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Reading update - just read Lena Dunham's book and I really, really enjoyed it. I'm not really a fan of hers, as I don't watch Girls, so I'm surprised by how much I liked it.

 

Currently reading Amy Poehler's book, which is good, but not as good as Lena's. I'm enjoying all her behind-the-scenes discussion of life at SNL.

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What are we reading now, chitchatters? I've read a lot since my last post months ago, but nothing terribly exciting.

 

Read the new David Mitchell (The Bone Clocks), which was underwhelming.

 

Currently reading The Glittering World by Robert Levy, and I'm surprised by how much I'm liking it. Also reading my first Terry Pratchett (decided on Going Postal) in honor of his passing. I'm reading the e-version, so it's slower going than it would be had I a physical copy, but I'm enjoying it.

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I read the Amy Poehler memoir a few months back - enjoyed it! Haven't read Lena Dunham's yet (I got Amy's from Overdrive on Kindle). Right now reading The Engagements - story of the ad woman who invented "Diamonds are Forever" campaign interspersed with tales of relationships in different eras in the US. Interesting!

 

I did finish all the Outlander novels and the Harkness novels. I just loved the Deborah Harkness novels. I was worried I wouldn't like the end of the trilogy but I did :-)

 

Hoping to go to London sometime in the fall (possible Thanksgiving week) to celebrate our 15th anniversary. If so, I'll need to load up on tons of English & London fiction! I'm good on historical fiction (esp Tudor mysteries, and Regency romances ;-) but haven't read as much contemporary fiction.

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I also read the Amy Poehler book and was disappointed. It's like she tries too hard to be the cool kid. Parts of it were funny.

 

I read The Thousand Autumns of Jacob DeZoet by David Mitchell. The first hundred pages were LOOOOONNNG but after that it picked up. I read The Round House by Lois Erdich (? Can't remember) and that was very good. Last book was As You Wish by Cary Elwes. Perfectly pleasant but completely devoid of gossip.

 

I finished the Deborah Harkness trilogy too, but didn't really like the third book. My New Years resolution was to read (among my own choices) one book per month that was picked out by a friend. The David Mitchell book and the Round House were both friend picks as was Lamb, by Christopher Moore. I loved that one, even though I am not a very religious person.

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I've become obsessed with the French Revolution. I recommend Dancing on the Precipice, which chronicles the life of a member of the nobility. And the Josephine Bonaparte trilogy by Sandra Gulland. Soooo good.

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Thought we had a "gossip" thread but must be part of a longer thread. Just started reading a book that's been on my list forever (not sure where I first heard about it) Called Nemesis by Peter Evans - it's a biography of Aristotle Onassis but focusing on the marriage to Jackie and his feud with Bobby Kennedy. I'm still early in the book but it is filled with juicy (albeit 50 yr old) gossip. But I love old gossip.

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OOh - my e-library just told me that "Paying Guests" by Sarah Waters is in for me! (Tipping the Velvet - I know there are other fans of hers here!) Hope it's good!! Must finish my new Clive Cussler first, but those never take too long ;-)

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Sadly, I did not enjoy Paying Guests. It was too wordy (and reviews on Amazon tell me I'm not the only one who thought so) Problem with reading on an old-school Kindle- I only knew the percentage of what I read, so I never had a good feel for how much of the book is left. And when you think about that a lot, you know the book is dragging! And, I was unsettled by the ending. I get the non-American "everything wrapped up in a pretty bow" thing, but honestly - I really don't have a clue what happens next. Probably a good book club book, right? Where everyone drinks a lot and imagines what could have happened? OK, whoever might read it - have a couple glasses of wine and get back to me :-)

 

On the other hand, I liked The Knock-Off more than I thought - Lucy Sykes & Jo Piazza (former gossip columnist for NY Daily News or Page Six, I forget) Plum Sykes books have been ok (I liked Bergdorf Blondes) but she hadn't written any novels before so I wasn't sure....Anyway - great fast juicy gossipy fun book. Same genre as Plum Sykes, or Lauren Weisburger etc - New York fashion/magazine world, but an interesting story about the "older" generation co-existing with millennials in the workplace. I recommended it to all my friends in NYC over the weekend ;-)

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I have a secret that no one knows but you now. I joined Audible, put it on my phone and have been buying books like crazy. My sister with whom I live doesn't believe in spending money on books (just get 'em at the library!) but my eyes are so bad now they can't be corrected with glasses so I really do need audio books. And it's my money. And audio books don't take up space in the house.

 

I love it. I can "read" while I do house work or take walks or go to sleep at night (I may never finish In Cold Blood because I keep falling asleep during the last chapter. It's okay; I know how it ends. They swing. And not in a good way) I have gotten a lot of ideas from this thread. I love having friends who read, because people just don't anymore.

