Books on the Nightstand discussion

New month, new thread...

I finished THE YEAR OF THE FLOOD (by Margaret Atwood; narrated by Bernadette Dunne, Katie McNichol and Mark Bramhall.) It greatly expanded the world of Oryx & Crake and answered the question as to what Jimmy (a.k.a. The Snowman) did at the end of O&C. Even though I wasn't sold on the audio edition and you could stop here in The MaddAddam Trilogy (and not feel like you've been left hanging,) it should be interesting to see where Margaret Atwood takes the reader in the final installment.

I also finished HATER (by David Moody; narrated by Gerard Doyle.) This is the first in the Hater Trilogy and originally an online novel that the filmmaker Guillermo del Toro sponsored into print (and purchased the film rights to.) It's a horror novel about outbreaks of unprovoked violence that have reached pandemic levels. The aggressors have been labeled as "Haters" by the media and the government has warned all normal people to bunker down. There are elements of I AM LEGEND (by Richard Matheson) in the sections wherein the protag, Danny McCoyne, and his family have secured themselves in their home; but the main interest and appeal of the story lies in the chapters written from a Hater's point of view. This is where moral certainty disappears and the reader/listener wonders who the true villains of the piece are. Unfortunately, the ending is kinda lame both in terms of a denouement and a cliffhanger. I probably won't continue with this trilogy.

I'm starting DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS (by Walter Mosley; narrated by Michael Boatman) today. It's been in my audible library sine 08/2010! I unsubscribed from audible at the end of 2010 and I still have enough titles in my library account to last me a few years!




The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood;
narrated by Bernadette Dunne, Katie McNichol and Mark Bramhall;
music & lyrics written by Margaret Atwood; performed by Orville Stoeber
*goodreads review



Hater
by David Moody; narrated by Gerard Doyle



Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley; narrated by Michael Boatman

I finished The Sparrow last night. I originally bought it for my husband, who likes "hard" science fiction (lots of emphasis on the science, though big ideas are fine too). He didn't finish it: too much religion for him. So I gave it a try, and enjoyed it overall. I was a bit frustrated at the beginning with the pace. It seems to take a long time to get going, although the characters, premise and plot are all intriguing. But once it gets going, it thunders along like a snowball going down a hill and ends with a bang.

Before that I read We the Animals, which was beautifully crafted.

Now that's it's February, I'd better start my book club book: The Navigator of New York. I was lukewarm about The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, so am hoping I like this better.

i finished which i found interesting and full of good information about early hollywood and its use of animals.

i am now reading .

I'm reading Before I Go to Sleep by SJ Watson. It's an interesting mystery.
I'm bummed that I "only" read 7 books in January so I hope to pick up the pace in Feb.

The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers by Thomas Mullen. Very entertaining. Just finished The Gone Away World. That was interesting but had way too much straying from the story for my taste.

reading Moby-Duck: The True Story of 28,800 Bath Toys Lost at Sea and of the Beachcombers, Oceanographers, Environmentalists, and Fools, Including the Author, Who Went in Search of Them. An interesting story, about 15% into it (so says my kindle), and about to finish The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America. Loved this book!! Makes me want to go to Chicago!

@ lauren,

i'd love to hear your thoughts on the Moby Duck book when you are done.

I'm so desperate to discuss books with someone that I joined the No-Obligation Book Club through Real Simple Magazine. Feb's selection is Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. It's his debut novel, pub in 2011.

Pat, Rules of Civility is a great read! I hope you enjoy it.

I am loving !

Pat wrote: "I'm so desperate to discuss books with someone that I joined the No-Obligation Book Club through Real Simple Magazine. Feb's selection is Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. It's his debut novel, p..."

very good book

Shannon wrote: "Pat, Rules of Civility is a great read! I hope you enjoy it.

I am loving !"

loved it!!

Started listening to .

Should be starting a third audio before I get home tomorrow. (Finished and

@ linda,

the hedy lamarr book sounds interesting.

Finally got Explosive Eighteen from the library. As soon as I finish up Jane Eyre from last month I will read that one. Next is Slaughterhouse Five, as the second older book on my TBR list when I set my 2012 goals. After that is The Fundamentals of Play, which was the second oldest book I had on my figurative nightstand when I set my 2012 goals. I have several options for my new to 2012 selection that I will read one or more of: The Flight of Gemma Hardy (this modern day take on Jane Eyre is why I finally picked it up), Defending Jacob, A Grownup Kind of Pretty, and The Healing. In preparation of FINALLY reading the last Harry Potter book, I am reading one a month leading up to July, so I will read Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets this month. Finally, with whatever time I have left in February, I will start reading the authors going to the first retreat, beginning with William Landay: Mission Flats and the Strangler (in addition to Defending Jacob).

