Constant Reader discussion

Carol, I had the same problem (with Secret Scripture).

I've just begun 2666 and will just have to see where it takes me. It's too bad I didn't use Audible when 2666 was being discussed by CR, but I'll certainly look back to see what others thought when I'm done. What puzzles me is that his literary executor chose to go against his explicit wishes and had all five parts published at once.

Yulia wrote: "Carol, I had the same problem (with Secret Scripture).

I've just begun 2666 and will just have to see where it takes me. It's too bad I didn't use Audible when 2666 was being discussed by CR, b..."

You would think his wife would have had a say in it don't you? I don't even know if I can finish Secret scripture. It is a library book so I will keep it until I have to return it. I have the How it All Began , so I think I will read it instead.

I just finished The Night Circus, which came highly recommended in another forum. It's the story of two apprentice magicians pitted against each other in a late 19th century circus that only comes to life after dark. It's more magicial realism than fantasy - think of a less-dense Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. I loved most of it, but it falls apart a bit toward ending as the story vanishes into its own navel. Very inventive characters and setting -- I would very much like to attend this circus.

Sara wrote: "I find Tana French's books incredibly satisfying, but then I normally don't care that much about the mystery. ..."

I agree also - I love and look forward to French's books.

I finished Travels in Siberia tonight. Ian Frazier has a familiar style of writing, as if he is talking to a friend, which makes him very readable. I learned a lot about Russia and, specifically, Siberia. As John warned me, it started slowly as Frazier laid down the history, but once he started his travels, I was fascinated. Frazier spent 16 years writing this book while he visited Russia multiple times.

Peggy, I listened to an excellent audiobook production of The Night Circus and loved the inventiveness of it. But, I agree with you about the ending.

Timely you should write that, Barbara. I've just started Very Bad Men (David Loogan #2), set (mostly) in Ann Arbor. Bit of a grim start of a prologue, but picking up now. I don't see it standing alone without the backstory of the first book.

Stopped by the library to return a book and pick up a hold. Made the mistake of looking at new mysteries "just to browse" and came home with 3. I haven't any idea when I will read them all but I'm deep into Trick of the Dark the latest stand alone by Val McDermid. Now I'm totally caught up in the characters and mystery. She is such a great writer.

Happens to me all the time, Sue! I think there'll be nothing new, but I should check ... three or four books later ...

I have so many books on hand that I've trying not to look at those inviting shelves,John.

Ape House – Sara Gruen
Playaway audio book read by Paul Boehmer
2**

Isabel Duncan and her fiancé Peter Benton head a university research facility studying language in great apes. The specific apes they are studying are bonobos, and Isabel, in particular, has developed a very close personal relationship with the family of apes. The day after journalist John Thigpen comes for an interview, the center is bombed by an animal rights activist group, and Isabel is seriously injured. To avoid any additional public outcry, the university sells the apes to a private concern. Barely recovering from her injuries, Isabel is horrified to discover that the apes are now starring in a reality TV show called The Ape House.

If all this sounds somewhat farfetched … well, it does come off like a soap opera. I wondered at times if she was trying to emulate Carl Hiaasen for colorful characters and unusual situations; if she was, she failed miserably. The final confrontation is a little too neatly tied up for my taste, and several subplots seem to go nowhere.

I was invested in the bonobo family from the beginning and wanted to know what would happen to them. It was the humans in the book that I never really got to know. The most interesting characters are the minor ones (even as stereotypical as they are). As written, Isabel is a flat character whose emotional range is stunted; no wonder she prefers the apes to humans. John Thigpen is confused about his career and possibly about his marriage, though I’m not even sure about that; again his story isn’t fleshed out. Basically the humans in this book irritated me more frequently than not.

Paul Boehmer does a good job of performing the work. He’s especially effective voicing John Thigpen. The audio book held my attention, and for that I give 2 stars.

