Book Nook Cafe discussion

Share with us what you read in May 2014

Please provide:
~ A GoodRead link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

The thread is now open to post in !

I am surprised at how many books I read and listening to last month.

The Jungle A Lithuanian migrant stuggles for survival in the meatworks of 1890's Chicago, under appalling working conditions. Really interesting, and it had me googling that historical area of Chicago. 4 stars.

Ivanhoe (audio) 12 century England, Wilfred of Ivanhoe returns from fighting in the Crusades returns and has a run-in with nobles. King Richard returns and Robin Hood even lends a hand... quite the romp. 3 stars.

The Luminaries A murder mystery set in the NZ goldfields of 1866, involving 14 or so characters all connected to the crime. A clever gimmick but most of the characters felt empty to me, and it was all too far fetched. I lost interest about half-way through. 2 stars.

The Well Set in 70s(?) Australia, a lonely female farmer takes in a teenage orphan girl and the two lead fairly isolated and tradional lives, when an accident occurs one night on the road home to the farmhouse. Great writing, sad, and in the end mysterious. 3 stars.

Animal Farm (audio) The animals toss out the farmer and take over, with the pigs ending up at the top of the tree. Not sure about my feelings with this one; it is both funny and sad. 3 stars.

Wave NF Sonali survived the 2004 tsunami as it struck Sri Lanka, but lost her two boys, husband and parents. This is her coming to terms with this unbelievable loss in a county she loves. I love that she seems to write her thoughts exactly as they evolve. Powerful stuff. 4 stars.

Well Done, Those Men: Memoirs of a Vietnam Veteran (audio) NF. Honest and moving account of Heard's experiences in the Vietnam War. 4 stars.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (audio) A drugged out journo drives around Vegas with his mate. Not very interesting to me, just a crazy ride. Read this one for my around-the-usa challenge. 1 star.

The Goldfinch SPOILERS MAY FOLLOW FOR THOSE READING THIS IN THE GROUP READ. Young orphan Theo goes through his teenage years mixed up with some interesting characters whilst in the possession of a stolen artwork, which get him in much trouble. Started out well, I thought, but I lost interest and barely made it to the end. Waaaay too long IMHO. 2 stars.

Closer to Stone Bas has always lived in the shadow of his older and charming brother Jack. When Jack goes AWOL whilst on a UN peacekeeping mission in the Western Sahara Desert, Bas is sent by their father to bring him home. The experience damages Bas for life. A little bit over the top and unbelievable for me. 2 stars.

My Antonia I loved this! Jim tells the story of his growing up and enduring friendship with Antonia on the prairies of Nebraska. Beautiful writing, vivid descriptions of the wide open spaces. Great ending too. 5 stars.

Carol's Reading List for May 2014


1. The Little Girl Who Fought the Great Depression: Shirley Temple and 1930s America by John F. Kasson, 321pp., 2014. 4.5 stars.
A strange and interesting story --her mother, Gertrude Temple, was convinced that she was expecting a baby girl (she had 2 previous boys). "In her mind it was not merely a hope but a determination: that she and her husband would conceive a third child, that child would be named Shirley."The movie-entranced mother launched her daughter's career in the womb by exposing her to classical music, uplifting literature, great worlds of art, scenes of natural beauty, and romantic films." And so begins the life of Shirley Temple! The amount of time a young Shirley Temple spent acting was more than anyone else. Also The Depression made Shirley Temple very successful (films, dolls, etc.)


2. Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier, 1995, 304pp., 5 stars!
Not what I expected at all! Just be prepared for some of the most disgusting, horrendous things that happen at Jamaica Inn. Mary Yellan (23) decides to start a new life on the moors in Cornish, living with her Aunt Patience (now a pale former version of the woman she once was), and Uncle Joss (her 7 foot tall mad man who physically beats his wife to unconsciousness.) Mary tries to turn a blind eye towards the mysterious wagons that come and out in the middle of the night assuming that it is smuggling. But one night her uncle insists on making Mary listen to a catalogue of his crimes, she discovers that the truth is far more terrifying than anything she could have imagined.


