Book Nook Cafe discussion

How did you end your year ?

Share with us what you read in December 2017 !


Please provide:

~ A GoodReads link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

I didn't finish too many books in December.

Making Space: Creating a Home Meditation Practice~~Thich Nhat Hanh
Non fiction
Rate 4/5
This is a tiny basic book of less than 100 pages. I did enjoy the author's gathas (small poems) I think these short poems are a nice way to start ones daily meditation practice. I put a few in my quote journal. I thought there would be more on actually setting up a practice. I would recommend getting this from the library as I did.

The Plant-Based Solution: A Vegan Cardiologist's Plan to Save Your Life and the Planet~~Joel Kahn
Non Fiction
Rate: 3/5
I follow the dr. online and like his advice. He promotes a Whole Food Plant based diet. It's vegan. The book, however, I thought could have been better. It's a bit dry in it's presentation. The recipe section doesn't include photos which is a disappointment. I did copy his recipes for: 3 bean chili, pancakes, French toast, Lentil loaf. I would suggest getting this one from the library like I did.

Ending the year with a little necessary violence: Agincourt
Very deftly done: *****

my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I managed to read four books this month, surprising myself. Two of them i heard about from people on this board. Patty reviewed the first and Julie had the last on her Best of '17 list. Now that i look at my list, i see that i found Landline from a list of recently published science fiction. Thanks to all.

Memory's Last Breath: Field Notes on My Dementiaby Gerda Saunders When Saunders was diagnosed (but first retiring) with the beginning of dementia, she decided to keep a sort of diary, a scientific look at her own decline, as well as info she learned about the problem. It's basically an autobiography of an interesting woman with insights i found to consider about my own life.

A Pale View of Hills by Kazuo Ishiguro
This is his first novel set in post-war Nagasaki and England, the latter in modern times. It is only 183 pages. Mother Etsuko tells the story of her time while pregnant in Japan, as well as bits about her life today in England, after the suicide of her elder daughter. Within that story is her acquaintance with another mother and her daughter, Sachiko and Mariko, respectively. I'm not sure how it ends and and who is who, which makes the ending puzzling but fun to ponder. The prose, as usual with Ishiguro is good but he's left the read to consider what has actually happened.

Landlineby Rainbow Rowell.
TV writer Georgie forgoes a Nebraska Christmas with husband Neal & their 2 children in order to write 4 episodes for her new show. She eventually figures out that by using the landline phone in her mom's house she can talk to her husband before they were married. Curious.

Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories from History—without the Fairy-Tale Endings by Linda Rodríguez McRobbie. Fun book about quite a number of princesses, most of whom i've never read mention in my limited history reading. The author uses sassy prose, which makes the book amusing, too. It also left me with a list of books i'd like to read, mostly bios of the women.

Nice review, Craig. I've never read any of his books but understand Cornwell is good at depicting history.

madrano wrote: "I managed to read four books this month, surprising myself. Two of them i heard about from people on this board. Patty reviewed the first and Julie had the last on her Best of '17 list. Now that i ..."

Nice eclectic reading month, deb.

Nice reading!
Alias, I may look for that space saving book. I've got to find a way to declutter.

Craig, I won a book by Cornwell recently and have yet to read it. Sounds like I should get to it soon.

Deb, I'm a fan of Kazuo Ishiguro . I haven't read that book yet but will read all of his books one day. This one sounds very good.

My December reads:

Learning to See in Three Dimensions: Poetry - I won this book of poetry in a Giveaway here on GR. This is a talented person. She is an artist and a poet. This book features both and I enjoyed both.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Eleven Pipers Piping (audio) - a light mystery with fun characters.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus - a fun "history" of Santa. I would have loved this story as a child. It would make a good read-aloud bedtime story to span a few nights. I'm glad I read it.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Birdie (audio) - this is a powerful story but it's one that I think is better read in print. The narrative is such that my mind kept wandering off while listening. It was too.....non-linear and dreamy, I think.
My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Wizard of Oz - Salman Rushdie's analysis of the movie & story. I really enjoyed this essay.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Garden of Eden - a surprisingly great read. I'm not sure if I'm a Hemingway fan but this book may sway me to be one. This is a very strange relationship and a compelling read.
This book was mentioned in The First Love Story: Adam, Eve, and Us, which I really enjoyed earlier this year.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Jacob T. Marley - an interesting side-read to A Christmas Carol, telling Marley's story. I enjoyed this one. A light Christmas read.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Petra wrote: "My December reads:

Learning to See in Three Dimensions: Poetry - I won this book of poetry in a Giveaway here on GR. This is a talented person. She is an artist and a poet. This bo..."

I've heard good things about Jacob T. Marley, and I really want to read it. Unfortunately, it's currently not available where I usually buy books online, and I can't find it in Croatia.

