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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2009 9:43:08 GMT
Bixaorellana, a monthly thread would simply be a new thread each month, titled "What are you reading in xxxmonth?" It would help keep the threads short and easy to search so that if someone remembers, for example, that you or I or anyone else posted about a particular book in a particular month's thread, the posting would be easier to find than on one big thread. It would also work as a prompt for members to post if they saw the month in the title.
The downside is, as you mentioned earlier, that once the month is over, the threads would tend to get pushed off the board. So maybe we should just stick to one big thread that is constantly updated so it doesn't roll off the board. Can you post unlimited posts on one thread?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2009 17:48:31 GMT
We'll just have to find out! ;D (No, really, I think the threads are unlimited or almost -- I've seen threads on other ProBoards sites go on for at least 100 pages.)
Right now, I am reading Métronome by Lorànt Deutsch, a French actor of Hungarian origin. It's a history of Paris using the names of metro stations as the starting point for each chapter. (He has a university degree in history and philosophy, so he is not one of those actors who left school at 15 to pursue an acting career.)
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 28, 2009 19:13:16 GMT
I checked, Icy, and threads can have an unlimited number of posts, so ........... you are off and running with your big reading thread! If you wanted to, you could continuously modify your OP to include a list of books about which there was meaningful discussion. A new feature has been added to AnyPort which will facilitate dialogue within threads. It allows one to accumulate quotes from various posts before writing ones reply. Here are the directions. Icy, it's so great that you started this discussion. You can see how quickly and eagerly everyone responded. You are so right in anticipating a mega-thread! Kerouac, are you saying that auto-didacts are incapable of writing well-researched books?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2009 9:02:02 GMT
OK, lets go for a mega thread!
I've finished Heaven's Command, which is an interesting and informative look at the forces that shaped the British Empire in the 19th century.
Also finished <i>London Match</i> by Len Deighton. Very good spy thriller. I can see that I will have to read the other books in the series because the game is clearly only just beginning.
Am now reading a romantic thriller, Force of Nature by Suzanne Brockmann. She is one of few writers I have come across who can combine a good thriller with a good romance.
I am not very happy with the English translation of The Girl who played with Fire and am considering getting the Icelandic one instead.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2009 13:06:26 GMT
Last night I finished "The Snakehead",by Patrick Radden Keefe. Somewhat of a departure from my choice of reads however,I had read some excerpts of the book in both The New Yorker and New York magazine and was intrigued both with the topic and the real life characters portrayed. While it revolves around a single incident that occurred in 1993 when a ship went aground off the Atlantic shores just outside of NYC that was carrying 300 undocumented immigrants,the author treats this single incident as a touchstone to explore the world of human smuggling. An incredibly fascinating, well researched read. I highly recommend it as it really gives insight into the incredible lengths people will go to live in a free world. It also serves as an excellent history of Chinatown,NYC and its people as well as the Fujianese Province of China.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 29, 2009 18:21:03 GMT
Boy, did I have a fruitful visit to the library yesterday! I got The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly, plus The Closers, one of his books I've not yet read. I was thrilled to find Run by Ann Patchett, her most recent book, as far as I know. The other two books I took out are A Sudden Country by Karen Fisher and *drumroll* The Hornet's Nest - a novel of the Revolutionary War by my hero, Jimmy Carter. Yes, that Jimmy Carter.
Being the shallow, self-indulgent person that I am, I'm starting with The Scarecrow.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2009 1:43:29 GMT
I'm a little confused so, in an effort to not botch this up,say, the next book I'm reading is by an author that has a thread on here (Alan Furst). Do I not post under Alan Furst ,or on here? Seems a shame to not have that continuity of one author even though it's been ages ago since anyone posted on there.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 30, 2009 1:51:32 GMT
I'd say if you wanted to keep the continuity of the Alan Furst thread going, you should post there.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2009 20:22:41 GMT
I had a sleepless night last night (being abruptly laid off from work will do that to a person) and delved into Force of Nature by Suzanne Brockmann. It's steamy, violent, over the top and ends well, and totally what I needed under the circumstances. I think I just may start delving more into romances while I am getting over my shock at being laid off, because I really need to believe this will have a happy ending for me.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 1, 2009 23:14:45 GMT
Oh, Icy ~~ I am sorry! I hope that you quickly find something that is suited to you in every way.