3. Sense & Sensibility by Joanna Trollope-362pp - 3 stars.
Not my cup-of-tea . . . I prefer books by Jane Austen. This is part of The Austen Project but I just can't enjoy any of the characters because now they are identified by their use of technology. Set in the modern world, I would believe that the target audience is for preteens and teenagers. The Dashwood women are expelled from their family home, not because of entailed property devolving to the male heir but because the second Mrs Dashwood and her husband never got around to getting married, and so their three daughters-- Ellie (Elinor), M (Marianne), and Mags (Margaret) have no legal rights.


4. Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather, 1931/ 2011, 240 pp.; 4.5 stars.
An enjoyable read! This novel sprang from Willa Cather’s enraptured discovery of Québec City in 1928 during an unexpected stopover with her companion, Edith Lewis. The story chronicles 17th century French apothecary Euclide Auclair and his daughter, Cécile, as they minister to missionaries, trappers, and homesick French immigrants seeking cures but craving the French ambiance of Auclair’s shop. Before her early death, Cécile’s mother instructed her daughter in the “French way” of homemaking, re-creating a civilized environment for her father. Canadian-born Cécile, educated by the stalwart Ursuline sisters followed the rules of her Catholic religion which is deeply woven into the settlement of what the Indians named “Kebec”— “a beautiful town in rising tiers on a splendid lonely rock.”


5. The Firebird-Susanna Kearsley-2013--539pp.- 5 stars!
I love Kearsley's writing and stories!! In The Firebird a young woman named Nicola Marter, who possesses a psychic talent she doesn't want. Yet when Nicola touches an object, she can see its history - who has owned it, and how it came to be. Nicola works at an Art Gallery where a woman brings an old family heirloom, The Firebird,for appraisal. The gallery owner can't authenticate it, so she has no choice but to turn the disappointed woman away. But Nicola held the carving, and knows it belongs to Russia's Empress Catherine. Nicola decides to help this woman however she can. Nicola brings boyfriend Rob McMorran, who's own psychic abilities are even more powerful than Nicola's. Together they embark on a journey through the past to prove the origin and worth of The Firebird, and throughout their journey learn a thing or two about themselves.


6. The Shadowy Horses-Susanna Kearsley-2012-418pp.-- 5 stars!
With its dark legends and passionate history, the windswept shores of Scotland are an archaeologist’s dream. Verity Grey is thrilled by the challenge of uncovering an ancient Roman campsite in a small village. But as soon as she arrives, she can sense danger in the air. Her eccentric boss, Peter Quinnell, has spent his whole life searching for the resting place of the lost Ninth Roman Legion and is convinced he’s finally found it – not because of any scientific evidence, but because a local boy has ‘seen’ a Roman soldier walking in the fields, a ghostly sentinel who guards the bodies of his long-dead comrades. Surprisingly, Verity believes in Peter, and the boy, and even in the Sentinel, who seems determined to become her own protector...but from what? I just love everything she writes.


7. The Museum of Extraordinary Things-Alice Hoffman-- 2014, 384 pp.. 4 stars!
A tale about strange, yet sympathetic people, haunted by the past and living in bizarre circumstances. The museum is a Coney Island boardwalk attraction presided over by Professor Sardie, "part mad scientist" and "part shrewd magician". Adjacent to Luna Park, the Steeplechase and the soon-to-open Dreamland, this showcase of “living wonders” (i.e. the Wolfman, the Siamese Twins, and Sardie’s daughter, ­Coralie, playing the Human Mermaid for paying customers. etc.) I thought it was sad that her dad insisted on Coralie wear gloves to hide her deformity (webbed fingers). One night Coralie emerges from the river and sees reclusive photographer, Ezekiel Cohen, an outsider who witnesses the the horror of the Triangle shirtwaist factory fire which killed 146 young women were locked in a building. The images described reminded me of people jumping (like 911). Coralie and Eddie discover each other, their profound, mystical attraction and mutual obsession become forces of their own.


8. Edenbrooke-Julianne Donaldson-2012, 264 pp.,
Marianne Daventry (17 years old) will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Thinking she’ll be able to relax and enjoy her beloved English countryside. While her sister snags the handsome heir of Edenbrooke, Marianne is attacked by highwayman who steal her mother's precious ivory necklace. She awakes and meets Philip Wyndham who is curious about this independent female. They develop a close relationship from beginning to end. I also read awhile ago Blackmoore --very good.



