THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB discussion

I am reading Cutting For Stone for my library book club.

Jill wrote: "John wrote: "Started into Hell House by Matheson."


John......I really liked Hell House. Also saw the film which is very well done. Spooky!!! Have you read [book:I Am Legend|547094..."

Hey Jill, yes I have read I Am Legend and wished it would go on longer ... well done.

Ivan: I did not know the great Vincent Price did Hell House. I'll have to look for it ... after I read it. I think I've seen a movie version -- a fairly recent one -- but can't be sure. I have read a few stories out of 20,000 Feet; the 'Some ... Thing' on the plane being the most famous. Nice !

John wrote: "Jill wrote: "John wrote: "Started into Hell House by Matheson."


John......I really liked Hell House. Also saw the film which is very well done. Spooky!!! Have you read [book:I Am ..."

Vincent was in "I Am Legend" aka "The Last Man on Earth."

I'm reading The Moviegoer by Walker Percy, set in the 50s and published in 1960. My summer reading list includes another Walker Percy book entitled, The Last Gentleman. So far,I'm enjoying The Moviegoer very much.

Oops..I didn't mention 'why' I'm reading The Moviegoer;
it's simple, really. It's been on my 'to read' list for over 20 years since I read an excellent review of it in an old literary periodical.

Marialyce wrote: "Lai wrote: "Marialyce wrote: "I am starting Fever Dream today after finishing The Map of True Places which was great."

I've had this book for months but i have not gotten around to reading it. How..."

I finished it Lai and I loved it. You really can't put it down, it is that engrossing!

Marialyce wrote: "Marialyce wrote: "Lai wrote: "Marialyce wrote: "I am starting Fever Dream today after finishing The Map of True Places which was great."

I've had this book for months but i have not gotten around ..."

I'm having to make do with the audiobook for now as the book version isn't out in Britain until the middle of June.

Trying to catch up on a group of books that arrived from the library all at once while still keeping up with my reading groups!

I`m reading ALexandra`s Legacy by NJ Walters because I love paranormal tales with world buildling.

Mike wrote: "Trying to catch up on a group of books that arrived from the library all at once while still keeping up with my reading groups!"

That's the only problem with using the library. I've had it happen more than once. Most libraries hold them for about 10 days. In my case, when it does happen, the librarian offers to hold some of them for the full 10 days, so I don't have to check them all out at once. (I generally only read one at a time.

I'm trying to read two books, Deception Past by Franki de Merle, and The Secrets of the Unwritten Book, by Malika Bourne and Grace Rose. Both are books by people here on Goodreads, I'm reading them so that I can write a review, at the very least.

Marialyce wrote: "Gary F wrote: "Marialyce wrote: "I am reading Horse Soldiers. It is about Special service soldiers who rode to victory in Afghanistan."

Marialyce, that sounds like a great book. Please keep us upd..."

Thanks Marialyce! Sounds like an amazing read!! Really appreciate your thoughts.

I am currently reading The Lovely Bones for my book club meeting next week; almost done.

I finished listening to the audio of The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson. I liked it a lot. I really admire the main character, Lisbeth Salander, who's willing to take on anyone, anytime - even if it's someone 3 times her size.

This morning I started One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. Mostly I am reading it because both my mom and another friend recommended it to me and I really enjoy mysteries.

I'm not a big mystery person...but my wife and daughter recommended Janet Evanovich. Lots of humor...a little more in the "overt relations" area I was looking for, but fairly funny.

I am already 100 pages in, and there is a lot of "overt relations" as you say, which is not my style either. I prefer Agatha Christie and classic mysteries. These books seem pretty witty though and seem like quick reads, which is nice sometimes. Plus I love the sarcasm. The scene were the Grandma shoots the chicken at dinner was so funny, I had to read it out loud to my husband.

Grandma is probably one of the best characters...I love the .45 in the purse. Also, cars seem to live hard. Like I said, I read some of them for the laughs. I thing I went to like 7 or 8, maybe a few more, I'd have to look at synopsis to be sure.