What a good idea to use books to keep you optimistic.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2009 10:56:10 GMT
Bixa, I know I will find a job, it's just a question of what kind of job, and when. I will take anything that will allow me to pay my mortgage and eat (beggars and choosers and all that), but I'm hoping for something in one of my fields of expertise: housing finance, intellectual property or translation. The translation field looks like it's going into a boom, but the competition in the freelance market is fierce.
Next read will be The Girl Who Played with Fire. The movie premiers here today and I want to go see it soon. Then I have lined up several funny books with happy endings, including some of my perennial happy reads: The Hobbit, My Family and other Animals, Three men in a Boat. I am also reading up on India, because I have this crazy idea to go there for a month before I start job hunting full time. My severance pay will cover that and all my at-home expenses and I am well set up with savings, so I will only have to start worrying if I haven't found work in six months time.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2009 12:14:53 GMT
Sorry to hear about the job situation, icy. India (as well as some other parts of Asia) is a good place to purge one's mind at minimal expense.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2009 13:46:40 GMT
Good luck with this icy.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 2, 2009 14:42:39 GMT
Gosh, Icy, you really have strong career skills and a plan. I'm glad to hear this lay-off did not lay you low, and that you got a good severance package. What a great idea to take a major trip that wouldn't be possible when working full time. ========================================================================== As to what I'm reading ............ I'm still on The Scarecrow and definitely think Michael Connelly is taking his Jack McEvoy character into interesting directions. It's also good to see that an author who created an immensely popular character and series (the Harry Bosch novels) is keeping that character alive peripherally in a new series, rather than churning out pedestrian additions to the Bosch series. I see on michaelconnelly.com that a new Harry Bosch novel will be released in the US on October 13. Be still, my heart! To be honest, I avoided Connelly for a long time because of my prejudice against authors who write "too many" books. However, once I gave him a first chance I was hooked and he's never disappointed. The theme of The Scarecrow is upsetting enough so that I don't like to read it when I go to bed at night. Thus, I've also started the Jimmy Carter book, The Hornet's Nest, which will be the "full-time" book once I've finished Scarecrow. So far on Hornet's Nest I give it a strong recommendation. It's the teeniest bit stilted because of all the history background which has to be worked in at the beginning. However, the way the history is presented is so interesting that I'm really enjoying the stage setting and can cheerfully wait for more character & plot development.
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Post by auntieannie on Oct 3, 2009 19:03:12 GMT
I am about to start "Three cups of tea" - will report on it. it does sound promising.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 3, 2009 19:11:00 GMT
Can't wait for your report, Annie. I've been eying that book.
Finished The Scarecrow and found it quite satisfying.
I'm enjoying The Hornet's Nest a great deal because of all the history and the fascinating details about life in that time period (pre-American Revolution).
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Post by Kimby on Oct 3, 2009 20:30:54 GMT
I am about to start "Three cups of tea" - will report on it. it does sound promising. Greg Mortenson lives just down the road from me in Bozeman. When he's not out saving the world, that is. I'm reading Bruce Chatwin's The Songlines, about Australia's Aboriginal population and their worldview.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2009 0:11:46 GMT
Brushing up on the native view before your big trip kimby? I try to do the same but usually end up reading more about a place AFTER the trip somehow. One little thing will intrigue me where I happen to be and I will voraciously devour whatever I can get my hands on after the trip. Maybe,in a way I'm prolonging the experience.
