Books on the Nightstand discussion

I've just finished Robopocalypse which I loved. I reminded me alot of World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War. Currently I'm about 1/3 of the way into The Mission Song

Alondra wrote: "Becky wrote: "currently reading & enjoying it so far"

I hope you enjoy this book, Becky. I thought it was a nice take on vamps; kind of like Mathesons view..."

I have just finished a run of a few books that I was just so-so about & this one is sucking me right in!!! Glad to finally find a book to enjoy again!! LOL

Vera wrote: "Just finished Defending Jacob. Boy-oh-boy, I didn't see that ending coming! I pride myself on usually figuring those out, but this one surprised me. Was anyone else surprised?

I can't wait ..."

Loved the book and never saw the ending coming either.

I just got home from listening to Adam Johnson talk about his book The Orphan Master's Son at Changing Hands in Tempe, AZ. I will read it at some point as my friend and I chipped in and bought a copy and I'm letting her read it first.
Johnson is a very good speaker and made me very much more curious about North Korea.

Mary Fran, I didn't anticipate the ending in Defending Jacob: A Novel either. Although I liked the book, I didn't find the ending very realistic and I never felt strong empathy for the mother.

Vera wrote: "Just finished Defending Jacob. Boy-oh-boy, I didn't see that ending coming! I pride myself on usually figuring those out, but this one surprised me. Was anyone else surprised?

I finished Defending Jacob a couple of days ago and that was my exact reaction, too! I can usually see a twist coming a mile away and I didn't see that one. I really enjoyed it. It reminded me of Presumed Innocent, and I mean that in the best way.

I finished listening to the first five shorts in Quantum of Solace: The Complete James Bond Short Stories by Ian Fleming; narrated by Simon Vance.) After having shared seven adventures with 007 in previous novels, you become somewhat inured to Fleming's political incorrectness and you start appreciating the other elements of his writing: the way he can create tension and surprise you; the way he shapes Bond's interior dialogue; the attention to detail beyond the travelogue descriptions - and in the end you begin to like Bond again, even after the misogynistic fiasco that was Goldfinger. It's not that Bond has changed much. He's still thinks and says things that place him squarely in the ranks of the mid-century man; but in this collection, we sense that perhaps his views, however much they are shaped by his times, are not concretized - that Bond has the capacity to turn things over in his mind and realize that all may not be as they appear. This idea of deception becomes the theme of the collection (or at least the first five stories.) Perhaps "deception" is too broad a theme for spy thriller adventures - after all, espionage is built on subterfuge; and yet with this collection, one can't help but notice the different kinds of deceits being played out very specifically in each story: From the basic physical deceptions of "From a View to a Kill" to the questioning ruminations of Bond in "The Hildebrand Rarity," Fleming skillfully writes in layers about the various kinds of deceptions.

I'm now starting Duchess in Love (The Duchess Quartet, Book #1; by Eloisa James; narrated by Justine Eyre.) I'm admit I'm having a little trouble figuring out who's who (in terms of speaking); but I expect it'll sort itself out. That's the good thing about Romances: you have a god sense of the premise and ending before you even start!

Kindle read:

I've been reading The History of Love. It started off really well, but it has bogged down severely in the middle. I'm having trouble convincing myself to finish out the last 100 pages.

and how appropriate since today is his birthday!

I've been doing my "homework" for the Manchester Booktopia so I'm ready to choose which authors to see!

I didn't finish Disappearances by Howard Frank Mosher as the "tall tale" focus wore a little thin for me about 3/4 of the way through.

Finished Defending Jacob: A Novel last night and thought it was ok. I don't like mysteries at all (except some 87th Precinct novels by Ed McBain I read in high school...), so it was unlikely I'd like this one.

I thought I'd try The Drowning People by Richard Mosher, but it opened with a murder so... it's going back to the library today. I think I'll try Natural Elements instead. History of a Pleasure Seeker doesn't really sound up my alley.

Meanwhile, I started Don't Know Much about the Bible: Everything You Need to Know about the Good Book But Never Learned last night and now I have three non-fiction books on the go. Not sure how this will pan out!

