Books on the Nightstand discussion

I've been making my way through the huge Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most Celebrated Tales. I'm so excited for September's new releases! I have so many on hold at the library, but I'm especially excited for NW and Blasphemy: New and Selected Stories. Still waiting for The Dog Stars to come in.

This month (August) I've read:
wolf Hall
trapeze--audio
Memoirs of an imaginary friend
age of Miracles--audio
The Double Bind
And finishing Hare with the Amber Eyes.
Listening to mission to Paris
Vacation time helps!!

The Fallen Angel: A Novel is not as good as others in the series. 3 stars. My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

I am leaving today for to attend a conference in Lima Peru (so no Machu Pichu) and cannot decide what to bring. I was going to bring Vargas Llosa's book The War at the End of the World the only one of his books on my shelves, but it is nearly 600 pages long. I also told myself it's about Brazil as is The Lost City of Z so I put those aside. I think I'm bringing Bel Canto Bel Canto which is modeled on Peru's Shining Path, How to Paint a Dead ManHow To Paint A Dead Man and The Island Beneath the SeaIsland Beneath the Sea. All are used copies I don't mind leaving behind in the B&B I'm staying in.

Barbara wrote: "I am leaving today for to attend a conference in Lima Peru (so no Machu Pichu) and cannot decide what to bring. I was going to bring Vargas Llosa's book The War at the End of the World the only o..."

Have a wonderful trip! I too love combining my travel with books set in that locale. I'm really glad I read Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman right before going to St Petersburg...the historical events seemed more vivid to me after seeing the geography and the wonderful palaces.

Barbara wrote: "I am leaving today for to attend a conference in Lima Peru (so no Machu Pichu) and cannot decide what to bring. I was going to bring Vargas Llosa's book The War at the End of the World the only o..."

I like the leaving the read books behind part. I intended that last time I traveled. Unfortunately it was to Booktopia with my friend and I didn't get as much reading done as I had hoped - but who can read when there are so many interesting people and a new places to visit.

Finished . Starting

August has been a somewhat slower reading month. As it winds to a close I have read Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Old Filth, Silent Spring, Arcadia,Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason, Rameau's Nephew and D'Alembert's Dream and several of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple stories. Hope to start the The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxsetnext.

Just finished Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen which I loved (thanks Keetha!). Sweet story about two sisters in a small, southern town both dealing with the hand life has dealt them (part of that hand being a little magic). I will definitely read more by this author. This book was perfect for what I needed at the time...short and easy, but delightful after a few really tough days at work.

Forgive me if I already posted that I read and loved Crossing the Borders of Time: A True Story of War, Exile, and Love Reclaimed. My only regret is that I didn't know the audio was narrated by Leslie Maitland...I'm sure that added to the experience. I have already loaned this book out and am really hoping it gets a wide audience.

As always, dipping in and out of self-help/diet/sciency books...Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health, The Gabriel Method: The Revolutionary DIET-FREE Way to Totally Transform Your Body , and The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It. My goal in reading all these is to eventually write the much needed book, "What To Do With Your Time When You're Perfect, or the Finer Points of Cloud Imagery, Macrame and Twitter". My starter advice is to not hold your breath for the above mentioned book!

I read all of Bel Canto on my journey yesterday. It is loosely based on The Shining Path period of guerilla activity in Peru. Details including considering guinea pigs a delicacy and the garua made it evident it was set in Lima. Then I started a Danish mystery on kindle - The Killer of Just Causes<./b>. I am worried I'll run out of things to read.

Lil wrote: "My goal in reading all these is to eventually write the much needed book, "What To Do With Your Time When You're Perfect, or the Finer Points of Cloud Imagery, Macrame and Twitter". My starter advice is to not hold your breath for the above mentioned book! "

LOL. I've added these to my TBR, so let me know when they are published.

Leaving books behind gives I me space and weight for souvenirs :)
I have a trip at the end of September to Barcelona (business) and the Shetland island s for fun via dublin. Because I find it impossible not to buy books in Dublin, I may bring more ebooks. But bringing physical books helps me get them off my shelves. And of course yarn from Shetland and maybe a good single malt will come back with me and I'm willing to pay for an extra bag coming home.

