Book Nook Cafe discussion

Impressive score on these prompts, Alias!

Thank you, John.

LOL, Alias. You are right, that would have been a winner for myths, too. His association with Star Trek tickled me, as my son & i are fans.

A big thank you to John and deb for recommending this book. I enjoyed it and gave it 4/5 rating. It also filled in a bunch of prompts for me.

✅58-Novela
Winter in Sokcho


✅80- set around a holiday
Winter in Sokcho the holiday is Seollal


✅ 52-A book set in Asia. Fiction or nonfiction
Winter in Sokcho S. Korea


✅89- Author is under 35 years old
Winter in Sokcho Elisa Shua Dusapin 31

✅66- A book where weather is involved. Fiction or nonfiction
Winter in Sokcho

For some reason, all year I thought prompt #8 was first person.
I was so happy to read Winter in Sokcho to fill this prompt. Only to find it's

8- A book written in the second person.

😟

I did read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and that fills that prompt.

Alias Reader wrote: "A big thank you to John and deb for recommending this book. I enjoyed it and gave it 4/5 rating. It also filled in a bunch of prompts for me.

✅58-Novela
Winter in Sokcho


✅80- ..."

What a winner in the prompt run! I'm happy i read the book, thanks to John. Congrats, Alias, that's quite an accomplishment.

Alias Reader wrote: "For some reason, all year I thought prompt #8 was first person.
I was so happy to read Winter in Sokcho to fill this prompt. Only to find it's

8- A book written in the second pers..."

Funny how that happens. At least you quickly found a replacement.

madrano wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "A big thank you to John and deb for recommending this book. I enjoyed it and gave it 4/5 rating. It also filled in a bunch of prompts for me.

✅58-Novela
[book:Winter in Sokc..."


It's a great story, but here's the question Madrano and I were left with: (view spoiler)[Was the guy her father? He never came in contact with the mother to be recognized, though that would make her attraction to him icky. (hide spoiler)].

John, honestly, that question never crossed my mind.

(view spoiler)[ I thought perhaps the attraction was that she was seeking the father figure she never had. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

You may be correct, Alias. Or are we supposed to realize that those with large age differences are capable of being good friends? Questions!

re: Winter in Sokcho

I felt she was lonely. Her boyfriend was a jerk. Her mom and aunt seemed to constantly criticize her weight and looks. Her job was boring. Then there comes an interesting man who values her expertise to show him Sokcho.

I could be wrong and only looking at things at a surface level.

I guess that is part of what makes a book good is there are many interpretations.

I agree. And it's the pleasure of sharing our thoughts on books we've each read.

✅95 - short story or essays
The Neighbor-Dean Koontz
Short Story

Checked off another one. This was an interesting short story.
It was a horror/ghost story. I gave it a 3/5.

Congrats!

Thanks, John !

Hurrah for you! I've read nothing by Koontz, so this could be a good way to start. Regardless, i'm glad it worked for you.

Deb, his books are much better. I wouldn't really recommnend the short story. It was just ok.

I would recommend a few of his other books. I think they are as good as Stephen King books.

Watchers I enjoyed this one. Read it ages ago.

Strangers I'm not positive if this also is a title of his I read. If so, I also enjoyed this one.

I read these maybe 30 years ago.

Thank you, Alias. I've seen his name for years but didn't even register the genre in which he writes.

For the rest of December I'm going to try to read books that I can check off the 100 list. My only issue is I need to select eBooks where there is no library wait list.

I found this website for "Books set in Africa". I found it helpful for the challenge.
https://bookgirlsguide.com/books-set-...

My library had a copy of Small Country by Gaël Faye

I'll give this one a try. If it doesn't grab me quickly, I'll select something else.

Another prompt bites the dust ! :)

✅75- Book you started but never finished
The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation
Started book but DNF this book in July 2021.

The author, Thich Nhat Hanh was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, peace activist, author, poet and teacher, who founded the Plum Village monestary. He was born in 1926 and died in 2022.

This book was originally a letter by Thich Nhat Han to another monk in Vietnam in the midst of the war in 1975. The focus of the book is using mindfulness and breath work in your meditations practice. When doing a task don't let your thoughts go back to the past or the future. Stay in the present moment. Easier said then done for sure ! The key is to be mindful throughout the day not just when you are "meditating". For example when you eat, don't watch TV or read at the same time. When you have a cup of tea, think of all the things that had to take place for that tea to be in your cup. When you wash the dishes, don't rush, make doing that task the most important thing. There are no menial tasks if you are mindful.

At the end of the book he gives various meditations to try by counting your breath. The book is slender and pretty straight forward. The book does include some Sutra translations by various other people at the end that are more involved for those who want source material. They can be dense. I skipped that part.