Vera wrote: "Just finished Defending Jacob. Boy-oh-boy, I didn't see that ending coming! I pride myself on usually figuring those out, but this one surprised me. Was anyone else surprised?

I can't wait ..."

Yes I definitely was surprised at the ending. I saw part of the twist, but not all of it, and not exactly how it occured.

I just finished The Weird Sisters, which I really enjoyed, and am now half-way through Kaui Hart Hemming's book of short stories, House of Thieves. Though I am enjoying her writing, I am also solidifying a theory as to why short story collections are not for me.

Vaashti wrote: "I just finished The Weird Sisters, which I really enjoyed, and am now half-way through Kaui Hart Hemming's book of short stories, House of Thieves. Though I am enjoying her writing, I am also sol..."

We are reading The Weird Sisters in my book group for March

Alondra wrote: "Becky wrote: "currently reading & enjoying it so far"

I hope you enjoy this book, Becky. I thought it was a nice take on vamps; kind of like Mathesons view..."

wow-that was good!! I have #2 to start right in on!!

Becky wrote: "Vaashti wrote: "I just finished The Weird Sisters, which I really enjoyed, and am now half-way through Kaui Hart Hemming's book of short stories, House of Thieves. Though I am enjoying her writing..."

It seems like a great book club book. I hope you enjoy it!

Finished I gave it 4 stars. So much more than a book about baseball. Very literate. Liked all the characters, even when I didn't like what they were doing.

Linda wrote: "Finished I gave it 4 stars. So much more than a book about baseball. Very literate. Liked all the characters, even when I didn't like what they were doing."

I agree. The characters are very well written.

i finished listen to marriage plot reading learning to swim and defending jacob i yes i read 2 books at once

Finished The Weird Sisters, which was okay. Now reading Rebecca by Daphne duMaurier as recommended by Simon of The Readers.

Okay, so there's this young woman, Aomame, who's caught in a traffic jam on the freeway. She's late for an important appointment. She exits the cab and descends an emergency stairway. Then there's Tengo, who teaches math at a cram school, but who has ambitions of becoming a writer. A publisher acquaintance admires his prose and engages him to rewrite a story by Fuka Eri, a barely literate seventeen year old girl who has nevertheless dictated (to another girl) a story which is a diamond in the rough. Add an elderly, rich woman who is an avenger of domestic violence, a shadowy religious organization, and a misshapen investigator, and you have the ingredients for a cloak and dagger caper, which this book is. But it also contains fantasy and science fiction elements. And metaphysical concerns.

I really enjoyed this book. On more than one occasion I found that it affected my dreams, which is always a sign that my mind has entered the world the author has created. The major problem with it, though, is that it could have used a rewrite to make it tighter. There are far too many recaps of characters' histories, situations, and relationships. Also, although the main characters get closure, there are a lot of unanswered questions and unfulfilled plot points revolving around minor characters. Of course, the latter ambiguities are the province of literary discussion and could make for a kickass round table at our book club. Some of these questions appear below.





SPOILER:








1. Is Nurse Kumi the reincarnation of Tengo's mother?
2. Who strangled the young policewoman? I'm pretty sure this wasn't a Sakigake hit.
3. Who was the man who strangled Tengo's mother? Was he the same man who strangled the policewoman? Was he Tengo's biological father?
4. Was the Fuka Eri we met the real deal? Or was she the dohta, or replica? Is it a characteristic of dohta that they have no uterus, and therefore can't become pregnant? So, rather than destroying the uterii of young girls by violent sex, is it possible that Leader, while paralyzed, was having sex with dohta, who never had uterii to begin with? What happens to Fuka Eri?
5. Who are the Little People? What's their game?
6. Maza and Dohta sound like Japanese pronunciations of Mother and Daughter. Are the maza and dohta always female?
7. Why did Tengo's father's spirit choose Aomame's apartment and harangue "Ms. Takai"?

Our February pick is , discussion begins today!

