GovMarley 90 Report post Posted September 5, 2007 Gorged on books this weekend - finished An Innocent Man (very good but very depressing), then read The Dive from Claussen's Pier (pretty good) and The Rest of Her Life (started out meh but got a lot better).I liked The Dive from Claussen's Pier. I should re-read that one. I also liked The Rest of Her Life by the end, too. Just started to re-read The Lake of Dead Languages. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freelancergirl 0 Report post Posted September 5, 2007 The Dive from Claussen's Pier is one of my all-time faves. Ann Packer has a new book out that's on my list. I can't remember if I posted about this or not: I recently finished How to Talk to a Widower and could not have loved it more. LOVED it. Read a few others recently too, but eh, they were all fine, nothing worth dying for. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bette Davis 0 Report post Posted September 6, 2007 Gorged on books this weekend - finished An Innocent Man (very good but very depressing), then read The Dive from Claussen's Pier (pretty good) and The Rest of Her Life (started out meh but got a lot better). I liked The Dive from Claussen's Pier. I should re-read that one. I also liked The Rest of Her Life by the end, too. Just started to re-read The Lake of Dead Languages. You have to read Carol Goodman's new book, the Sonnet Lover. The Lake of Dead Languages is one of my favorite mysteries ever. Her old books remind me alot of Donna Tart's first book. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
soho2chelsea 3 Report post Posted September 10, 2007 I really like Lawrence Block--his "Burglar Who" series is fun. I'll have to check out "Even the Wicked". I would start with "Eight Million Ways To Die" if you have not read anything in his Matthew Scudder series - it's the best of the bunch and a good place to start. I am glad you guys liked Sara Gran! I think she is really talented. Right now I am reading a fantastic Japanese author called Natsuo Kirino. She writes Japanese feminist noir (talk about an awesome niche! LOL) I just love her and wish they would translate more of her books soon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natsuo_Kirino Her book "Out" was an Edgar finalist and it is fantastic; I totally recommend it. (Fykey, I think you would like it.) "Out" reviews on Amazon.com Be careful if you are squeamish, though Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bette Davis 0 Report post Posted September 10, 2007 (edited) I really like Lawrence Block--his "Burglar Who" series is fun. I'll have to check out "Even the Wicked". I would start with "Eight Million Ways To Die" if you have not read anything in his Matthew Scudder series - it's the best of the bunch and a good place to start. I am glad you guys liked Sara Gran! I think she is really talented. Right now I am reading a fantastic Japanese author called Natsuo Kirino. She writes Japanese feminist noir (talk about an awesome niche! LOL) I just love her and wish they would translate more of her books soon. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natsuo_Kirino Her book "Out" was an Edgar finalist and it is fantastic; I totally recommend it. (Fykey, I think you would like it.) "Out" reviews on Amazon.com Be careful if you are squeamish, though I have read both of Natsuo Kirino's books published in English. Loved the prose but the one where the female characters cut up the body of the murder victim is very gruesome. ( IF I was a low wage Japanese factory lady maybe I would go warrior feminist on a sexist male too. LOL) Makes the Sopranos and Patricia Cornwell look like child's play. I liked that one best. ( I think it is OUT) The second book about the hookers was not as good, imo. I love Sara Gran! I highly recommend Dope. ( An ex dope fiend in the 50's plays private detective to find a missing drug addict rich girl.) I have only skimmed the supernatural one. Not sure it is my cup of tea. Edited September 10, 2007 by Bette Davis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bittermuch? 0 Report post Posted September 15, 2007 Just finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter. Very readable, fairly satisfying. Could be sappy and irritatingly simplistic at times, but overall I thought relatively good and worth reading. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blondie 0 Report post Posted September 19, 2007 I can't remember if I posted about this or not: I recently finished How to Talk to a Widower and could not have loved it more. LOVED it.I've purchased this on your recommendation. Am just about to start "Rebecca" by Du Maurier, but I think I it will be next on my list. Bittermuch? - I read Memory Keeper's Daughter recently while on vacation and thought it was ok, nothing great. I found the beginning very upsetting as the plot hit very close to home (I have a DS cousin who was institutionalized at birth and not discussed in the family - I only found out about him in my mid-twenties and many of my cousins only found out when my uncle, his father, died last year). But overall I thought the author worked too hard at making the characters saintly despite their faults and it really got to me by the end. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
missunderstood 0 Report post Posted September 20, 2007 I can't remember if I posted about this or not: I recently finished How to Talk to a Widower and could not have loved it more. LOVED it.I've purchased this on your recommendation. Am just about to start "Rebecca" by Du Maurier, but I think I it will be next on my list. Bittermuch? - I read Memory Keeper's Daughter recently while on vacation and thought it was ok, nothing great. I found the beginning very upsetting as the plot hit very close to home (I have a DS cousin who was institutionalized at birth and not discussed in the family - I only found out about him in my mid-twenties and many of my cousins only found out when my uncle, his father, died last year). But overall I thought the author worked too hard at making the characters saintly despite their faults and it really got to me by the end. Oh, I loved "Rebecca" - one of my all time favourite books. Hope you enjoy it too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Annie Savoy 12 Report post Posted September 20, 2007 I also liked How to Talk to a Widower. I'm reading Let's Spend the Night Together by Pamela Des Barres. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GovMarley 90 Report post Posted September 22, 2007 (edited) The Dive from Claussen's Pier is one of my all-time faves. Ann Packer has a new book out that's on my list. I can't remember if I posted about this or not: I recently finished How to Talk to a Widower and could not have loved it more. LOVED it. Read a few others recently too, but eh, they were all fine, nothing worth dying for. I also recently read my copy of How to Talk to a Widower. I loved it! I finished it in one afternoon. I just finished my advance copy of The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold. I heard her speak Sunday night and we got a copy of her new book. If you enjoyed Lucky or The Lovely Bones, you will like this one, too. Pretty intense, and the ending was interesting. Edited September 22, 2007 by GovMarley Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