Just started The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis; reading it due to the fact that I saw an excerpt in Vanity Fair about a month ago.

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/3... You are invited to the South and Southwest Book Club

reading Memento Mori by Muriel Spark and playing with The League of Gentlemen's Book of Precious Things a collection of essays about those things that inspired and influenced them.

I am re-reading The Return of The Native by Thomas Hardy and am trying to unravel this mixed up story that starts with Diggory Venn, a reddleman who deals in reddle, a red chalk used to put on rams to mark the ewes the male animal breeds. Thomas Hardy does a good job of spinning a yarn that hundreds have read. Since I first read it for part of my reading while working on a Masters Degree in English literature I am enjoying the many plots and characters Hardy created.

Luther wrote: "I am re-reading The Return of The Native by Thomas Hardy and am trying to unravel this mixed up story that starts with Diggory Venn, a reddleman who deals in reddle, a red chalk used to put on rams..."

I am just finishing Breathing Water by Tim Hallhan- a Bankock thriller- excellant- and readingLuthers terrific book as well

I just finished an awful book by Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine. It starts out a gay novel- Tim and Ivo are doing it hot and heavy. But then Tim is saved by meeting - yes, you guessed it - the right woman. And since Ivo remains unrepentently homosexual, he has to be killed in the end in a (very contrived) mugging.The very kind of gay novel we got in the 50s, and I thought we were well past that. Oh, it's called, My Nightie is Too Long - or, no, that's not right: No Night is Too Long.

Just finished Little Green: A Novel

-4 Stars- reviewed at: www.braincandybookreviews.com

Read for review

Victor wrote: "I just finished an awful book by Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine. It starts out a gay novel- Tim and Ivo are doing it hot and heavy. But then Tim is saved by meeting - yes, you guessed it - th..."

Victor - when was the book written? I think (hope) folks are more enlightened now

There is similar criticism of the 1970 Film Boys in The Band - in that it portrayed gays as tormented souls - I happen to consider that film a favorite of mine- chiefly for Leonard Frey's performance as Harold- perhaps the funniest I have ever seen on film.
While I am not gay- I have many gay friends who will not watch the film or has a strong distaste for it- I respect that as I lack the sensitivities of gay folks to such stereotypes - but I saw the film as a breakthrough- and if offended- one must remember when it was made - very curious on your thoughts

Oh, Lordie, Boys in the Band, how the queens did fuss about that. I personally thought it was, a.) very funny and b.) very true to life. I swear I've been at those parties. But gay men, in the wake of the gay revolution, preferred to white wash their history. Right or wrong? As a part of that history, I preferred to see it honestly, but I don't know that makes me in the right. Maybe it would have been better to invent a past for ourselves - as many other groups have done. History doesn't care, so long as she reads well. As one gay leader I know from the sixties said, when you come to writing your memoirs, lie. Nobody will care and it will make for better reading. There's some sense to that (if not a lot.)


Oh, My Nightie is copyright 1994. She ought to have known better. Yes, it could be true to life. That is no excuse.

Victor wrote: "Oh, Lordie, Boys in the Band, how the queens did fuss about that. I personally thought it was, a.) very funny and b.) very true to life. I swear I've been at those parties. But gay men, in the wake..."

Hey Victor my gay men's reading group read Boys in the Band (years ago now) and we found it to be quite true. I thought it represented quite few "types" accurately. As for white washing history - I recall a lesbian at our gay community center trying to downplay Leopold and Loeb, and John Wayne Gacy, and Roy Cohn on a famous gay people from history calendar. It seemed to me you have to take the good with the bad - that's just life. For every Harvey Milk you get a Roy Cohn.

Oh, just for shits and giggles, my sister thought that Leopold and Loeb wrote "My Fair Lady." :O)

Finishing up A Prayer for Owen Meany; I think I know what will happen in the end- am already starting to grieve a little for the character of Owen Meany. Also reading Cloudsplitter and Kidnapped.