I've had great luck with books lately - I read Those Who Save Us which was a fantastic story set both in present day and World War II Germany. I also finished Defending Jacob: A Novel and I love books that surprise me at the end and this one definitely did. I also read A Thousand Cuts which was a very unique treatment of school/workplace bullying. I couldn't stop thinking about this book after I put it down. And today I finished How I Became a Famous Novelist - if you're looking for a fun quick read this is the book for you. If you are a fan of Jonathan Tropper or Joshua Ferris, then this one is right up your alley.
Now after all those good books, the pressure is on to pick what to read next....I've been seeing a lot of good reviews for The Art of Fielding in this thread, so maybe I'll pick it up.

The Reading Cove wrote: "Our February pick is , discussion begins today!"

Although I haven't started it yet, my reading group is going to be discussing another Mary Doria Russell book in March:

I just started American Gods . I can already see why this is a love/hate book. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, but I feel like I haven't really gotten into it yet.

Finished One Hundred Years of Solitude, the second book on my goodreads TBR list. Next up is The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise for book club.

I've spent February reading Defending Jacob and Learning to Swim. Have never been drawn to mysteries but have so enjoyed both books. And I keep thinking about Learning to Swim - always a really good sign.

Susan wrote: "I've spent February reading Defending Jacob and Learning to Swim. Have never been drawn to mysteries but have so enjoyed both books. And I keep thinking about Learning to Swim - always a really g..."

Susan, I do like mysteries and was wondering who wrote Learning to Swim; there are several listed when I do a search. Thanks! And, I think Defending Jacob may be my next book. Folks seem to have good things to say about it.

Sara J. Henry. She has a very direct, journalistic style. She always gave me just enough that I could imagine all that I needed.

Susan wrote: "Sara J. Henry. She has a very direct, journalistic style. She always gave me just enough that I could imagine all that I needed."

Thanks Susan! How nice we're on at the same time. C.

so true!!!

I finished Emperor of All Maladies a few days ago. For a book that was about 500 pages long, it was an easy read in that it kept my interest and didn't get bogged down despite the subject matter of scientific and medical experimentation in pursuit of more effective cancer treatment. It may help that my work is health-related and at one point was heavily focused on cancer, so that I was familiar with many of the subjects and people.

I'm now reading a novel called Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd. It's set in Northern Ireland during the 1980s and begins with the discovery of the body of a little girl in a peat bog. Rather than a recent victim of "the Troubles," it turns out that the girl lived during the Iron Age and may have been a sacrificial victim. Her story is told in snatches amid the main story of a contemporary teenage boy, one of the men who discovered the body. He's under stress from many fronts: his older brother, a political prisoner, is on a hunger strike, he's being pressured to help the IRA by smuggling packages even though he wants nothing to do with political strife, he needs to do well in school so that he can get away from his small community and study medicine, and he develops a romantic relationship with the daughter of the archeologist investigating the bog child's death. Both stories deal with political destiny and self-sacrifice.

My most recent audiobook was The Godfather of Kathmandu, John Burdett's fourth novel featuring Bangkok police detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep. Sonchai is investigating the gruesome and bizarre murder of an American film director and helping his boss, a police chief who also controls a highly profitable heroin smuggling operation, negotiate a major transaction. In the meantime, Sonchai is unmoored following the recent accidental death of his son and subsequent dissolution of his marriage.

Callie wrote: "Finished One Hundred Years of Solitude, the second book on my goodreads TBR list. Next up is The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise for book club."

i really love the tone of The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise. it is a quietly moving book. i hope you enjoy it callie.

i have started Winter Garden. i finished Turn of Mind which wasn't as good as i anticipated. i gave it three stars, but i don't know if it even deserves that many stars.

Nancy, I so agree with you about Emperor of all Maladies. Wonderful book although parts are difficult to take. I think he is a very humane person and that comes through in his writing.
Elizabeth, I feel the same way you do about Turn of Mind. Although the point of view is interesting it does get confusing sometimes. Plus I didn't like any of the characters at all. That makes me feel like I've spent a lot of time with people I don't really want to be with.

Linda wrote: "Although I haven't started it yet, my reading group is going to be discussing another Mary Doria Ru..."

I absolutely adored Dreamers of the Day. I do hope you enjoy it!