How it All Began is pure reading joy. For those who have not read it, the book is delightful. I am only fifty pages in ,and I am captivated by Lively's style and execution of the story.

I'm not going to finish The Savage Detectives. Here's the review I posted.

I loved Bolaño's 2666 so I was really looking forward to this one. Alas, I'm throwing in the towel at about 1/3 of the way through. I'm tired of disaffected poets hanging about in cruddy cafes, drinking and trying to impress each other and screwing each other's girlfriends. And that's all that happened in the part of this book that I read. I peeked ahead to the middle and ending and it looks like that's all that was going to happen in the entire book. Around and around in the same rut. Pfah! Enough.

Carol(Kitty ) wrote: "How it All Began is pure reading joy. For those who have not read it, the book is delightful. I am only fifty pages in ,and I am captivated by Lively's style and execution of the story."

I loved this one.

Ruth wrote: "I'm not going to finish The Savage Detectives. Here's the review I posted.

I loved Bolaño's 2666 so I was really looking forward to this one. Alas, I'm

throwing in the towel at about 1/3 of the w..."

Did you see evidence of the writer he became ? I did. I think he wrote about his persoal experiences , and political beliefs. He was disenchanted with critics and he noted that quite strongly in the Detective.

Wow, with recommendations like Ruth's and Carol's, I just put Lively's How it All Began on the hold list at my library. I have enjoyed other books by her.

You will like it Ann.

Ellie wrote: "Grace wrote: "Love Kathy Reichs! Have you read all of hers? I think there was only one that I did not like as much as her others."

I've read all her books in the Temperance Brennan series and I ..."

Sorry, I can't remember which one. I only have some of her later ones rated on Goodreads. I have not read "Flash and Bone" yet. Since it is a new and popular book, it is hard to get from the library. May have to get it on my Kindle.

Thought I'd just express how much appreciation I have for this thread. I am always reading and due mainly to this thread now have dozens of titles on a "to be read" list and can be confident that I'll enjoy many/most of them.

Lately I've been reading several by Mary McGarry Morris courtesy of someone mentioning her in this thread, and I've enjoyed them all (surprisingly enjoying her latest, "The Last Secret," a little less).

Next up for me is The Orphan Master's Son.

Just read past few days of thread; commenting on that, I love Carl Hiaasen's books (have read them all) and his style, and remember Ape House fondly even though it was not the best written, just for its unusual plot.

Sorry, I haven’t quite finished Nadine Gordimer’s No Time Like the Present but I’m almost there and I’m very much intrigued. It would be great to discuss her books with anyone else.

I've just finished Hot Six by Janet Evanovich, now I'm reading Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

Ellie wrote: "I've just finished Hot Six by Janet Evanovich, now I'm reading Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell."

When you finish GWTW make sure that you come back and read our discussion. It was a good one.

Ugh, no reading this weekend: going home with 55 essays to grade.

But I'm liking Accidental City by Lawrence Powell more and more. It's a history of New Orleans to 1812, and I'm into the part where France hoped to turn the colony into a tobacco powerhouse (on the model of England in the Carolinas, and despite the unsuited climate) by importing ship after ship of slave labor. There was white flight already happening in New Orleans in the 1720s....

Bernadette wrote: "Sorry, I haven’t quite finished Nadine Gordimer’s No Time Like the Present but I’m almost there and I’m very much intrigued. It would be great to discuss her books with anyone else."

I went through a Nadine Gordimer run about 10 years ago, but I'm afraid they've all blended together by now.

Ellie wrote: "I've actually become so enraptured (at least for the moment) with William Gaddis's that I can't even read in my usual multi-book fashion (not totally true: I'm sneaking..."

I've always had an aversion to reading Gaddis for reasons now lost in the mists of time, but I must say you tempt me!

I was so scared to begin-and there have been a few stretches that tested me-but generally it's been exhilarating.

That said, I do find him generally hostile to a) people in general and b)women in particular. But underneath I feel there's a rather touching romantic wish that we were all better than he sees us.