9. Audio book -- Tell them anything you want: a portrait of Maurice Sendak by Spike Jonze, and Lance Bangs
Tell Them Anything You Want is an intriguing documentary focusing on Maurice Sendak, who was 81 years old during the making of the documentary. Sendak isn't overly modest about his brilliant and sometimes controversial work. Sendak was still whip-sharp and witty, he is equally at home cussing up a storm or relaying fantastic stories that should be made into books. At one time, his work was considered inappropriate for kids. But he has always held the theory that children are a lot smarter than adults give them credit for. You can tell them anything, as long as you're being honest. I also learn of his knowledge of the Lindberg baby story, how he always remembered the front page photo (that was pulled off the press by the family). He later wrote it into the book, Outside Over There image of his older sister who was to watch him, and the outsiders on the ladder stealing the baby.

He is probably my favorite author/illustrator. He died on May 8, 2012 from a stroke.


10. So Long a Letter-Mariama Bâ-90 pp.
Set in Senegal, there is a precious family that lives there and are very important to me. They are trying to help the Woloff people. I'm happy to read this semi-autobiographical book and learn more about their country and life styles. Senegalese schoolteacher Ramatoulaye Fall's emotional struggles for survival after her husband betrayed their marriage by taking a second wife. The plight of educated and articulate Muslim women angered by the traditions that allow polygyny, and values that deny them status equal to men. Ramatoulaye hopes for a world where the best of old customs and new freedom can be combined. Considered a classic of contemporary African women’s literature, So Long a Letter is a must-read for anyone interested in African literature and the passage from colonialism to modernism in a Muslim country. Winner of the prestigious Noma Award for Publishing in Africa. It is only 90 pp. long.

Me Before You--Jojo Moyes
Fiction
Rate 5 minus out of 5
I read this for my library group. I enjoyed it very much. The story pulled me in and I couldn't wait to pick up the book. Everyone in my book group enjoyed it, too. The subject matter also gave us a lot to discuss.

An American Tragedy--Theodore Dreiser
Fiction
Rate: 4 minus out of 5
Read this for our Group Read here at Book Nook Café. The book is based on a real life crime that took place in 1910.

I thought the story was very interesting. However, the book was way too long and repetitive. That is why I took off one in the rating. Still, I was very moved by the main character plight. How Dreiser had me rooting for a character convicted of murder is a testament to his writing skill. The story in part is a sad commentary on class and money in American society.

I also enjoyed the movie based on the book, A Place in the Sun. However, I thought the book was a bit better if only because the movie had to leave out so much of the important details.

I've read quite a few books this month and, as I have only just got back from holiday, do not have the energy to write reviews for them so just titles and ratings :)

1. The Wall by William Sutcliffe 2/5
2. Ghost Hawk by Susan Cooper 2/5
3. Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher 5/5
4. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion 5/5
5. The Shock of the fall by Nathan Filer 5/5
6. How to Fall in Love by Cecelia Ahern 4/5
7. The Child's Elephant by Rachel Campbell-Johnson 3/5
8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by S Chbosky 5/5
9. Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead 2/5
10. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 4/5
11. Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell 3/5
12. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday 4/5
13. Room by Emma Donoghue 4/5
14. Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell 3/5
15. The Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi 3/5

Wow! You sure did read a lot of holiday. Thanks for sharing with us.

I am thrilled to see you gave a top rating to The Rosie Project as I just purchased it for my Kindle.

I recently saw the movie Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and enjoyed it .

My May reads were:

A Trick of the Lightby Louise Penny
4/5
Another enjoyable read. I really like this series.

Straight Manby Richard
Russo
4/5

Another great read. In typical Russo writing, the characters and enviroments are so well written that you can clearly picture them

Meredith, if you have the chance you should listen to the audio of a Russo book. I listened to him reading his memoir, Elsewhere and loved his voice. Sexy. :)

May Reads - this was a month of mostly fiction for me and I was seldom without a book in my hand, or my purse, or my tote bag, or my iPad.....