Alias Reader wrote: "I didn't finish too many books in December.

Making Space: Creating a Home Meditation Practice~~[author:Thich N..."

I think it would be very hard to be a vegan....especially if one doesn't like to cook.

Petra wrote: "Nice reading!
Alias, I may look for that space saving book. I've got to find a way to declutter. ."

Making Space: Creating a Home Meditation Practice

This is a meditation book not a decluttering book. For decluttering the best book I've read on that topic is
Clutter's Last Stand: It's Time to de-Junk Your Life! by Don Aslett

Petra wrote: "My December reads:

The Garden of Eden - a surprisingly great read. I'm not sure if I'm a Hemingway fan but this book may sway me to be one. This is a very strange relationship and a compelling read.
This book was mentioned in The First Love Story: Adam, Eve, and Us, which I really enjoyed earlier this year.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...."

Thanks for sharing your December reads.

I liked your review of The Garden of Eden. I have enjoyed Ernest Hemingway novels. His short stories less so.

I'm added Ede to my TBR list. Thanks !

Barbara wrote: "I think it would be very hard to be a vegan....especially if one doesn't like to cook. ."

I don't know about that. Many vegan foods are really simply to make. Salads, steamed veggies, baked potatoes, soups, pasta, sandwiches, veggie stir fry over rice ....

I'm not vegan but I was vegetarian for a few years. Now I am more flexatarian. Vegetarian most days, fish and chicken sometimes. I also eat dairy. But I think for the New Year I am going to switch back to nut and or soy milk. I still eat cheese and Greek yogurt.

An excellent simply vegan cookbook is
The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein

It helps to think of all the things you CAN it instead of what you are leaving out.

My December Reads
Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson
Rating: 3.5/5
Murder Mystery in turn of the century NYC
Journey to Munich by Jacqueline Winspear
Rating 4/5
This is one of the mysteries in the Maisie Dobbs series. I am enjoying this series and seeing the growth of the characters
Silence of the Lamb's Wool Betty Hechtman
Rating 3/5
Second book of a cozy series

Meredith wrote: Silence of the Lamb's Wool

LOL Cute title.

There are so many neat mystery titles shared in these lists. Thanks to all who contributed them. I look forward to reading some of them.

Petra, that 3-dimensions poetry book sounds intriguing. I'm going to try to find a copy. I wanted to add that the Ishiguro novel i read was short but fascinating. When you get around to reading it, i would like to hear what you thought of it. Upon completion, i ran to the computer to help me figure out if other readers understood the story the way i did. Mostly the answer was yes. Enjoy!

The list of my December reads:

Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz - I was expecting the protagonists to be Holmes and Watson, and was very surprised to find out they are only mentioned in passing. I did love the plot twist with the new characters and definitely did not expect the outcome. 5 stars

Casa tomada Cuento by Julio Cortázar - A short story about a brother and sister who live alone in a big old colonial house in Buenos Aires. None has ever married and have decided to keep their ancestral home in good shape. They keep their daily routine to the point until one day they hear a noise in one part of the house and figure out someone has taken over their house. 4 stars

Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva - A wonderful novel about how Charles Dickens came to write one of his most famous novels, A Christmas Carol. I haven't read much Dickens (please, don't kill me!), but this felt like reading him. I thought the author's writing wonderful and very much 19th century and Dickensian. In the story, Dickens, in a way, lived through A Christmas Carol of his own. Beautiful! - 5 stars

A Kidnapped Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum - A very interesting short story that differs from what we know about Santa Clause (no North Pole). I found it very refreshing. - 5 stars

The Star by Arthur C. Clarke - A very interesting short story that raises many questions. I was reading it as part of another group's Christmas short story group reads and began to wonder why this is supposed to be a Christmas story, until I got to the very end of it. The writing is very beautiful and the end punchline is worth the wait. - 5 stars

The Burglar's Christmas by Willa Cather - A very moralistic short story about a restless young man who left his family to live (unsuccessfully) by his wits. One Christmas Eve (and his 24th birthday), he stumbles upon a house and decided to become a burglar for the first time (since all of his earlier honest endeavors failed). Upon entering the house and searching through the things there, he realises he is in his family's home and he meets his mother for the first time in years. - 4 stars

Cat Person by Kristen Roupenian - A New Yorker short story about a dating attempt gone bad. I think I knew what was coming, but, still, the ending left a very bad taste in my mouth. You never really know who you are going to run into. How do you stop yourself from being afraid, then? - 3 stars

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry - A very short story with an abrupt ending. It's a sweet story nevertheless with a great message. If we love someone truly, we are prepared to give are most prized possessions to make them happy and it won't feel like a sacrifice. - 4 stars