Two more down, 20 to go. Finished The Help which I really liked, to my surprise. Finished Friday Mornings at Nine which was ok. The story and ending were a little too pat for me.

Reading Murder Your Darlings and Simply Halston and about to start What Was She Thinking?: Notes on a Scandal . Need a new audio, too-- it will either be The Rose Garden or Bright Young Things .

For non-fiction readers who like to explore other cultures, I can recommend Wanted Women: Faith, Lies, and the War on Terror: The Lives of Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Aafia Siddiqui. by Deborah Scroggins. The book alternates between the stories of two Muslim women and, for me at least, had the suspense of a novel.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the author of the best selling autobiography INFIDEL, totally rejected all forms of her religion, while Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani woman who received an undergraduate degree and doctorate in the United States, latched onto fundamentalist Islam and made it the center of her life. The similarities and contrasts between the two women are very interesting.

I learned that INFIDEL had a ghost writer, which was not acknowledged in the book. Does that happen often? Scroggins also questions Hirsi Ali's veracity, especially regarding her marriages and application for asylum in Holland.

I don't even remember hearing about Aafia Siddiqui before, although she is currently in American jails for a term of 86 years on attempted murder charges, although the real reason the American government wanted her was terrorism. In the eyes of the Pakistani people, she is an innocent victim. The book outlines her involvement with terrorist groups for many years, but it is impossible to answer many questions about her past.

If you like reading about complex, real-life characters, you might enjoy this book.

Lately I've been reading for my next novel, endless amounts about the Indian Schools and related Native American material. Nothing to share here as it is so very specific. I would, however, ask you to listen to one of my short stories on SoundCloud and give me feedback. You see I am trying to capture a sense of the Native American "voice" and want to know if what I have come up with works for serious readers. There is no marketing involved, no joining required, just please listen and comment. http://soundcloud.com/kenneth-weene/w...

I've started The Stranger's Child which I got from the library a bit late for the start of the discussion. I'm finding it very difficult to get involved with the characters or the story at all. I've read 9% of the novel and will maybe give it another chapter before I chuck it in and move on to the other books I'm involved with and find more interesting, The Return of Captain John Emmett and Tinderbox: How the West Sparked the AIDS Epidemic and How the World Can Finally Overcome It

I've been reading Iris Murdoch's A Word Child. I'm a little put off by its arch manner but I shall soldier on.

But first, I must put it aside for this month's classic Mr. Ripley.

Ruth wrote: "I've been reading Iris Murdoch's A Word Child. I'm a little put off by it's arch manner but I shall soldier on.

But first, I must put it aside for this month's classic Mr. Ripley."

Lots to say about Mr. R.

I ripped through Ripley in record time for me.

I did give up on The Stranger's Child. There was nothing there for me to hold on to...no character or apparent plotline of interest to me. Oh well, plenty of other books out there.

Kenneth wrote: "Lately I've been reading for my next novel, endless amounts about the Indian Schools and related Native American material. Nothing to share here as it is so very specific. I would, however, ask you..."

I find this subject very interesting. Do you live in the US or in Canada? How is your research going? Have you read any info on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission done in Canada?

I've just started reading Straight on Till Morning: The Biography of Beryl Markham.I read West with The Night and have been a fan of Beryl Markham ever since.So now I can get another view of her amazing life through someone else's eyes.Loving it so far.

Gary wrote: "I've just started reading Straight on Till Morning: The Biography of Beryl Markham.I read West with The Night and have been a fan of Beryl Markham ever since.So now I can get another view of her am..."

Gary, I loved that biography too. The author did a great job.

I'm listening to The Angel's Game and actually reading 11/22/63. I like them both, but I like S.King's more. I'm only about 40% into it, and things started to become "more interesting". Can't wait to see what will happen next.