I just finished Ready Player One last week and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society today, two books that have long been on my stack to read after BOTNS recommendations. I loved them both, and I find that half the pleasure of finishing a good book is being able to recommend it to a new friend. I'm still working on my backlog of BOTNS recommendations. Next up is The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. I started Steampunk! An Anthology Of Fantastically Rich And Strange Stories last month, and I am really looking forward to finishing it too. Happy reading!

Among others, I am reading 11/22/63(am really loving it) & The Marriage Plot (which is a little disappointing at the present)

I would like to start but illness has slowed down my reading.Hopefully Sunday will see a start.ger

I just finished Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxes. Probably the best biography I've ever read. Truly great writing and the subject was fascinating.Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

I liked this book a lot.

The narrator is a teenage girl named Esch (hmmm...what's the significance of that name) in rural Louisiana in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina. Her family includes her father (an alcoholic since the death of her mother), younger brother Junior, and older brothers Skeetah and Randall. Skeetah has a pit bull named China on whom he dotes. China has just given birth to a litter of pups.

Animal lovers may find this novel hard to take, since China is entered in a dog fight, which is one of the set-pieces of the novel. On the other hand, this is one of the best novels I've read in which a dog is a central character. Yet in the complexity of the character dynamics, it's obvious that Skeetah loves his dog in a way that transcends the use he puts her to. Skeetah employs his Tom Sawyer-ish wiles in aid of his dogs at every step. His love for the dogs is a Force that moves the novel and all its characters. I'd venture to say that even though Esch narrates the book (and has her own trials to overcome), that Skeet is really the main character, in the same way that we see Atticus Finch through Scout's eyes in another great novel of the South.

The writing is top notch. Apt, poetic metaphors describe colors, scenery, characters, and weather with an economic vividness. Speaking of weather, the final chapters of the book reminded me of in their description of the storm and resulting flood.

Just started Murakami's 1Q84 while listening to the 1Q84 playlist on Spotify. Playing Janacek's "Sinfonietta" at the beginning of the novel made me feel as though I was in the taxi with Aomame. I'll soon see if the playlist continues to add to the reading experience or becomes a distraction.

Karen, please do keep us updated on marrying the soundtrack with the novel. I have always wanted to do this, and am curious if it works as I imagine it could in my mind.

I just finished The Family Fang. It was a train wreck that I couldn't put down. I have three other books in site to read for February
The Thorn and The Blossom
The Art of Hearing Heartbeats
Miss Peregrime's Home for Peculiar Children

I just began The Cat's Table (one of Ann's recommendations that is part of my 2012 Reading Challenge) and it's engaging so far. (I must admit that, when I first saw the title and didn't know anything about the book, I thought it was actually about a cat. Since I adore stories about animals, I was immediately attracted to it. After I read the summary, I was still interested!)

I should be reading In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin for my book club meeting on the 20th, but I'm working on an important essay, so I'll instead go to my writing group's critique session on that night to get necessary feedback before my deadline.

i am reading Getting Near to Baby.

While avoiding The Navigator of New York for my book club, I read The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, which was delightful. I am now into TNoNY and enjoying it, though it moves slowly and I have three books for Manchester Booktopia waiting for me (book club is in a week!)

I just finished The Secret History, a long and throughly engaging novel... then started The Hunger Games as a quickie "palate cleanser". Also, I'm close to finishing The Headhunter on audio. I wasn't sure about it for the first hour or so, then it took off in true Jo Nesbo fashion.

Juggling too many books this month and last but can't resist starting new ones all the time. In my backpack now are A Covert Affair: Julia Child and Paul Child in the OSS and Infidel I am absolutely enthralled by Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

I'm knocking something off of my goals list by reading a book that's been around my house for a couple of years. It's called "Are Japanese Cats Left-Handed." It's a bilingual guide to aspects of Japanese culture, history, and daily life that a visitor might be curious about, or that a Japanese person might be asked to explain to guests. I picked it up in Tokyo during a vacation in Japan and flipped through it while I was there but never read it cover to cover.

My current audiobook is Neil Gaiman's "American Gods." He's certainly got a great imagination.

I am reading and loving Black Swan Green

Re-read Mansfield Park which I enjoyed much more than the first time that I read it.

Murder at Mansfield Park, meanwhile, was beyond disappointing. If you are going to change the plot AND the characters... why not just write a new book?

I then read The Crown by Nancy Bilyeua which was ok. More Phillipa Gregory than Da Vinci Code. Ok, but not amazing.

I'm starting Midwives tonight.

Linda wrote: ""

Did you see the new thread? A little hint about what's to come in tomorrow night's podcast.