Royal Murders: Hatred, Revenge and the Seizing of Power by Dulcie M. Ashdown - An overview of the most famous royal murders throughout the long history of Europe. Good as a starting point to find the ones you are very interested in. - 3.5 stars

The Hunter's Wife by Anthony Doerr - I was never really into short stories, but I'm finding them very interesting. This one was one of the very good ones. I had high hopes because it is written by the author of one of my favourite books, All the Light We Cannot See, and I wasn't disappointed. Doerr stays true to his writing style, beautiful and almost poetic. - 5 stars

Premium Harmony by Stephen King - Did not see that coming. Brilliant ending, though. - 3 stars

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin - A story of a perfect city, with a perfect and happy society, almost unreal..like an utopia. Sounds great...until you find out about the thing that enables them to be so happy and successful. - 4 stars

Broads by Roxane Gay - A good thing about an online list of books is that you never know what the author of the article recommends until you actually read it. Unlike the first few short stories in the list, this one was very short and to the point...and rather crude. - 3 stars

And of Clay Are We Created by Isabel Allende - This is the best story on the list so far, as far as the contemporary part of the list goes. It's a fictional account based on real events. It tells the story of Azucena, a 13-year-old who was found buried in mud after the volcano eruption in Colombia in 1985 and the reporter who desperately tried to save her. I couldn't stop reading. - 5 stars

A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas - The narrator remembers one of his Christmases when he was a child. Very funny! - 5 stars

Girls, At Play by Celeste Ng - A very disturbing short story of a group of girls acting to grown up for their own age and doing all the wrong things. - 4 stars

Alma by Junot Díaz - I love Junot Diaz. Ever since I read Oscar Wao this year, he has become one of the authors I want to read more. This is a really, really short story but to the point and very humorous, as is Diaz's style. - 4 stars

Christmas in Mexico (Christmas Around the World) ( by World Book Inc. - A short overview of the Christmas customs of Mexico. Interesting and informative. - 3.5 stars

The Power of No: Because One Little Word Can Bring Health, Abundance, and Happiness by James Altucher - Interesting book that tries to help people take control of their lives without really controlling it. I think! What they are trying to teach people is really hard for many, myself included, but it's worth a try. - 5 stars

Drevni Egipat by Joann Fletcher - An overview of all the important information regarding Ancient Egypt. Perfect for Newbies as a starting point. - 4 stars

madrano wrote: "I wanted to add that the Ishiguro novel i read was short but fascinating. When you get around to reading it, i would like to hear what you thought of it. ..."

I will do that, Deb. I'll try to look for a copy soon.

Nice list of books, Samanta!
I read an L. Frank Baum "Santa" book in December as well. It was good. I'll see if I can find this one next year.

I'm a fan of Willa Cather, too. I didn't realize she had written a Christmas story.

Nice list Samanta.

I read Moriarty....and liked it.

Samanta wrote: "The list of my December reads:"

Wow ! Excellent month, Samanta !
Thanks for sharing.

That Willa Cather book is new to me. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Petra wrote: "Nice list of books, Samanta!
I read an L. Frank Baum "Santa" book in December as well. It was good. I'll see if I can find this one next year.

I'm a fan of Willa Cather, too. I didn't realize she ..."

I don't read short stories so these were all a surprise for me, but I love reading about Christmas. :)

Barbara wrote: "Nice list Samanta.

I read Moriarty....and liked it."

Me, too. :)

Alias Reader wrote: "Samanta wrote: "The list of my December reads:"

Wow ! Excellent month, Samanta !
Thanks for sharing.

That Willa Cather book is new to me. Thanks for bringing it to my attention."

No problem. Another group here had a month of reading Christmas - related short stories and that is how I found out about these. All of these can be found online.

I enjoy reading short stories, so thank you, Samanta, for the titles and topics. I have only read one short one by Cather and liked it very much.

Long ago, as a teenage, i read a long book about Christmas traditions around the world. It was a fun book and we ended up adapting quite a number as we had a family. One i remember was the custom (in many countries, actually) of not eating meat on Christmas Eve. Our tradition became to eat non-meat soups with our own homemade bread that evening.

It's eerily like the Aliens planet out there, so let's see if I can bang this out before the satellite dish goes.

Eclipse Penumbra and Eclipse Corona by John Shirley. Books two and three of A Song Called Youth. I read the first one a decade ago, and over time picked up used copies of the other two. This 80s series is getting renewed attention for predicting the rise of the alt-right. Not bad, not excellent - pretty standard sci-fi fare. Three stars, each.

Focus by Arthur Miller. A rather anti-Semitic guy gets glasses, and people begin to assume he's Jewish. Not up to the high standards of Miller's plays, but still quite good once it gets rolling. Four stars, but I won't say how many points are on 'em.

