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February 2009 What are you reading? [message #10837] Sun, 01 February 2009 02:00 Go to next message
Maren  is currently offline Maren
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[Moderator]
This is the thread for discussion of your current reads.

As I said when locking the previous thread, I'm wondering whether to add the books from these threads to our LibraryThing catalog. The catalog is intended as a representation of Pollyanna's Booklist, which in turn originated as a list of emphatic reading recommendations. Obviously many of you did enjoy the books you were reading last month and would recommend them without hesitation, but others were slightly less enthusiastic about your current selections or just hadn't read enough yet to make a judgment. For those reasons, I definitely don't think I should add all of the What Are You Reading books to the catalog, but at the same time it can occasionally be hard to tell which of them you would consider Pollyanna-worthy, so to speak.

I have two proposed solutions to this. If you definitely want to recommend a book you're reading or have just finished for posterity and Pollyanna, could you please either:

(1) State so explicitly in your post on this thread.
or
(2) Duplicate your post here and in the Pollyanna thread. Copying and pasting is fine!

You don't need to do both; just choose whatever works for you. Thanks!
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #10841 is a reply to message #10837 ] Sun, 01 February 2009 05:29 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Susan from Athens  is currently offline Susan from Athens
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Maren good idea, I agree completely that not all books that are currently being read should automatically make the Pollyanna list. That's the reason for the two threads and the solutions you have proposed are both very sound. And I thought I should take this opportunity to say brava! and well done and we appreciate your efforts with the book threads and library thing, just as we do those of the hard working and insufficiently applauded moderators all around! Thank you very much.


“I have always imagined heaven to be a kind of library.” –Jorge Luis Borges
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #10849 is a reply to message #10837 ] Sun, 01 February 2009 11:43 Go to previous messageGo to next message
L.R.K.  is currently offline L.R.K.
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I'll chime in with Susan and say that it's a really good idea! I've been wondering about that myself when reading the currently reading thread (awkward sentence! Smile ), since some comments are obvious recommendations, but it would be difficult with some others to decide whether they are or not.

And I'll also second Susan's praise of your work - it's truly impressive and we are grateful for all the hard work you put in! Smile


Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean, like butter that has been scraped over too much bread.
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #10877 is a reply to message #10837 ] Mon, 02 February 2009 00:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Reading Angel  is currently offline Reading Angel
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Currently reading Wuthering Heights because various factors had caused me to be curious about the book and I found a copy of it for $0.27 at a second-hand bookshop. It's quite intriguing and I find the character interactions interesting and I am loving the constant first-person perspective(though different people contribute to the narrative, it's always somehow first-person).


"The center of every man's existence is a dream. Death, disease, insanity, are merely material accidents, like a toothache or a twisted ankle. That these brutal forces always besiege and often capture the citadel does not prove that they are the citadel."
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #10884 is a reply to message #10837 ] Mon, 02 February 2009 06:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
L.R.K.  is currently offline L.R.K.
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I'm reading "Gormenghast" - the second book in the trilogy. So far it is going much better than the first book, which I had great difficulty deciding whether I liked or not. Perhaps I'm in the right mood now and wasn't then - perhaps having seen the BBC dramatisation since (it was a few years since I read the first book) has helped me get my head around it. I don't quite know. Perhaps Mervyn Peake is something of an acquired taste? In which case I'll wait until I've read the third book to determine whether I have acquired it or not - I've decided to read it immediately (= after about twenty books), rather than stick MP back on the library-booklist (with library books I have the option to choose).


Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean, like butter that has been scraped over too much bread.
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #10891 is a reply to message #10837 ] Mon, 02 February 2009 11:30 Go to previous messageGo to next message
abigailmm  is currently offline abigailmm
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Was going to report last month that I just read (listened to as an audiobook) Dreams From My Father, read by Obama, abridged, unfortunately.