I gifted my Catherine the Great to our tour guide. Most of the people we met were not fluent in English so I wanted to leave it with someone who could appreciate it. I also thought she might find the research interesting since, in some respects, it differed from what they told us on our tours. The Russians are loathe to admit that Paul might not be the legitimate son of Peter the Third. A little stirring the pot if you will...lol.

I've taken it out of the library and hope I am up to the challenge!

Let's see if I reply to the correct post this time. It's the Eco book that I meant when I said I hope I am up to the challenge.

This was my first Russo novel and won't be the last.

Sometimes the dynamic of a family in a small town makes for the some of the most interesting stories. In the beginning, it is teased that the main action of the story may move to Venice (as the title implies), but that never really happens. This story is about a small town in New York, and the coming of age (and old age) of Louis C. ("Lucy") Lynch. It's also about his wife, his best friend, his parents, small town prejudices, and how love is complicated by other feelings. How unresolved ambiguities are part of life. How life is bittersweet and all the more worth it for that reason.

Russo understands all of his characters on a deep level, and makes sure that we do too. By the time you finish this book, there are no villains, and everyone has taken his or her shot at being a hero. Like Lou's mother, Tessa, we see both the bad and the good in all the characters, and love them anyway. That's the way it should be.

Tip for fans of Pat Conroy: Richard Russo is probably right up your alley.

Reading this novel, with its depiction of small city life, prompted me to give my son a driving tour of my home town of East Liverpool yesterday after our workout. I don't know if my ramblings and looking at the much-changed city helped him imagine what it was like to grow up there, but I made the attempt.

I bought Wettest County in the World for my husband in 08...neither of us read it. With the movie coming out, I am finally diving in. I was excited about the book when it came out. I heard an author interview on NPR the other day and that really motivated me to pick it up.

Currently reading Off the Leash: A Woman, Her Dog, and the Road Trip of a Lifetime by Jean Ellen Whatley.
It's painfully raw, thoroughly enjoyable.

Couldn't get into The Legend of Pradeep Mathew: A Novelso switched over to Dream Team: How Michael, Magic, Larry, Charles, and the Greatest Team of All Time Conquered the World and Changed the Game of Basketball Forever

Really liked Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You about Being Creative, but bailed on How the Irish Saved Civilization.

Currently reading The Art of Fielding in print, The Expats on audio, and Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain and A Passion for Books: A Book Lover's Treasury of Stories, Essays, Humor, Love and Lists on Collecting, Reading, Borrowing, Lending, Caring for, and Appreciating Books on my nook.

I started Then Again on audio which is read by Diane Keaton, she does a great job reading it. Just finished The Unconquered, great adventure story. . . my husband is reading it and keeping me up at night, I must buy him a reading light. I also listend to Wish You Were Here sort of by mistake b/c I was trying to learn how to download library audiobooks onto my new iphone. . . but when you download the overdrive media ap then you only get the options of MP3 audiobooks instead of the WPA ones. . . ugh, I am such a luddite. I gave up and went back to my iPod. . . BUT, the Graham Swift book was really great and thoughtful and sad. . . a classic Ann book. I just started Waiting for Columbus . . .

I finished The Kitchen House, which wasn't quite everything I was hoping it was going to be. I'm starting The Bellwether Revivals today.

i finished Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, which i found original and so engaging.

i started this morning.

Just finished - - such a powerful short story collection, and also - - great, easy read and much better than I expected. Last night I bought a 982-page hardback copy of and also a hardback copy of - - couldn't resist; they both looked so good. BUT, first I have to read and , then re-read and for upcoming book groups. Reading appears to be taking over my life.

Barbara wrote: "Leaving books behind gives I me space and weight for souvenirs :)
I have a trip at the end of September to Barcelona (business) and the Shetland island s for fun via dublin. Because I find it impo..."

Jealous! Books and yarn and wine (presumably) in ONE trip. Have fun, Barbara!

Eric wrote: "

This was my first Russo novel and won't be the last."

I highly recommend Empire Falls!

I downloaded the audiobook of Empire Falls. As soon as I finish the audiobook of , I'll start it.

This is epic novel is outstanding. I learned so much while being completely engrossed in a fantastic story.

The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson is a dark, but rich novel of Orwellian horror that exists in the modern day - quite literally today - of the DPK or North Korea.

Within this tragedy Johnson built the story of one man, Pak Jun Do, and his life in the DPK. Pak Jun Do's story is one of adventure and tragedy mixed with deep reflection on love, betrayal, and ultimate sacrifice.