The Wives of Los Alamos - TaraShea Nesbit. The story of wives who brought their children to a secret location so their husbands could work on a secret project and who had to keep their secrets from families and friends on the outside. They created a community and their style changed from dresses and high heels to jeans and boots without ever really understanding why they were stuck in the New Mexico desert in the first place. I loved the unusual first-person plural format of the book which emphasized the randomness and variety of the women, often in the same paragraph. Very good historical fiction.

We Were Liars - E. Lockwood. The wealthy Sinclair family has a compound on an island off the coast of New England, where the adult sisters and teenage cousins spend their summers together. One summer a mysterious tragedy occurs, after which the main character suffers from traumatic amnesia. The rest of the book is spent trying to remember what it is she has forgotten. This is a Young Adult book but I'm sure as many adults will read and enjoy it as do teens.

Struck by Genius: How a Brain Injury Made Me a Mathematical Marvel - Jason Padgett. Padgett was a regular guy until he was beaten and robbed after leaving a neighborhood bar. The traumatic brain injury he suffered caused him, somehow, to become a mathematical genius. I will admit that I understood almost nothing about his fascination with pi and all the visual math images he began to see, but I was interested in the human side of his story, and especially the possibility that similar genius might reside in all of us.

Bellweather Rhapsody - Kate Racculia. When students and chaperones at a high school music festival are snowed in at a creepy hotel in upstate New York, mysteries abound. Years earlier a murder-suicide had happened there, and now another death appears to have happened in the same room. My main "complaint" about this book (which I did enjoy) was that there were too many characters and story lines and I kind of lost track of who was doing what to whom a few times.

Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands - Chris Bohjalian. When a nuclear power plant explodes and melts down, teenager Emily Shepherd is suddenly orphaned,and even worse, her father might have been the one responsible for the accident. Emily leaves her small town in rural Vermont and lives as a homeless person in the city of Burlington where she is cared for by others and where she finds someone she can take care of. I haven't read Bohjalian's last few books but I'm glad to rediscover him again in this very good novel.

Me Before You - Jojo Moyes. A young woman takes a job as a caregiver for a man who became a quadriplegic as a result of an accident on a London street. But before the accident he had lived a "big life" and he finds that with the restrictions of life in a wheelchair, combined with the associated health problems, he isn't living the kind of life he wants to live. This one was a bit of a tearjerker so be prepared.

The Deepest Secret - Carla Buckley. Every character in this book keeps secrets and I found myself on edge as I read it, worrying about what might be revealed, and when. Saying almost anything specific about the story would give away too much, but although this wasn't a great book, it was definitely a good read (which is usually a better thing to be!) and I'd easily recommend it.

I enjoyed reading your reviews, Connie.

I, too, loved Me Before You. I've never read the author before. I zoomed through the book.

Struck by Genius: How a Brain Injury Made Me a Mathematical Marvel sounds fascinating. Though reading some of the reviews I see he acquired other issues like OCD and became an agoraphobic. Sad.

Struck by Genius: How a Brain Injury Made Me a Mathematical Marvel sounds fascinating. Though reading some of the reviews I see he acquired other issues like OCD and became an agoraphobic. Sad.

Padgett was agoraphobic for some time after his accident when he didn't know what to make of the changes in his life that the injury had brought about. Once he started learning what had happened, and learned about his new abilities, he was able to move out of his house. Now he travels around the world, speaking and being studied by scientists etc. In the book he even mentioned that he and his wife are expecting a new baby this summer.

Connie wrote: Padgett was agoraphobic for some time after his accident when he didn't know what to make of the changes in his life that the injury had brought about. Once he started learning what had happened, and learned about his new abilities, he was able to move out of his house. Now he travels around the world, speaking and being studied by scientists etc. In the book he even mentioned that he and his wife are expecting a new baby this summer.."

I would be surprised if such attack had no effect on him. I am glad to hear he is was able to overcome it.

I would read the book but even simple math make me break out in a sweat. If I have some "math genius" it is truly buried deep.

Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor ★ ★ ★ ★

Encouraged by the good reviews on Goodreads I decided to give this book a go. I thought it would be way out of my comfort zone, but it wasn't. Reading the blurb I thought it would be a romance story, but it isn't. What it is, is a depiction of a group of elderly women and men who are no longer able to manage a home of their own, and who choose to live in a hotel: The Claremont. The Claremont is an establishment on Cromwell Road in South Kensington, London. Laura Palfrey and the other elderly residents however need to fight off boredom - despite living in London, as their days are way too long and their mobility reduced due to age.

A spark in Laura's life at the Claremont is the accidential friendship she strikes up with Ludo, a young aspiring writer. Nonetheless, Ludo doesn't visit her so often as Laura would like. But she sees more of him than of her grandson, and Ludo's concern for her is genuine.

Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont is both a sad and a happy tale. It is written in a prose that is spot on, yet it needs to drip through slowly. It's not a book you feel you had to finish yesterday rather than today. In fact, you can easily leave it be for a few days. From the moment you pick it up again, it feels so familiar that you can easily read a few chapters before putting it down again.

I found the end a bit rushed and a little unlogical - yet, not impossible. But I suppose, it just reflects life and its unpredictable bumps.

Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth ★ ★ ★ ★

I was intrigued by the title. And it turned out to be an intriguing read. Charles Cleasby lives by the Horatio calendar. Meaning he re-enacts Nelson’s battles, remembers and even acts on the highlights in Nelson’s life. Moreover he is working on a book about Nelson. For this he hired Miss Lily to transcribe his manuscript.

Miss Lily and Charles Cleasby however form an interesting pair. Charles in some ways is upset by Miss Lily’s opinions on Nelson; nonetheless due to her he breaks some of his self-imposed rules. Charles is actually ‘damaged’, due to his youth and upbringing and he seems to think that everyone is against him and his angelic twin half: Horatio. In fact, Charles wants to clear Nelson’s name. There is namely this one controversial incident in June 1799, when Nelson apparently promised the Neapolitan rebels safe conduct, while they were turned over to their murderous Bourbon king for hanging. But Charles, Nelson’s shadow side, can only disappoint.

Barry Unsworth creates a shuffled chronology of historical events – in which you learn a great deal on naval war conduct – and at the same time you get an insight in the narrator’s mind. The latter proves to be a psychological deterioration of the protagonist Charles – as Charles is the narrator in this novel. Due to the interaction between Miss Lily and Charles, Nelson is pretty much taking down from his pedestal – yet it makes not only him, but Charles too, more human. It’s an unsettling story, yet suspenseful and engaging enough to keep on reading. Only at the end the story seems to run out of steam. This certainly isn’t going to be my only book by Barry Unsworth.

The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Solicitor Daniel Hunter is called upon to defend a troubled 11-year-old boy, Sebastian, accused of murder. Due to Sebastian and the death of his foster mother Minnie, Daniel is forced to face his life up till now with emphasis on his childhood.

The odd chapters are about the present time, while the even chapters are about Daniel’s past. Further on in the novel, we get an interaction between the two different story lines when Daniel allows himself to not only revisit his past but to reflect upon it as well. Due to this set-up you are bound to turn pages. As reader, you want to know what will happen to Sebastian and what caused the estrangement between Daniel and his foster mother Minnie.

The estrangement between Daniel and Minnie seems cruel, yet is plausible from his viewpoint as an 18-year-old, as he feels betrayed. Being the 33-year-old he is now, he is able to let Minnie consciously be a part of his life again and at the same time break his own emotional isolation.

With Minnie and Daniel, Lisa Ballantyne creates two strong and believable characters which are in fact too big for a book. The language she uses is very visual. You can see, feel and smell the setting and the characters she created.

The two story lines are equally interesting. Moreover the parallels between present and past are well drawn due to the details and character development. In the present story the novel reaches his climax in the last part of the book with Sebastian’s trial. Although the outcome of Sebastian’s trial was a shock for me, it didn’t really come as an entire surprise. The big finale however is for Daniel and Minnie, showing not only how hindsight is a cruel luxury but that memories and love can indeed bridge death.