Angela wrote: "I am reading and loving Black Swan Green"

Angela: I am a big David Mitchell fan. I hope you enjoy Black Swan Green. I read Cloud Atlas first then read his other novels in the order they were written. His first three (Ghostwritten, number9dream and Cloud Atlas) are similar in style. Black Swan Green and The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet could have been written by a completely different author. They are all wonderful!

Ann wrote: "Linda wrote: ""

Did you see the new thread? A little hint about what's to come in tomorrow night's podcast."

Ann (and Michael),

I always have my fingers on your pulse! : > )

I hate (hate!) not seeing a book all the way through to the end, but think I'm about ready to abandon The Passage by Justin Cronin. I can't really put my finger on what I'm not enjoying about it ... All I know is that it's not a book I'm eager to pick up at the end of the day and settle in to.

I know this is a book that's been discussed here on BOTNS. Who has read it and am I making a mistake by putting it down?

You didn't mention how far into it you have gotten. I liked it, a lot. But there were slow parts for me as well. It is basically a quest book and it seems very slow sometimes because it isn't going to end when this book ends. I did get into the characters after a while and I do want to know what happens to them in the next book so I don't suppose I could ask for more than that.

Paula wrote: "I hate (hate!) not seeing a book all the way through to the end, but think I'm about ready to abandon The Passage by Justin Cronin. I can't really put my finger on what I'm not enjoying about it ....."

Paula, you're not alone. While most have loved it, I've heard the following 2 things a number of times: 1) it does bog down somewhat in the middle, and 2) some people are upset at the end when they realize that it is the first book in a trilogy. I do know many who have struggled and then love it when they finish. I know I did.

Paula wrote: "All I know is that it's not a book I'm eager to pick up at the end of the day and settle in to."

I haven't read The Passage, but when I don't finish a book it's usually for one of two reasons:
1. some time when I go to read it I am reluctant, thinking, "Oh, right, I have to read that book", or
2. I get to a point where I don't care what happens to any character (even one minor character can carry me through a book).

Started on in hardback and on the Kindle.

i started .

Pat wrote: "I'm so desperate to discuss books with someone that I joined the No-Obligation Book Club through Real Simple Magazine. Feb's selection is Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. It's his debut novel, p..."

I really enjoyed that book!

Valerie wrote: "Juggling too many books this month and last but can't resist starting new ones all the time. In my backpack now are A Covert Affair: Julia Child and Paul Child in the OSS and [book:..."

Hi Valerie,
How's Covert affair? The author is doing an event here in Los Angeles in a couple of weeks and I'm planning on going. Thanks, Nancy

nancy wrote: "I just finished The Secret History, a long and throughly engaging novel... then started The Hunger Games as a quickie "palate cleanser". Also, I'm close to finishing The Headhunter on audio. I wa..."
Just started Defending Jacob..seems very compelling.

Still reading Great Expectations. I've also started Franklin and Eleanor: An Extraordinary Marriage (for my president biography challenge) as well as Fall of Giants on audio (which is fantastic).

I just recently finished 1Q84 as well as Eirelan and Too Many Curses. Currently I'm about 2/3 thru Fahrenheit 451 and just getting started on Blood Bond

I just finished an amazing book, American Nightingale: The Story of Frances Slanger, Forgotten Heroine of Normandy, about the first nurse who landed on the Normandy Beaches on D-day to be killed in action. I wish I could remember where I found out about this one. Yes, you will need tissues.

Callie wrote: "Still reading Great Expectations. I've also started Franklin and Eleanor: An Extraordinary Marriage (for my president biography challenge) as well as Fall of Giants on..."

Loved Fall of Giants! I can't wait for the next book in the series.

Paula wrote: "I hate (hate!) not seeing a book all the way through to the end, but think I'm about ready to abandon The Passage by Justin Cronin. I can't really put my finger on what I'm not enjoying about it ....."

Hey Paula,
My boyfriend and I listened to The Passage on audio - YES all 38 hours of it. At one point, we were loosing interest and said "okay we are giving this 30 more minutes of listening time, after which we're abandoning this thing"... of course 22 minutes later the story picked up and never stopped.

So YES, it takes a while to get into, but eventually we couldn't stop listening. For some, however, that's not enough. There were definitely some drag parts, but it's this grand epic saga so that tends to happen. By the end of it, we felt we had been on this incredible journey together (as long as it was!). We are very much looking forward to the next book in the series.

If you're teetering on the edge of indecision, go with the audio book. Its easier to get through long epics because there isn't as much "work" involved when you're listening to someone else read it to you. It's completely up to you - but overall we really enjoyed it!

Hope this helps!

Finished

I felt the book could have been more than it was. Not a complete waste, but just adequate.