I loved Johnson's writing. His characters are superbly drawn and unforgettable. The plot is both powerful and intelligent. And, if you ever think Johnson is just making up the horror he writes about then start watching the news, as I did, for articles on the DPK and you will realize he didn't have to stretch his fiction too far to create a very grim story.

This is definitely one of my favourite books of the year and it will likely be an all time favourite as well.

5 stars and if I could give it a hundred stars I Would. Thanks to Ann and Michael of BOTNS for suggesting this great book.

I love Bernard Schlink's writing. His discussion of the human toll of war, even generations later, is like a balm for the open wound.

Schlink's The Reader was an amazing book and Homecoming is equally remarkable. As the title suggests homecoming is explored with the backdrop of Germany after WWII. This was a difficult time for Germany, but also for other nations whose troops were returning home after the devastation of war. This powerful novel comments on evil, justice, ethics, and morals before, during, and after the war and the results of actions taken by many.

I appreciated that the protagonist's search for his father was not a straightforward and clean affair. Schlink presented this endeavour as messy and as horrible as it always is.

Homecoming is an intelligent book that is well work your time.

5 stars

Eric wrote: "I downloaded the audiobook of Empire Falls. As soon as I finish the audiobook of , I'll start it."

Empire Falls is a good one. I hope you enjoy it.

I finished the audio of The Invisible Bridge. This was my second attempt as it is a slow starter but I'm so glad I tried again. Thanks to Ann for the great recommendation. Yes, it is a holocaust book and I always roll my eyes and say "oh no, not another holocaust book" but then I feel ashamed because there is a reason to read this and it is so that we never forget what happened and make damn sure that it never happens again. Orringer writes heart wrenchingly real characters that I will not soon forget.

Elizabeth wrote: "Eric wrote: "I downloaded the audiobook of Empire Falls. As soon as I finish the audiobook of , I'll start it."

Empire Falls is a good one. I hope you enjoy it."

Somehow you changed the book I was listening to from Martin Amis's "Money" to Janet Evanovich's "One For the Money".

Eric wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "Eric wrote: "I downloaded the audiobook of Empire Falls. As soon as I finish the audiobook of , I'll start it."

Empire Falls is a good one. I hope you enjoy it...."
I was not picturing you as a Stephanie Plum fan, Eric. But it did get a double take from me.

@ Eric,

I thought the that was the wrong title, but I simply hit reply. It was a glitch in the system.

I just finished reading 'The Wrong Mother' The Wrong Mother and loved it. I think anyone who liked 'Gone Girl' would really like this as well. Plays a lot in the same vein.

Hi Elissa. Welcome to the group.

Have you read Daughters of Copper Woman by Anne Cameron? A close friend of mine just gave me a copy as a gift and I wanted to hear your thoughts.

Thx,

Kokeshi

http://www.harbourpublishing.com/titl...


Elissa wrote: "Hi everyone! I'm new to the group--this is my first post. I'm a university instructor who has just finished a long stretch of teaching literature, and now, I get to read what I want for a while! Du..."

If not for the wonderful narration my Mozhan Marno, I would not have finished The Expats. My reviews: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Pamela wrote: "Just finished - - such a powerful short story collection, and also - - great, easy read and much better..."

What better to take over your life though? Your four books on the bottom row are all amazing - enjoy!

Still in my top 100 best book to read, august has been quite good, for I did read 3 books, but none of them would make my top 100..
Finished the quite contraversial 'Clockwork Orange'. Loved it and didn't. Then finished Kane and Abel from Jeffery Archer, that I found predicatble. Am now half way in the Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood, still waiting for the magic to operate.

I'm finishing up The Bellwether Revivals which is turning out to be quite disappointing. I picked it up after seeing the description of a combination of Brideshead Revisited and The Secret History. I can't speak for Brideshead, but it certainly draws so much from A Secret History that it feels like a copycat.

I'm planning on picking up Gone Girl next. I'm really excited for that one.

The Language of Flowers

Unfortunately, Vanessa Diffenbaugh's novel The Language of Flowers did not appeal to me. The novel was melodramatic with unconvincing characters and contrived episodes. I found much of the book unbelievable and sickly sweet.

I am reading Mission Flats. I really enjoy the writing style.

I just finished Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend. It was fantastic - highly recommended!