I found 'The Guilty One' a very moving and insightful read. A read also that raises questions.

audio book - The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro narrated by Dominic West ★ ★ ★ ★

The Remains of the Day is told in the first-person narration and tells the story of James Stevens. James Stevens is a butler at Darlington House for already thirty-four years. Darlington House now belongs to an American gentleman called Mr. Farraday. It was previously owned by the now-deceased Lord Darlington. At the beginning of the story Stevens, encouraged by his new employer, decides to take a six- day road trip to the West Country of England in order to visit a former colleague, Miss Kenton. As James sets out on his well-earned trip, he has the opportunity to reflect on the past and his vocation as butler. It’s only at the end of the story that the reader realizes what Stevens gave up for his vocation and how unreliable his narration was.

I found Remains of the Day at times a bit repetitive and at almost the end of the story a bit boring as well. The narration of Dominic West however is magnificent which made me think this book works better as an audio book. But the end is such an anti-climax when I came to see the real face and emotions of the man behind James Stevens that I think the story would have worked for me apart from everything else. It’s the sort of book, knowing the end; I intend to pick up again one day.

I loved your reviews, Danielle !

Since I love all things British I am putting
Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont on my TBR list.

I already have The Remains of the Day on my list.

As to Barry Unsworth the man can sure write ! His turn of phrase and writing style are top notch.

I read his other book Sacred Hunger. It was amazing for 90% of the book and stalled somewhat at the end. Much as you said with the book you read. Still Sacred Hunger was so well written I would still recommend it without hesitation.

I, too, have The Remains of the Day on my to-read list. I recently found a used copy of Sacred Hunger, and have a few other of Unsworth's book on my list too. Thanks Danielle for your great reviews.

Only two for me this month, which is annoying but alas, circumstances conspired against me!

Dust and Shadow: An Account of the Ripper Killings by Dr. John H. Watson by Lyndsay Faye - this should have been way up my street, liking Sherlock Holmes as I do and being a total Ripperologist. But it was very first-novelly, you could see the writer's heavy hand all over the page and she got a bit too in love with using her thesaurus to look up words for Dr Watson's 'Victorian' voice. A bit breathy to read and rather impressed with itself, but not awful and the writing of the old London setting was OK. It improved a bit towards the end but by then the plot had meandered off and I didn't really care about the ending, which was a shrug-your-shoulders kind of thing. All in all, fairly diverting but could have been so much better. THREE STARS.

The Diary of a Nobody by George and Weedon Grossmith - this was a re-read and a book I have returned to many times when I feel down in the dumps. I love Mr Pooter and his diary and never fail to have a chuckle at the suburban life and times of an ordinary family in Victorian London. Funny, warm, familiar and brilliant. An all time favourite of mine. FIVE STARS.

I hope your spirits have listed, Soph. You certainly brighten things around here. :)

Amazon had a free version of The Diary of a Nobody so I got it based on your review. I see many are comparing it to Three Men in a Boat. I own it but have not read it yet. You may want to check it out.

Glad to see some Willa Cather books this month!

Soph, I'm sorry to hear about Dust and Shadow - I have that one and was hoping it would be more fun ... well, in a serial killer meets Victorian detective kind of way.

I just saw the movie of Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont, which was good. I'd like to read the book sometime.

I read An American Tragedy - 3.5/5 stars for me. My thoughts are in my Determination List thread and in the discussion thread for the book.

And I read The Big Sleep - 4.5/5 stars for me. What a fun book - love the language and such a departure from the "young man angst" of the past couple of books! My thoughts are in my Determination List.

Sorry for not writing more thoughts, but I'm lazy/tired and don't have the energy to type out comments again! Link to determination list thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I know you've been super busy, Susan, so I really appreciate you taking the time to share your monthly reads with us.

Anyone else care to share with the group? It's a super easy way to join in if you haven't posted at BNC yet.

I knew I had been really busy but never more than when I realized that I had finished only one book this month.

And that is The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers

I thought I had read this years ago when the movie was out. Loved the movie, but as is usual there is much more to the book. I definitely recommend both. Alan Arkin played the main character of Singer in the movie. Those from the NY area may remember Chuck McCann who was known as a children's TV person. He played an incredible supporting role. This is a truly interesting novel.