 

I'm just starting Shutter Island. I love the movie, so decided to read the book.

 

Happy Reading!

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ETA I'm glad you've found so egging that works for you. It would suck Ido couldn't read anymore. If it makes you happy, go for it! There are so many worse vices.

 

My library also does audiobook rentals through Overdrive. I use my kindle and my iPhone with the library so much that I usually only buy one or two books a year.

 

Plus, if you borrow a kindle book through the library, you get the whisper sync discount on the audiobook through audible.

Edited by dixiedoodah

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Currently reading Fingerprints of the Gods (nonfiction) and it is mind blowing.

 

In fiction, I'm reading Adam Nevill's latest, The House of Small Shadows. I like creepy books as we move into fall. His previous stuff has been just ok for me but so far I'm really enjoying this one.

 

AND I've been reading a collection of stories by Laird Barron. They are dark and weird and, at times, beautifully written.

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Fall = creepy. OK then.

 

I made a black crow wreath (copycat of Williams Sonoma) and I can't wait to hang it! (this was last year)

 

Just finished Girls Like Us by Sheila Weller - biography of Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon & Carole King - really good. Back to a few fiction - quickies, really.....

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Edited by Hoyaheel
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Ooh Hoya, that's awesome!

 

October/Halloween has always been my favorite time of year, and now Hallowen is also my daughter's birthday. (We like to say that's why she's so devilish.) Now I REALLY go overboard on decor. I'm sure in a few years she'll be over it -- and she'll have to deal!!

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I love Halloween too, but we live in the boonies and never have trick or treaters, so I do try to do "fall" decorations I can leave up from mid-September through Thanksgiving (when I switch to Christmas, because I love to decorate for Christmas, even though I don't celebrate the religious holiday)

 

I pulled the wreath photo from my Pinterest Holidays board and am reminded how many good ideas I've pinned and how little decorating I've done the past couple years....

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I live in the south but grew up in New England. I can't dress for the fall the way I want to, so I just decorate for it ;-) Most years I decorate around whatever trips I have planned - our anniversary is late October and we like to travel sometime Oct-early December as our main vacation for the year, so I'll do fall decorating before the trip and holiday when we get back...One of my SILs is super over the top about themed decorating, so seeing her FB posts pushes me into action some years :tantrum:

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I bought a large mum at Costco, but it hasn't bloomed yet so it's not displayed on the porch yet. Baby steps :-)

 

I just finished reading China Rich Girlfriend last night, sequel to Crazy Rich Asian (Kevin Kwan) So good!! I've always loved novels about the rich, whether Regency England romances or contemporaries a la Jackie Collins. Too fun! Great summer reads - I highly recommend if you haven't read him yet.

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Mark Bailey: Of All the Gin Joints: Stumbling through Hollywood History

 

It's Hollywood gossip, cocktail recipes & social history. Loved it!!! Just finished today....

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I have been reading crap lately, and not by choice. Picked up a few books from the library and they are proving PAINFUL to finish. I should just give up but I'm far enough in that I have to see them through to the bitter end.

 

:tantrum:

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I should just give up but I'm far enough in that I have to see them through to the bitter end.

 

 

I felt that way about The Queen's Lover by Francine du Plessix Gray. Not so bad at the beginning but she's a very bland novelist (her voice seems better suited to the memoirs and non-fiction she writes) I finished it but the end was a LOT of skimming by me ;-)

 

I jumped right into Philippa Gregory when I was done to wash the bad taste of historical romance away :-)

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I jumped right into Philippa Gregory when I was done to wash the bad taste of historical romance away :-)

 

 

I'm waiting for a slow weekend before purchasing her new book so I can spend all weekend reading it :)

 

I actually just finished the Divergent series, I'm shocked how much I loved it!!

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Fall = creepy. OK then.

 

I made a black crow wreath (copycat of Williams Sonoma) and I can't wait to hang it! (this was last year)

 

 

Halloween is tomorrow, hope your crow wreath is up!!

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Crow wreath did go up back at the end of Sept, beginning of October. 2 weeks ago I made white pumpkin topiaries for my living room - they can stay up through Thanksgiving when I put up Christmas stuff :-)

 

I read the last Philippa Gregory (about Margaret Pole) - have the new one about Katheryn Parr on my reading list but library doesn't have it yet. I actually had the last one on my Kindle through the library.

 

I have 2 trips to China coming up - need to stock up on Kindle books for those flights!

 

Went to library yesterday - picked up new Candace Bushnell (Killing Monica), most recent Lindsey Davis (ancient Rome mysteries, "Deadly Election") and a memoir very hot in pop culture this year - Primates of Park Avenue by Wednesday Martin.

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