I thought the book was good but I've read other books by the author that I felt were better. Perhaps the translation was lacking. I gave it a 3/5 rating.

Alias Reader wrote: "For the rest of December I'm going to try to read books that I can check off the 100 list. My only issue is I need to select eBooks where there is no library wait list."

Wise idea. Your selection for Africa looks good, so i hope it is for you.

Alias Reader wrote: "Another prompt bites the dust ! :)

✅75- Book you started but never finished
The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation
Started book but DNF this book i..."

Brava, Alias! You are running a sprint to the end of the year! Love it!

I wish you more good books than mediocre from here to the end.

Great job on the commentary!

Thank you, John.

madrano wrote: "
Brava, Alias! You are running a sprint to the end of the year! Love it!

I wish you more good books than mediocre from here to the end..."

Thank you, deb.

I started Small Country and I like the writing. It was a bestseller in France and won some awards. I was concerned as it's about civil war and genocide. I can't read about very graphic violence. However, so far it seems to be a coming of age story. I'm sure there will be violence but I'm hoping that it's not too much.

I'm with you on the violence. I do not need descriptions of gore.

I am watching a Canadian series about crime, Cardinal, which i feel i've seen previously. I like it and don't at all recall the scenes of torture, so i'm doubting my memory. Dan says we haven't seen it. What does this say about my memory? LOL--ok, no need to answer. I am rewatching because i like the characters but the ideas seem quite similar.

ANYway, my point is that it is entirely possible i refuse to remember violent scenes in books & films. The images do not remain but i know they were disturbing to me. I'll have to think about this. Frankly, it is a rather new development. In my youth, no problems with violence.

madrano wrote: Frankly, it is a rather new development. In my youth, no problems with violence.."

I've never really cared for graphic violence in movies or books. It seems that now there is much more of it and also a lot more cursing.

Maybe I'm just getting old. Everything seems too much. Too loud, too crowded, too everything. Maybe I am becoming more of an introvert.

*Grouchy woman nodding in agreement

I checked off 2 more prompts !

✅53-A book set in Africa. Fiction or nonfiction
Small Country---Gaël Faye

✅22 - Book about immigration or displacement
Small Country


Terrific cover !

This is the case where I would have missed out a very good read if it were not for our 100 challenge. I was searching online for a book to fit the Africa prompt. I never heard of Small Country but it sounded intriguing and won a few awards. It was a bestseller in France. Also my library had it without a wait period. I was a bit hesitant as I knew it was also about the Rwanda genocide. The book wasn't too graphic, IMO. The Rwandan genocide occurred over a period of about 100 days in 1994 . Estimates are that around 500,000 to 800,000 Tutsi deaths occurred.
For more info see link.
https://cla.umn.edu/chgs/holocaust-ge...

The novel, is mostly a coming of age story. About half the novel takes place before the civil war. The story takes place in Burundi, 1992.

I thought the writing was top notch. It reads smoothly like a memoir. The novel is based on Faye's own experiences. However, he stressed that it is not strictly autobiographical.

There is a section of the book where the narrator discovers the joys of reading. It gives him a place to go when the world seems to have gone mad or as his mother says, "They murdered hope." I think this section will resonate with people who love books and know their importance in our lives.

I gave the book 4/5 rating. I do recommend this poignant novel.

Sweet find, Alias. I agree, the cover is a good one. I had to click on it to see the "innards" of the body.

Thank you for sharing about this book.

And, of course, congratulations on finding such a winner for the prompt!

Alias Reader wrote: "I checked off 2 more prompts !

✅53-A book set in Africa. Fiction or nonfiction
Small Country---[author:Gaël Faye..."

Sounds like a worthwhile book, and well-described. Thanks for that. I am going to check it out.
Michele

I finished another prompt !

✅ 5- A book with a epistolary or diary format.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower

This is a young adult book. This debut novel was first published in 1999. I believe it's now considered a classic and perhaps read instead of or in addition to The Catcher in the Rye in some high schools. Unfortunately, the book has been challenged and banned at high schools across the nation. I think this is a shame as I think this novel is one that many teens would benefit from reading. Not discussing difficult topics doesn't make those issues go away. I think for some teens seeing their lives represented in a book helps to make them know they are not alone.

This is a coming of age story. The plot centers around Charlie who is an introverted teen about to enter high school. The book consists of letters Charlie writes to an unnamed friend. The novel covers a range of heavy issues such as, sex, molestation, homosexuality, physical abuse, suicide, mental health problems, love, friendship and more.

I have to say I probably wouldn't have read this book if it weren't for our challenge as I don't read many YA books. That would have been my loss as I thought the book was quite good. I think that says a lot since I am not the target audience. So two thumbs up for our reading challenge !