It took a while for my request for membership to go through, but I still want to report that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book. I don't really follow all of his musings about society and himself and fitting in, because my background is so much different from his, but I found most of it extremely clear, intelligent, and fascinating. It's obviously his own work, not ghostwritten (who would bother, back at the time it was written?). My goodness, it's such a relief to have somebody really thoughtful and smart elected! And clearheaded, and not given to glossing over flaws, even in people he obviously loves, or himself.

I also highly recommend Horizon by Lois McMaster Bujold, though if you have not read the first three of The Sharing Knife tetralogy already, you need to get Beguilement, Legacy, and Passage first. Oh, Bujold is so wonderful, and I think I like this set of books even more than Vorkosgan and Chalion, perhaps because I recognize so much of the background society from my own family history. My mother really was pretty much a nineteenth century "farmer girl" like Fawn (until she grew up and moved to the big city and became a twentieth century architect instead).

I also just read Chalice -- guess don't have to recommend it Wink

Abigail
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11025 is a reply to message #10837 ] Thu, 05 February 2009 17:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
GBKDalton  is currently offline GBKDalton
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So I finally read Blind Courage by Bill Irwin and David McCasland, the only Appalachian trail book I still wanted to read after my binge on them last year before my own hike. Bill Irwin and his seeing eye dog Orient hiked the trail together in 1990 with no other outside support. Very, very cool, and taking tremendous courage. If you like hiking books, or even dog books.
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11195 is a reply to message #10837 ] Sun, 08 February 2009 19:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
GBKDalton  is currently offline GBKDalton
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So I finished a bunch of books, including a translation of the Metamorphoses of Ovid by Charles Martin (the level of violence was getting to me by the end though, classic or not) and Union Street by Pat Barker, which I really enjoyed. The two fantasy books I finished were both by Terry Pratchett, The Last Continent and The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. The Amazing Maurice was. flipping. awsome. It was very loosely based on the Pied Piper story, only this time it's a scam being run by a cat named Maurice, who has found a stupid-looking kid to play the flute and has made friends with a pack of also-talking rats (who were living in the garbage dump behind Unseen University on Discworld, if that tells you anything). They get way more then they bargained for in the town of Bad Blintz. What a great book.
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11286 is a reply to message #10837 ] Tue, 10 February 2009 10:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
L.R.K.  is currently offline L.R.K.
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"The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents" was wonderful, wasn't it? I absolutely adored it! (Rec! Smile )

EDIT: My favourite quotation:

"He could still hear the dreadful voice in his head, but it was muffled. It was trying to give him orders. Trying to give a cat orders? It was easier to nail jelly to a wall. What did it think he was, a dog?"

"easier to nail jelly to a wall" - perfect. Anyone who has had anything to do with cats will know! Smile (Although Sassi's habit is to go out on the balcony after she's been to the toilet - not of course, that she's been there - and I can actually make her do that even when she doesn't feel like it. It's hilarious - she'll grumble and look over her shoulder "All right, I'm going, I'm going!" Smile )

[Updated on: Tue, 10 February 2009 14:50]


Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean, like butter that has been scraped over too much bread.
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11301 is a reply to message #10837 ] Tue, 10 February 2009 14:26 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Beauty/Anna  is currently offline Beauty/Anna
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Right now I am reading a Song for Summer by Eva Ibbotson and am enjoying it thus far.


"You are your best resource for success"
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11304 is a reply to message #10837 ] Tue, 10 February 2009 17:27 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Erika in Colorado  is currently offline Erika in Colorado
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I am reading Black Cross by Greg Iles. It's a WWII thriller about a pacifist who is helping research chemical weapons in a defensive capicity, but is approached to do more.... It's told in flashback by a rabbi after the present day funeral of said chemical researcher. So far, I very much like the style; it is yet to be seen, however, if it gets gory (although it does, at least, talk about the effects of the chemical weapons, which may be too much for some). It was recommended to me by my father-in-law who is ex-Airforce.