Luther wrote: "I am re-reading The Return of The Native by Thomas Hardy and am trying to unravel this mixed up story that starts with Diggory Venn, a reddleman who deals in reddle, a red chalk used to put on rams..."

I recently read The Return of the Native; I love Thomas Hardy books - always so terribly tragic.

Ivan wrote: "Victor wrote: "Oh, Lordie, Boys in the Band, how the queens did fuss about that. I personally thought it was, a.) very funny and b.) very true to life. I swear I've been at those parties. But gay m..."

I'm sure the ghost of Allan J. Lerner and Frederick Lowe would be very proud of that one!!

Rick wrote: "Victor wrote: "I just finished an awful book by Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine. It starts out a gay novel- Tim and Ivo are doing it hot and heavy. But then Tim is saved by meeting - yes, you ..."
On that same theme I wrote Red Heifer exploring the fact that the Apostle Paul had a tragic experience with a homosexual group that caused him to condemn gays.
Red Heifer
by Luther Butler (Goodreads Author)
avg rating 5.00 — 1 rating — published 2000
2 editions
http://www.goodreads.com/search/searc...

I'm reading The Girl Who Chased the Moon and I'm always reading my Bible.

I finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog and i loved it! And the ending is perfect. I am now reading Educating Alice by Alice Steinbach.

Lai wrote: "I finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog and i loved it! And the ending is perfect. I am now reading Educating Alice by Alice Steinbach."

I recently purchased hedgehog- it is definately on mytbr list!

Right now, I'm reading Snow Falling on Cedars and The Kite Runner, both of which I'm really enjoying.

I just started The Scarlet Pimpernel for a reading challenge. So far, I'm enjoying it.

Hi Melissa, I read the Scarlet Pimpernel years ago and it's a good book, loved it. I was going through a "swashbuckling phase".

lol. Mike, I just had a vision of you "swashbuckling" in a spaceman suit.

"swashbuckling" is a word I'm going to try to use today!

Well, take your "swashbuckling" ways and have a great day Rita.

Melissa wrote: "I just started The Scarlet Pimpernel for a reading challenge. So far, I'm enjoying it."

If you love Pimpernel and all that swashbuckling, try Dumas, he's loads of fun too.

I've got to recommend Rafael Sabatini, especially, "Scaramouche"....excuse me, my swash-top boots are drooping.

Hello just joined the group.
I finished Blood Rites by Jim Butcher last night. Love it as usual.
I'm also reading Love Walked In by Marisa Des Los Santos (hope I spelled that right).

I tend to have 3 or 4 going at once.

I'm reading In Plain Sight by C.J. Box. It's a mystery thriller and I'm enjoying it a lot so far.

Mike wrote: "I've got to recommend Rafael Sabatini, especially, "Scaramouche"....excuse me, my swash-top boots are drooping."

Mike- I recently read Captain Blood by Sabatini- loved it!

Melissa wrote: "I just started The Scarlet Pimpernel for a reading challenge. So far, I'm enjoying it."

Melissa- I read Scarlet Pimpernel- very much enjoyed it- and I read the first of 5 sequels - The Elusive Pimpernel - which pretty much take off where the last book ended- If you enjoy the first book- highly recommend reading the sequel

Found Sabatini late ( I was in my 20s), but love his work.

Mike wrote: "Found Sabatini late ( I was in my 20s), but love his work."

same here Mike
one of the few books that translated well onto film- but then you had Errol Flynn in a career making performance- I really feel flynn was very underated as an actor- Gentleman Jim to George Custer-great range

Not to mention grown women to little girls, men to boys. Am told his house was set up so he could peek into all the bedrooms to watch his guests. The Playboy mansion in Chicago was the same way. Hef explained that there was a little atoll reached from within the swimming pool where everybody thought they were safe from prying eyes, but he laughingly showed us the trapdoor that he could lift to see in there too. These pervs (can't complain too much, I'm voyeuristic too.)