My may reads:
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle-Typical Murakami weirdness, but I thought it was blah compared to the others I have read. I think the stuff that made no sense crossed the line of acceptable quantity for me. 2 stars.
The Red Pony-Nice change to read something short and quick after the previous book. It is actually more like a series of related short stories, which I didn't realize (all of which do not have something to do with a red pony), but I liked it. 4 stars
Audiobook:
Let the Great World Spin-I thought this was a really good book, with the exception of a couple parts that I found to be a tad boring. It is a bunch of different characters and their stories, but they all interconnect somehow, which I liked. I wish I read it instead of listening though. I felt like I missed a lot of things I wanted to pause and think about. 4 stars

Bobbie57 wrote: "I knew I had been really busy but never more than when I realized that I had finished only one book this month.

And that is The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by [author:Carson McCullers|35..."

Barbara, I've read The Heart is a Lonely Hunter an agree it was an excellent book. We might have read it as a group read back when we were on AOL.

I was unaware that it was a movie. I'll have to see if my library has it. Thank you.

Julie wrote: Let the Great World Spin-I thought this was a really good book, with the exception of a couple parts that I found to be a tad boring. It is a bunch of different characters and their stories, but they all interconnect somehow, which I liked. I wish I read it instead of listening though. I felt like I missed a lot of things I wanted to pause and think about. 4 stars ..."

I've had this on my list for a while. It was almost selected for a f2f group I used to belong to. I'm glad to see you enjoyed it.

Luckily I was able to finish 3 book in May. All pretty good.

I gave The Art Forger a solid 4 stars. I loved the setting in Boston but found that some of the key elements didn't get wrapped up tightly enough for my taste. I can recommend it to art lovers and lovers of Boston.

The Brass Dolphin was another good book and I see that I rated it 3 stars. It should possibly be 4 stars especially since I got a Final Jeopardy answer from what I learned about Malta during World War II. This past week the Final Jeopardy question dealt with a Mediterranean country who considered 1 of it's official languages to be English. I wished for more from this book but still had fun with it.

Finally, I got to Where'd You Go, Bernadette. I gave this amusing book a 4 star rating. As almost always, I wished for more from the story. I didn't get the laugh out loud humor that I had heard other people found. Still another book that I had fun reading.

Lori, I am glad to see you enjoyed The Art Forger. I think Amazon had it on sale recently and I was going to mention it to a friend that I think would enjoy it.

I remember that Jeopardy question ! :)

I have Bernadette on my TBR list. I'm glad to see you enjoyed it.

Thanks for sharing your reads with us !

My May reads:

4-star reads:
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
The Hot Zone by Richard Preston

3-star reads:
The Snowman by Jo Nesbø
Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan
The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan
The Girl Who Came Home: A Novel of the Titanic by Hazel Gaynor
Still Summer by Jacquelyn Mitchard

2-star read:
The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler

My May reads -

★★☆☆☆

★★★☆☆

★★★☆☆

★★★★☆

★★★☆☆

★★★★★

Amy wrote: "My May reads:

4-star reads:
Little Bee by Chris Cleave

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Amy, I loved Little Bee. I felt that in some ways the author put the reader at a crossroads, much like the characters in the book, where we can choose to avert our eyes to injustice, poverty and violence around the world or do we as individuals step in and get involved on some level. What are the moral implications of our action or inaction?

We read the book for a book club and it provided a great discussion about what one does morally when at those crossroads.

I read the authors other book Incendiary and thought it also was very thought provoking.

JuliaC. wrote: "My May reads -

★★☆☆☆

..."

I read Sarah's Key for my library book group. Like you, I was disappointed. I thought the present day story lacked believability. The historical story was very good, however. I also gave it two stars.

I didn't even finish Sarah's Key. Not only did it lack believability, but the present day story also annoyed me.

I'm so happy to see I am not alone on Sarah's Key. Sometimes I think I am too critical when it comes to fiction as I seem to be the only one saying the emperor has no clothes.

Sometimes I just follow the "suspension of belief" path if there is at least something in the story that I am enjoying. I allow for a break from the non-fiction that I read regularly.

I do try. However, with books like Sarah's Key I just couldn't see Julia behaving as she did.

I found the Sarah section very interesting. However, for me, it turned a very serious subject into a Lifetime movie when the novel switched to the present day story of Julia.