I rated the book 4/5 stars.

Thanks for sharing Alias. I have seen this book mentioned over the years, but never felt particularly drawn to reading it. Your review has me second-guessing that decision.

Thanks, Lindsey. It's a fairly quick read. I do recommend it.

For this prompt
56-A book about Asians in the US. or a book written by an Asian American-- fiction or nonfiction

I decided to read
Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong

Congratulations on marking two more books off your Challenge List, Alias. You are ending with a burst of books!

Alias Reader wrote: "I have to say I probably wouldn't have read this book if it weren't for our challenge as I don't read many YA books. That would have been my loss as I thought the book was quite good. I think says a lot since I am not the target audience. So two thumbs up for our reading challenge ..."

I suspect that each generation has its own popular version of The Catcher in the Rye--J.D. Salinger, with "updates", let's call them. And that is a good thing, imo. It makes the latest version more relevant to the young readers. As well, this oldster learns about teenage life now & how it would compare/contrast to Salinger's work.

Alias Reader wrote: "For this prompt
56-A book about Asians in the US. or a book written by an Asian American-- fiction or nonfiction

I decided to read
[..."

These books, written from another perspective, have been another bonus aspect of our Challenge. While my selection was from my TBR ([book:At America's Gates: Chinese Immigration during the Exclusion Era, 1882-1943|885033]--Erika Lee), i liked looking at immigration from this angle. So win-win, off TBR and one less from my Challenge.

Congratulations, Alias.

I started to read about a dozen pages last night and so far I'm enjoying it.

Alias Reader wrote: "I finished another prompt !

✅ 5- A book with a epistolary or diary format.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower

This is a young adult book. This debut novel was first published in 1999. ..."

Thanks for the information! Book is on my TBR now.

I look forward to your thoughts, John.

I finished another prompt !

✅56-A book about Asians in the US. or a book written by an Asian American-- fiction or nonfiction
Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong


Cathy Park Hong is a Korean American writer, poet, and painter. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She is a graduate of Oberlin College and has a MFA from the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This book is a series of very loosely connected essays that I guess can be considered part memoir. It was published in 2020.

I read most of this in eBook format then the last essay I listened to the audio while at the gym. I think if you are going to read this book the audio might be the way to go. The author narrates the book well.

The author explores racism, social justice, "capitalist white supremacist hierarchy" of the U.S. and racial self hatred. I felt she painted with quite a broad brush. I wanted to understand her point of view but often her anger and rage shut me out. More than once I found myself losing the thread, if there was one. For example, there is a section on Richard Pryor that left me confused as to why she was discussing him.

I found the essays to be disjointed and confusing. They often felt like stream of conscience writing. I don't think this format served her well.

I gave the book 2/5 stars. Did not meet my expectations.

Congrats on the prompt! We've all had our share of disappointments.

Thanks, John. Fulfilling the prompt is what kept me from DNF the book.

Now I have to look over the rest of my prompts and see if I can squeeze in another book.

Well done, Alias. I'm sorry to learn the essays felt confusing. This is not a good sign of communication.

I decided to tackle this prompt.

48- Contains the word "Wife" or "Woman" in the title.

So I selected, The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

The novel is about Hedy Lamarr. She was an 'Austrian-American actress and co-inventor of an early technique for spread spectrum communications and frequency hopping "

I know the name Hedy Lamarr but I can't say I know her movies or anything about her. She certainly was beautiful.


-------Here is a PBS YouTube on her
The brilliant mind of Hollywood legend Hedy Lamarr
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rlXH...

Wow ... what a cool choice for this one! 👍

Thanks, John. I've read two other books by Marie Benedict and enjoyed them. I really liked The Mitford Affair.

The Personal Librarian

The Mitford Affair

Alias Reader wrote: "I decided to tackle this prompt.

48- Contains the word "Wife" or "Woman" in the title.

So I selected, The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict ..."

Benedict has written well-regarded historical novels about well known women. I hope this is a good one for you. I learned much about Hedy Lamarr when i read Hedy's Folly: The Life and Breakthrough Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, the Most Beautiful Woman in the World--Richard Rhodes. Interesting woman. The composer with whom she worked to create the radio guidance system, George Antheil, was more fascinating to me.

ANYway, i hope this works for you, Alias.

RE: The Only Woman in the Room

Deb, so far I'm enjoying it. I've only read 8% according to Kindle. It's not nonfiction, but I think I can still learn a lot. Especially, since I am one to constantly look things up as I read and go down various rabbit holes. :)

For example I just googled Chancellor Dollfuss. He was killed in a coup attempt.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engelbe...