My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok. This one took awhile, as it just didn't grab me. The first half is about a spoiled child growing up in an Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn (why is it always Brooklyn? why not Antwerp or something?). The book starts to get interesting when the boy is assigned an artist mentor, then loses its way again at the end. I found that the use of an adult voice to tell a child's tale in first person is as jarring here as it is in To Kill A Mockingbird (nope, not a fan - I think that book's message makes people overlook its many flaws). There's also a great deal of redundancy to the writing: everyone either speaks, or speaks "softly"; looks at Asher Lev, or looks at him "strangely". If this were a film, there'd be a drinking game for it. Two stars.

Hangover Square by Patrick Hamilton. Generally, books about alcoholics are like Under the Volcano: the main character drinks alone, even in company, seeking oblivion. This one provides a refreshing change: a man who, on his own, doesn't drink too much, but when around a set of friends he joins them in constant binge-drinking. It'd be easy enough to fix if he weren't infatuated with one of them. A bit gloomy perhaps but a fantastic novel. Five stars.

Love's Labour's Lost by Bill Shakespeare. I'm not a fan of the Comedies, and this one is particularly bad. The battles of wits are not that clever, in addition to being dated, and the premise is no better than a Three's Company episode. The editor for the Norton series has decided that this play is full of scatological and homoerotic humor, and the glosses reflect this in ways that prove to be ridiculous. Two stars, which is probably the lowest rating I've given anything by The Bard.

Mkfs wrote: "It's eerily like the Aliens planet out there, so let's see if I can bang this out before the satellite dish goes."


Glad you were able to share before you satellite went down.

I read My Name Is Asher Lev and enjoyed it more than you. I gave it 4/5 stars. I read it awhile ago so can't recall the details at this point.

Perhaps because I live near a large Hasidic neighborhood it interested me.

Alias Reader wrote: "I read My Name Is Asher Lev and enjoyed it more than you. I gave it 4/5 stars. I read it awhile ago so can't recall the details at this point. "

I think it's a case of the story being good, but the telling being poor. There is a lot of inherent conflict and drama, and I could imagine a better author hitting it out of the park with the core idea. Then again, a lot of people like the Asher Lev books, so maybe it's just me.

Didn't lose satellite or power! Still in disbelief over that.

Mkfs wrote: "It's eerily like the Aliens planet out there, so let's see if I can bang this out before the satellite dish goes.

. ..."

I liked "My Name is Asher Lev". I liked Potok's book "The Chosen" even better.

Mkfs wrote: "It's eerily like the Aliens planet out there, so let's see if I can bang this out before the satellite dish goes.

Eclipse Penumbra and Eclipse Corona by John Shirley. ..."

It has to be in Brooklyn because it was at the time the only place where a cohesive Haredi (Hasidic) community existed. Now the Haredi have moved to smaller more isolated towns in upstate New York to make it less possible for their young people to encounter people who aren't Haredi.

Barbara wrote I liked Potok's book "The Chosen" even better.

Yes. I enjoyed The Chosen a lot, too.

This month was short on books! :)

Darkness, Tell Us by Richard Laymon - 4 stars.

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

(Laymon is known in the horror world as having lots of sex stuff mixed in with blood and gore - I don't read him much - lol - it is normally "pick and choose" but only once in a blue moon. lol)

Bah! Humbug! An Anthology of Christmas Horror Stories by Matt Shaw - 4 stars.

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

(These are twisted Christmas tales and by reading the book I discovered some new horror authors.)

Ho Ho Horror by Steve Rossiter - 3 stars.

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

(Another horror Christmas stories - new horror authors as well.)

Marie, for me, December is always a challenging time to get much reading time. However, i really like the choices you made. Who would have thought of creating a Christmas horror story book? Let alone two! Gotta check one of these out.

Ouija boards. Those can be such fun for imaginative people. I'm glad i never got hooked on them.

madrano wrote: "Marie, for me, December is always a challenging time to get much reading time. However, i really like the choices you made. Who would have thought of creating a Christmas horror story book? Let alo..."


Well Madrano in the horror world "anything goes" when it comes to holiday "horror" cheer! LOL There is basically quite a few horror Christmas stories but there are other holiday horror stories as well. :)

Horror Easter Bunny?!? Tooth Fairy? Actually, when you think about it that last one is pretty awful in & of itself. What does she do with those teeth? Yuk.

madrano wrote: "Horror Easter Bunny?!? Tooth Fairy? Actually, when you think about it that last one is pretty awful in & of itself. What does she do with those teeth? Yuk."


There is one author that I know which did put out a horror Easter short story collection. I haven't bought that one yet. I don't about the Tooth Fairy, but I will have to scour for that one! Now there is a horror movie about the Tooth Fairy which I have seen and it was kind of scary! :)

Oh No!!!!!*



*written with a smile on my face

madrano wrote: "Oh No!!!!!*



*written with a smile on my face"

LOL :-)