Erika in Colorado

"A person who's happy will make others happy; a person who has courage and faith will never die in misery!" -Anne Frank
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11346 is a reply to message #10837 ] Wed, 11 February 2009 11:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
GBKDalton  is currently offline GBKDalton
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How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff-a book set in a futuristic Britain as a war breaks out and an occupation begins. The author never mentions who they are at war with. The main character are forced to figure out how to survive and find one another again. I was glued to this book, but I'm not sure I liked the ending. However, I would recommned it to others, so you can add it to the recommendations list.

Peace Breaks Out by John Knowles-a companion book to A Seperate Peace, which I also enjoyed. Only the setting is the same, however. The class of 1946 at the Devon School, having expected to leave for war after graduation since they were children, is now faced with peace rather then war. Ripped through this one as well.
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11348 is a reply to message #10837 ] Wed, 11 February 2009 13:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Angelia  is currently offline Angelia
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Anathem by Neal Stephenson
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11393 is a reply to message #10837 ] Wed, 11 February 2009 21:43 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ssshunt  is currently offline ssshunt
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I've been reading The White House Blog. Yes, I know. Boggles, doesn't it?

And I wrote a letter to Obama.


"And by the way you look fantastic in your boots of Chinese plastic."
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11399 is a reply to message #10837 ] Wed, 11 February 2009 22:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
holmes44  is currently offline holmes44
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go shelley, let us know if he writes back.


Bonnie Holmes the faster ahead I go, the more behind I get
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11488 is a reply to message #10837 ] Thu, 12 February 2009 23:11 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mori-neko  is currently offline Mori-neko
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Wooo this has been a GOOD week for library holds!

My Cast in Fury just came in, and I'm about 25% done now, and I just got a notice that I finally get Chalice! YAYY!!
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11493 is a reply to message #10837 ] Fri, 13 February 2009 00:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
danceswithpahis  is currently offline danceswithpahis
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I just read Temple Grandin's new book "Animals Make Us Human". I wasn't convinced about the title, but I like her stuff (her book "Animals in Translation", about similarities between the ways people with autism work and the ways animals work [she is autistic and has worked with animals pretty much all her life], was amazing as well, although I like this new one even better) and grabbed it at the library anyway. I've really enjoyed it. She talks about animals and the way their emotional makeup works, and how to help them live a happy life. This book has chapters about a number of domestic animals, as well as one on wildlife and on animals in zoos (which I found particularly exciting because I worked at a zoo and this talked about some of the stuff happening in zoos these days that I saw at our zoo too [good stuff, making the animals more interested in the world and engaged]). It was both well-researched and extremely readable. Anyone who even sort of likes reading about animals (and perhaps even some who don't) might want to give this book a shot.


"Oh good! My dog found the chainsaw!"

-- Lilo ("Lilo and Stitch")
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11504 is a reply to message #10837 ] Fri, 13 February 2009 13:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Reading Angel  is currently offline Reading Angel
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I have recently reread Sabriel(Garth Nix) and Hexwood(Dianna Wynne Jones). Not reading anything at the moment, though.


"The center of every man's existence is a dream. Death, disease, insanity, are merely material accidents, like a toothache or a twisted ankle. That these brutal forces always besiege and often capture the citadel does not prove that they are the citadel."
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11506 is a reply to message #10891 ] Fri, 13 February 2009 13:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
CJames  is currently offline CJames
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abigailmm wrote on Mon, 02 February 2009 11:30

Was going to report last month that I just read (listened to as an audiobook) Dreams From My Father, read by Obama, abridged, unfortunately.

It took a while for my request for membership to go through, but I still want to report that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book. I don't really follow all of his musings about society and himself and fitting in, because my background is so much different from his, but I found most of it extremely clear, intelligent, and fascinating. It's obviously his own work, not ghostwritten (who would bother, back at the time it was written?). My goodness, it's such a relief to have somebody really thoughtful and smart elected! And clearheaded, and not given to glossing over flaws, even in people he obviously loves, or himself.