Gary,
As I remember (and it's getting less and less these days), there was some controversy regarding WEST WITH THE NIGHT - which I also thoroughly enjoyed. Some people thought that her screen writer husband was responsible for a large part of the book. What does the author of the biography have to say?

Ann wrote: "Gary,
As I remember (and it's getting less and less these days), there was some controversy regarding WEST WITH THE NIGHT - which I also thoroughly enjoyed. Some people thought that her screen wri..."

I've heard that, too. Loved WWTN.

After finishing The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark, I wonder if I have become a book snob. I picked this up at a charity thrift sale because I vaguely remembered years ago having read a couple of her books and the memory of them being easy & somewhat enjoyable.

Perhaps that is the best description of this book too. The plot was entertaining enough that I finished the novel in just a few days. However, most of the chapters were 2-3 pages long with several sentences in each one that were a re-telling what had just occurred from the view point of another character. There was almost a feeling of – In case you set the book down for five minutes let’s remind you what you’ve just read. After a while this became a bit tedious. Also, at times the actions of some characters seemed implausible to me. If I hadn’t known this was written by a famous author of 30 books I’d have thought it was an amateurish novelist. Oh well, she can rest easy -she’s sold millions of copies of her books and I’ve only written one. Maybe my review is just a case of “sour grapes”.

Janet wrote: "After finishing The Shadow of Your Smile by Mary Higgins Clark, I wonder if I have become a book snob. I picked this up at a charity thrift sale because I vaguely remembered years ago having read a..."

My daughter used to read these when she was a young teenager. I read two or three, and the plots were so similar, I figure I'd probably read them all. I don't think it's a case of sour grapes at all, Janet.

I recently finished Louisa May Alcott, the biography by Susan Cheever. Alcott as a subject is fascinating but I was a bit disappointed in Cheever's writing. There were a few places where she could have used some basic editing such as a sentence that referred to something as a being a big success because it was so successful. Her biographical style was also somewhat subjective, interweaving very personal observations with information about Alcott. She subtitles it: A Personal Biography so perhaps I should have been warned. However, I would still recommend it. The historical period in which Alcott lived was so interesting with Emerson and Thoreau as neighbors and friends.

Barbara wrote: "I recently finished Louisa May Alcott, the biography by Susan Cheever. Alcott as a subject is fascinating but I was a bit disappointed in Cheever's writing. There were a few places where she coul..."

I just picked up a used copy of this for pennies, Barb. Haven't started it yet, though. Still going on Mr. Ripley.

Started listening to The House in Paris - not sure what I think of it yet.

Any Simon Brett fans here? I started The Body on the Beach and I'm waiting for the witty part to kick in... I'm thinking of dumping the book but will hang in if it gets better as it goes along.

Just finished listening to Wonder, which is not of an ilk I would usually choose. I did hear the author on NPR some weeks ago and found her sincere, and while I suspect that many would not want to get near this one, and the writing isn't perfect, it is funny and tender and sweet. And I was crying too hard at the end to think of the negatives.

My $.02.

I'm reading Parade's End by Ford Madox Ford. It's been on my to-read list for ages and I'm glad I finally got the courage to tackle it. Absolutely fantastic so far.

Picked up Lucky You at library. Some laugh out loud moments.

Taking a break from 2666 to read The Hunger Games. I'm not sure if it'll interest me enough for me to finish. I know others refer to it as a page-turner, but it hasn't grabbed my attention yet. I was also somewhat disappointed by The Book Thief, which I finished yesterday. I still can't pinpoint hat I wished were different. I know it's young adult and took that into account, but I've loved YA books before, like the Harry Potter series. I think it was the narrator that irked me, as well as the foreshadowing. Someone had previously noted that she thought the Holocaust wasn't treated seriously enough, but I didn't think that was the case. Also, i did appreciate getting a peek into the German experience of WW2. But something, something was missing.

Yulia readSoldier X. It is YA, but I thought it was very very good.