Alias, I wasn't referring to Sarah's Key in particular. That really wasn't a favorite of mine.

Yes, I was just rambling on more about Sarah's Key. :) I was the only one with issues about it at my f2f book club.

Speaking of f2f book clubs. My library group this month selected Gone Girl. I tried to get into it once and couldn't so I took a pass. It's another super popular book that just is not my thing.

Their July selection is Someone by Alice McDermott.

Has anyone read Someone?

I love Alice McDermott and I loved "Someone." It's not my favorite book of hers, but pretty much anything she writes is worthwhile. I think it's a good choice for you Alias. Not fluffy or silly at all.

Connie wrote: "I love Alice McDermott and I loved "Someone." It's not my favorite book of hers, but pretty much anything she writes is worthwhile. I think it's a good choice for you Alias. Not fluffy or silly ..."
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Thanks, Connie !

I'm ready to post for June whenever you want to post it. (I know I'm early!)

Oh, Alias...I loved Little Bee

You don't plan on reading the last week of June?

For you, Carol, I'll put the thread up. :)

I know many will be busy with 4th of July plans and getaways.

Carol, did Vegan for life also have recipes? What did you think of them? I see you gave the book an overall 4 star.

Forgive my lack of comment on books read by others in April and May. I'm just glad i can read them and, as always, grateful folks take the time to share. Here are the titles i read in May.

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki. I read her My Year of Meats some time ago & liked it. This i liked better. The story unfolds as two people, a teenage girl in Japan and a writer in Canada, write & read a diary. Humans are the Time Beings in the title, btw. I heard about the book from others here who were reading it. Thank you.

Rescuing Da Vinci: Hitler and the Nazies Stole Europe's Great Art America and Her Allies Recovered It by Robert M. Edsel. This was rather disappointing, as he didn't much flesh out the rescuing of the art work. The photos, however, were good ones, although i would have appreciated more comments about what/who we were seeing.

Adventures in the Unknown Interior of America by Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. The story explains the author's journey to the New World in the 1530s. He traveled, with part of the crew from the ship he was on, from Florida to New Mexico, then south to what became during his travels the Spain's Mexico. He was traveling for over a decade, although i cannot recall how long. Curious story. The editors of this 1960s edition apparently traveled the same path but their comments were scant, more to explain tribe names & customs.

Sky Pilot's Great Chase by Ambrose Newcomb. This was set during prohibition, near the beginning of popular aviation. The title character was Jack Ralston, a Secret Service agent, and his trusty sidekick Perk, two pilots who fight crime using an airplane. The situations were too vague to be interesting. A kid who relished aviation at the time might have been satisfied, although i doubt it, as not much detail was shared about flying itself or repairs they made. This one was set in the Pacific Northwest, including Canada. While it is a series, i opted to skip others, as Perk's dialect (north Maine) was too bothersome to decipher.

Next i started a series of books from the first & second decade of the 1900s. The Automobile Girls were four teenagers with the aunt of one as chaperone. Beginning with The Automobile Girls at Newport; or, Watching the Summer Parade by Laura Dent Crane , where the girls first meet each other, the series ends with the same girls in Washington, D.C. In addition to the above i read The Automobile - Girls in the Berkshires - The Ghost of Lost Man's Trail - Fully Illustrated.

What i like about the series is that young women are shown to be capable to handle a number of travels, misfortunes on & off the road, good manners and a touch of feminism while also illustrating good character. It was fun to read about the driving--gloves, veils and travel coats included.

Thanks for sharing, deb. Most are new to me titles which I always enjoy hearing about.

Three books I managed this month. :)

Menagerie Manor I loved. Gerald Durrell's stories are so entertaining, and you learn a lot from them. I laughed aloud several times as I was reading this one!
Rating: 5/5

The Raven's Bride was a good story. I haven't read a lot about Edgar Allan Poe, but this novel kept me interested. I am a big one for ghost stories!
Rating: 3/5

Drums of Autumn was Diana Gabaldon. It was long, detailed, and swept you back in time with Jamie and Claire. The books are hefty, but well-worth the plunge when you take it!
Rating: 4/5