I remember ranting when I heard people explaining their support for Gov. Palin by saying basically, "she's just like me!" as though that was a valuable qualification for office. In my mind, this was an election, not a blind date, and having lots in common was beside the point.

The experience of having President Obama in office has taught me to understand a little better. Outside of any relevance to his actual ability to do the job well, it's fun to have a president who I would like to join a book club with. (Honestly, I think being well read is a valid qualification, leading, as it usually does to greater understanding, critical thinking, and articulate communication..and fewer moments when the people who elected you feel the need to hide under a desk when you are going to speak in public.)

Quote:

I also highly recommend Horizon by Lois McMaster Bujold, though if you have not read the first three of The Sharing Knife tetralogy already, you need to get Beguilement, Legacy, and Passage first.


Oh, thank you for the reminder. I need to read that one. I haven't read the Vorkosigan books, basically due to the lack of an obvious place to start. The Sharing Knife books seemed like a friendly, shallow end of the pool, sort of introduction.
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11511 is a reply to message #11506 ] Fri, 13 February 2009 17:57 Go to previous messageGo to next message
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CJames wrote on Sat, 14 February 2009 07:17


Oh, thank you for the reminder. I need to read that one. I haven't read the Vorkosigan books, basically due to the lack of an obvious place to start. The Sharing Knife books seemed like a friendly, shallow end of the pool, sort of introduction.



The Vorkosigan books start with Shards of Honour and Barrayar (available together as Coredelias Honour) and they are about Aral and Cordelia getting together.

The Miles books start with Warriors Apprentice. You could start with any of them up to about Mirror Game - once you get past that the subsequent stories draw heavily upon the previous books and you might get a little lost.

http://www.dendarii.co.uk/FanFic/timeline.html - will give you a timeline of the story and where the books fit in

An option to start with might be Cetaganda which is a Miles book but its a bit of a standalone.

There are also the 5 Gods series - Curse of Chalion, Paladin of Souls and Hallowed Hunt - the first two are paired and HH is completely separate

All of these are worthy to be put in Pollyannas booklist BTW
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11646 is a reply to message #10837 ] Mon, 16 February 2009 14:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
GBKDalton  is currently offline GBKDalton
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Read Beauty by Robin McKinley and Thud! by Terry Pratchett. Liked Beauty. Loved Thud!
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11662 is a reply to message #10837 ] Mon, 16 February 2009 20:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
ssshunt  is currently offline ssshunt
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Am about to start What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn. My book club is reading it.


"And by the way you look fantastic in your boots of Chinese plastic."
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11664 is a reply to message #10837 ] Mon, 16 February 2009 21:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
kfoster2047  is currently offline kfoster2047
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I am on a mystery kick. I read Miss Seeton Draws the Line which I really enjoyed. I wanted to try some more but apparently all of the books are out of print so I will have to check them out of the library or buy them used. I also re-read the The Amazing Mrs Polifax which is the second in the series. I enjoyed the series at first but lost interest after a while. Of course, they definitely qualify as women doing things. Smile

Also read this strange little 70s mystery called Alp Murder. I never realized how much some books can get dated. This has all these references to "digging things" and "cool cats" and stuff like that. It was an amusing (but slightly annoying) way to spend a couple of hours.


Karen
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11708 is a reply to message #10837 ] Tue, 17 February 2009 23:51 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Reading Angel  is currently offline Reading Angel
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So, I borrowed Lirael from Charis last night because I want to complete my reread of the trilogy and am curiously missing Lirael. However, before I even got a chance to read it I stopped at a Half Price Books today to kill half an hour and ended up with a novel that looks to be steampunkish and two Dorothy Sayers/Lord Peter books...

Needless to say, the rereading of Lirael has yielded to the reading of Lord Peter. At the moment I'm reading The Five Red Herrings, and next I'll be reading In The Teeth Of The Evidence and Other Mysteries...