l1zz1e 0 Report post Posted September 22, 2007 In honor of Survivor, I'm reading The Art of War. :ph34r: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bette Davis 0 Report post Posted September 24, 2007 In honor of Survivor, I'm reading The Art of War. :ph34r: That is a book my husband is always quoting. Hmm...... ancient Chinese Generals seem relevant to modern live and television. I am reading Who Murdered Chaucer? written by a series of writers. Pretty good but long. I now know more about Richard II and Henry IV's relations with the Church then I ever wanted to know. Henry killed cousin Richard. Big shock. I don't know why Prince Charles and Princess Di's life shocked anyone, they both descended from all these blood thirty British monarchs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sproutster 0 Report post Posted September 30, 2007 I just read a wonderful book. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It's narrated by Death, and is about growing up in Hitler Germany. It isn't so much about the horrors, although they make their appearance, it's about life. It has such beautiful lines that just made me catch my breath. Warning: You will cry at the end of the book -- but it is firmly in my top ten. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bette Davis 0 Report post Posted October 3, 2007 Hate to admit it but I am reading Tina Brown's Diana Chronicles. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoyaheel 1,874 Report post Posted October 3, 2007 (edited) Hate to admit it but I am reading Tina Brown's Diana Chronicles. That's on my reading list--tell me how it is Never be embarrassed by what you read!! We all have different tastes, right? I just finished a few fun mysteries--latest Donna Andrews (The Penguin who Knew Too Much), latest Diane Mott Davidson (Sweet Revenge), Fiona Buckley (Siren Queen--fantastic series about Queen Elizabeth, 1st in series is To Shield the Queen). I'm about half way through the Elizabeth George series, and half-way through Diana Gabaldon's lastest book, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade. Edited October 3, 2007 by Hoyaheel Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
branchop 319 Report post Posted October 3, 2007 Just finished "Goodnight Nobody" by Jennifer Weiner. My first time reading her - probably my last..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bittermuch? 0 Report post Posted October 3, 2007 I did not like Goodnight, Nobody, either (although I practically read it in one sitting). Don't give up on Weiner, though - Good in Bed and In Her Shoes are both worth reading. I'm reading Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood. Seriously, I never drank as much as she does in the book, but some of her behavior and thought-processes are uncomfortably familiar (especially when she describes moving into the dorms). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoyaheel 1,874 Report post Posted October 3, 2007 I haven't read Goodnight Nobody but read Little Earthquakes a month ago (paperback exchange on my vacation ) and thought it was ok. I'm not running out to try more of her books, but if I see them at a library book sale I might pick them up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fykeylicious 1,099 Report post Posted October 3, 2007 I did not like Goodnight, Nobody, either (although I practically read it in one sitting). Don't give up on Weiner, though - Good in Bed and In Her Shoes are both worth reading. I'm reading Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood. Seriously, I never drank as much as she does in the book, but some of her behavior and thought-processes are uncomfortably familiar (especially when she describes moving into the dorms). I've only read Weiner's Good in Bed, but I really enjoyed it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bittermuch? 0 Report post Posted October 3, 2007 This is going to sound bad, but basically once Weiner had a kid in real life her books fell off. JMO, of course. See Jennifer Weiner's blog Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GovMarley 90 Report post Posted October 4, 2007 I'm reading "Run" by Ann Patchett. It's great so far. I really enjoyed "Bel Canto", so this one isn't disappointing me so far. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blondie 0 Report post Posted October 4, 2007 This is going to sound bad, but basically once Weiner had a kid in real life her books fell off. JMO, of course. See Jennifer Weiner's blog I agree wholeheartedly. I really loved her first two but the pregnancy/child seem to have turned her (or her characters anyway), into annoying, selfish women. I recently read a collection of short stories that she wrote at different times in her life (sorry, cannot remember the name of the book) and enjoyed all of the ones she wrote pre-baby (you can tell not only because quality is higher, but the back of the book had her summary of each and when they were written). Still working my way through "Rebecca" - have been too busy to spend a lot of time reading lately, but I love it. If things at work were not so busy I think I'd be reading it in just one sitting to see how it ends! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
soho2chelsea 3 Report post Posted October 4, 2007 (edited) For fellow writing geeks - there is a gorgeous illustrated version of Strunk and White's "The Elements of Style" that you should get. I have the hardcover edition and the paperback edition, because I am a total geek. Here's the NYT story on it with some of the illustrations. They're gorgeous and perfectly suited for the book. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/19/arts/19styl.html The cover has this illustration Some purists may not like the illustrations but I think Strunk would have been amused by them. And I like them. I was just using it for something and it occurred to me that there seem to be a lot of writery people here who might love the book as much as me Edited October 4, 2007 by soho2chelsea Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bittermuch? 0 Report post Posted October 4, 2007 I'm reading "Run" by Ann Patchett. It's great so far. I really enjoyed "Bel Canto", so this one isn't disappointing me so far. Ooh, good to know. I have read mixed reviews. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smartypants23 0 Report post Posted October 5, 2007 I'm reading Snow Falling on Cedars and although I'm taking forever to read it, I really like it so far. I grew up in the PNW so it is nice to read about a familiar location. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites