ending possible, considering Jude's painful life. Thank you Ann, I think......for suggesting this emotional book.

I just finished The Headmaster's Wife--I could not put it down until the end! Now it is time to catch up on all the household chores I neglected for the past couple of days as I devoured this book. I am considering starting A Little Life but can't quite commit to such a long book with so many appealing shorter books I am eager to read, as well.
The Headmaster's Wife

Sue wrote: "Robin wrote: "I read The Widow which was only okay for me... and then was completely bowled over by We Need to Talk About Kevin. What a powerful, dark and fascinating b..."

Eileen it is, then! Thanks! ;)

I am trying to read Welcome to Braggsville Welcome to Braggsville, but I'm really struggling with it. 50+ pages in and I haven't figured out what's going on yet. Not sure whether I'll stick with it....

Finished this one in 3 days...
Faims

Onto this...
Sweetland

After struggling through The Man in the High Castle (ugh), I needed something lighter so I started Eleanor and Park this morning. Can't wait to pick it back up!

How About Never--Is Never Good for You?: My Life in Cartoons

Finished When Breath Becomes Air WOW!

Marty- I'm in the same place with Welcome to Braggsville. I decide to set it aside and try again later. Maybe I'm just not in the right mindset for it.

Susan wrote: "1) The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
2) [book:The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean M..."
I just finished the audio of The Nightingale - made me wonder why I waited so long to read it. I adored it. Can't wait to hear what you think!

Robin wrote: "I read The Widow which was only okay for me... and then was completely bowled over by We Need to Talk About Kevin. What a powerful, dark and fascinating book, it will s..."

Robin, I agree totally about We Need to Talk About Kevin. It haunts me. If you want to chat about it, let me know.

Sarah wrote: "Marty- I'm in the same place with Welcome to Braggsville. I decide to set it aside and try again later. Maybe I'm just not in the right mindset for it."

Ditto for me - something about the writing hit me the wrong way. It's on my Kindle waiting for another try.

Robin wrote: "I read The Widow which was only okay for me... and then was completely bowled over by We Need to Talk About Kevin. What a powerful, dark and fascinating book, it will s..."
I agree - WNTTAK was a jarring, fascinating book. Did you see the movie starring Tilda Swinton? Lionel Shriver has written a few others, have you read any? Her characters are fascinating & believable; and I like her writing style. Her bio. tells of an interesting writer's life.

Just finished The Gravity of Birds, and just picked up this month's book group selection: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. Also want to start Praying for Sheetrock - will have to see if GoodReaders liked this one. I found it on sale last year.

Just finished Luanne Rice first YA novel The Secret Language of Sisters. Really good!
Reading The Bazaar of Bad Dreams then on to:
The Heart Goes Last
The Hummingbird

I finished Mercy Among The Children. I enjoyed this story, but the constant interruption to my flow of reading due to misspellings, typographical errors, and one larger editorial mistake diminished my connection to the characters and their travails. At one point, in chapter 12 there seemed to be either a section from the story missing, or a section misplaced. Although I am only giving this book 3 stars, it may be due more to editing than the work of the author. I read this book on my Kindle. Hopefully, the text in hard copy is better.

Julie wrote: "Robin wrote: "I read The Widow which was only okay for me... and then was completely bowled over by We Need to Talk About Kevin. What a powerful, dark and fascinating b..."

I have not seen the movie but will look for it. I read The New Republic,which I did not care for but will try The Post Birthday World later.

Finished on audio. I looked but didn't find so it was disappointing.

Listening to Brooklyn. So far so good and the narration is great. I wanted to listen to the book before seeing the film which i really look forward to. Got audible books back on the ipod so that should help. How? I don't know.

Pam wrote: "Robin wrote: "I read The Widow which was only okay for me... and then was completely bowled over by We Need to Talk About Kevin. What a powerful, dark and fascinating b..."

I would love to chat about it! I keep thinking about it...