"The center of every man's existence is a dream. Death, disease, insanity, are merely material accidents, like a toothache or a twisted ankle. That these brutal forces always besiege and often capture the citadel does not prove that they are the citadel."
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11724 is a reply to message #10837 ] Wed, 18 February 2009 16:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
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I finally got to read the last of the Louise Penny mysteries - Cruellest Month (I read them in order of 1,2,4,3) and they are just delightful! Thanks for the recommendation Smile

I also discovered the latest Retrieval Artist book is out - Duplicate Effort - but I had to go back and read Paloma and Retrieval Man first because thats where the story arc starts. Im not sure if she will continue writing this series, it finished in a way that left it a bit vague.

And for any of you that read the fantastic The Eight by Katherine Neville, well 20 odd years later there is a sequel The Fire, and I started it while soaking in the bath last night!!
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11731 is a reply to message #10837 ] Wed, 18 February 2009 19:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
L.R.K.  is currently offline L.R.K.
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I just found this and wondered where to post it - and then I thought, I'm reading "Small Gods" by Terry Pratchett at the moment - perfect!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7896865.stm

I like what he has to say.


Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean, like butter that has been scraped over too much bread.
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11741 is a reply to message #11724 ] Wed, 18 February 2009 20:15 Go to previous messageGo to next message
kfoster2047  is currently offline kfoster2047
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And for any of you that read the fantastic The Eight by Katherine Neville, well 20 odd years later there is a sequel The Fire, and I started it while soaking in the bath last night!!

That's amazing - I have slowly been retrieving books from our storage shed and that was one the ones I found this weekend. Smile So how is the sequel?

Retrieval Artist? Who is the author?

I'm really glad you enjoyed Louise Penny. And the good news is that she has another one currently being edited (not sure about the release date) and is working on the 6th.


Karen
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11744 is a reply to message #11741 ] Wed, 18 February 2009 20:45 Go to previous messageGo to next message
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kfoster2047 wrote on Thu, 19 February 2009 14:15

And for any of you that read the fantastic The Eight by Katherine Neville, well 20 odd years later there is a sequel The Fire, and I started it while soaking in the bath last night!!

That's amazing - I have slowly been retrieving books from our storage shed and that was one the ones I found this weekend. Smile So how is the sequel?

Retrieval Artist? Who is the author?

I'm really glad you enjoyed Louise Penny. And the good news is that she has another one currently being edited (not sure about the release date) and is working on the 6th.



Just started The Fire, and its just starting to get going - its based in 2003 and Catherines daughter is the new main character - Catherine has gone missing right from the beginning of the book.....

The Retrieval Artist series are by Kristine Katherine Rusch

http://kriswrites.com/kristine-kathryn-rusch/the-retrieval-a rtist-series/

And YAY for more Louise Penny
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #11974 is a reply to message #11744 ] Mon, 23 February 2009 14:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Angelia  is currently offline Angelia
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I loved The Eight--have to get the sequel. Just finished a trio of children's/YA books: Savvy by Ingrid Law, The Underneath by Kathy Appelt, and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie--all excellent.
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #12137 is a reply to message #10837 ] Fri, 27 February 2009 09:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Beauty/Anna  is currently offline Beauty/Anna
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I'm almost done with A Song for Summer by Eva Ibbotson, and every time I take a brake from reading it(I've only been reading it at night— and sundays— because of school reasons) my fingers start itching for my violin and the feel the vibrating violin strings under my fingers and through my body. Maybe the book effected me that way because of my love for my violin and the beauty of classical music.

[Updated on: Sun, 01 March 2009 15:08]


"You are your best resource for success"
Re: February 2009 What are you reading? [message #12271 is a reply to message #10837 ] Sun, 01 March 2009 18:29 Go to previous message
Maren  is currently offline Maren
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[Moderator]
This thread has now been locked. Look for the March "What are you reading?" near the top of Pollyanna's subforum.
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