Judy wrote: "Nancy, I so agree with you about Emperor of all Maladies. Wonderful book although parts are difficult to take. I think he is a very humane person and that comes through in his writing.
Elizabeth,..."

yes. that's an accurate description. the characters were not likely at all were they? and i just felt like if i were a woman with any respect, there's no way i'd be friends with amanda.

Eric wrote: "

Okay, so there's this young woman, Aomame, who's caught in a traffic jam on the freeway. She's late for an important appointment. She exits the cab and descends an emerge..."

The repition you mention is due (at least partially) to the fact that in Japan the 3 books in the work were published a year apart.

Reading quite a bit and I realize that I haven't been on the thread for quite sometime, so here is what I am currently reading:
• Anna Karenina
• Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
• Bleak House
• Les Misérables
• Macbeth
• Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution
• Sarah's Key
• The Hound of the Baskervilles

I realize that its a lot of reading, but a number of them are readalongs and a number of them are quite short, meaning that the chapters aren't long and I can quickly go through them.

Melissa - how do you get them all straight when reading so many at a time? I really can't do more than 2 books at a time, and even then I tend to end up ignoring one for the other. I usually think I am a good multi-tasker, but not when it comes to reading I think.

Quite liked the exploration of a marriage in The Odds. Currently reading Proust Was a Neuroscientist which is fascinating. Also, I have a group of friends doing a Bleak House read-along. Am loving that one too.

Nancy wrote: "I finished Emperor of All Maladies a few days ago. For a book that was about 500 pages long, it was an easy read in that it kept my interest and didn't get bogged down despite the subject matter of..."
The Emperor of All Maladies was the best book I read in 2011. Fascinating. Gripping. Read like a thriller.

I recently finished Daniel Deronda by George Eliot, is about Gwendolyn Harleth, a spoiled young woman who, due to sudden family poverty, enters a psychologically abusive marriage. The other main character, Daniel Deronda, is a thoughtful, caring young man who is a ward of a wealthy aristocrat who doesn't know who his parents are and becomes interested in the study of Judaism. Eliot deals with class, Judaism and Zionis in the 19th century, antisemitism, feminism and the lack of opportunity for women. It's very modern in its character complexity and themes. A tough read in that my daily page total was about half what it is with a modern book, and long, almost 700 pages. . . but worth it.

Listening toThe Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival, a great recommendation from Ann. Also reading The Invisible Bridge, another Ann rec. . . also excellent. I hope they make a movie out of it.

I remember really loving , even though I remember nothing about it.

Eric wrote: "I remember really loving , even though I remember nothing about it."
Yeah, Middlemarch was my first Eliot and it was great. This book feels more modern, with complicated characters. It was alo her last novel. Apparently it was very controversial at the time b/c of the positive portrayal of Judaism and the harsh characterization of the English upper class and the theme of feminism.

The edition I had recommended that you not read the Introduction until after reading the book. This is the first time I did this with a classic. I also didn't look at Wikipedia or anything online while i was reading. It was such a great experience to not know anything about the plot beforehand. So LITTLE actually ever HAPPENS in a Victorian novel that to actually be surprised and excited about plot was a nice change.

Becky wrote: "The edition I had recommended that you not read the Introduction until after reading the book. This is the first time I did this with a classic. I also didn't look at Wikipedia or anything online while i was reading. It was such a great experience to not know anything about the plot beforehand. So LITTLE actually ever HAPPENS in a Victorian novel that to actually be surprised and excited about plot was a nice change. "

I never read the introductions to Classics anymore, at least not before the story. Too many of those are written with the idea that you already know the story or have an idea of it and, spoilers abound. I had Kate Chopin's "The Awakening" and Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre ruined for me that way :-(

Finished #2 of this series...The Fall

Becky, how was the second one?

Becky wrote: "Finished #2 of this series...The Fall"

Nan wrote: "Becky, how was the second one?

Becky wrote: "Finished #2 of this series...The Fall""

Great-loved it!!! Answered some things, stayed true to the first one & still quite scary!! I ordered #3!!

i bought this series for my husband. i'm glad to hear they are good.

I just finished . I thought it was excellent. I can't wait to hear the author at the Manchester retreat.