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Post by traveler63 on Oct 4, 2009 15:36:58 GMT
I finished the Magician's Assistant, thought it was very well written and the ending although not surprising, left quite an impact on me. The whole book was so different, and it really gives food for thought on what the true description of love is. I am now reading The Rose of Sebastopol by Katharine McMahon. She also wrote The Alchemist's Daughter. I really like this book, it has just enough drama and mystery to keep you turning the page. I had read years ago about the Crimea war and Florence Nightingale however, this book takes a different point of view on the war and her involvement. I haven't read The Alchemist's Daughter but since I like this one and the writing I will put it on reserve to read.
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Post by Kimby on Oct 5, 2009 2:07:12 GMT
Brushing up on the native view before your big trip kimby? Yes and tonite we'll be watching Road Warriors (Mad Max 2), to see where we'll be headed. (I already watched Australia and Priscilla Queen of the Desert!)
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 5, 2009 2:15:14 GMT
Don't want to high-jack this thread, but will quickly recommend In a Sunburned Country, by the insanely talented Bill Bryson.
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Post by tillystar on Oct 5, 2009 10:03:52 GMT
Sorry to hear about your job icy. I hope this is the start of something good for you. I got a stack of Rosie Thomas books at the charity shop last week so indulging in those. I just finished one called White, about a doomed attempt at climbing Everest. Half of the book is set in the preparations In Lukla and the trek to Base camp and so it set me off looking through spindrift’s nepal photos and dreaming about walking there one day. I might have become a little obsessed with it all I have started another one of hers called White Dove which is completely different and set in WWI. Seems like a family saga type story but I am only a few pages in. I am sure that, like the rest of her books, it will be the literary version of chicken soup. Perfect for the start of these dark nights
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Post by Kim B on Oct 5, 2009 14:12:51 GMT
Don't want to high-jack this thread, but will quickly recommend In a Sunburned Country, by the insanely talented Bill Bryson. Thanks bixa, but I just finished re-reading that one. Read it years ago, but wanted to read it after having researched the geography of australia. Means a lot more now.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2009 14:49:26 GMT
The Girl who Played with Fire is slow going - I simply can't work up any enthusiasm for it. Am also furious with the effing reviewer who gave away an important shock factor plot twist - I have now officially stopped reading reviews for books I plan to read, because too may reviewers don't play by the rules.
Am instead enjoying a prose translation of The Epic of Gilgamesh. Next up will probably be The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 6, 2009 15:25:34 GMT
Boy, you touched a nerve there, Icy! "Reviewing" does not mean "telling the plot". I've gotten to the point where I'm almost afraid to read jacket flaps.
I love the Tuesday Next series by Jasper Fforde, although his nursery series doesn't do it for me.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2009 18:59:07 GMT
Finished Gilgamesh. It was an interesting look at very early literature and I could see in it the precursors to a number of myths I am familiar with, both ancient Greek and Biblical. Funny to read a piece of literature where the introduction is longer than the story.
Have started reading The Well of Lost Plots, which looks promising. I expect mayhem is just about to erupt.
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Post by bjd on Oct 8, 2009 7:22:01 GMT
I liked Three Cups of Tea. Not so much for his writing as for what he is talking about. I have also enjoyed a couple of the Jasper Fforde books.
Right now I'm reading several books at the same time, which is something I have only started to do recently. A book called 1848 about the European revolutions of that year. A French detective story set in Perpignan and written in a slangy way. (I usually avoid French detective novels -- they just don't do them all that well.) The first volume of Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond Chronicles -- I stopped reading it when I went on holiday and haven't picked it up again. I'm not really having a hard time with it, but it doesn't seem to be a book "I can't put down".
And I bought Patagonia Express in Spanish by the Chilean writer Luis Sepulveda, which I started reading the other day, trying to get my Spanish back in working order.
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 11, 2009 0:16:14 GMT
I wasn't quite sure where to post this, but since several people on this thread have mentioned their enjoyment of Cane River, this seems to be an appropriate spot. Click on the graphic to read a fascinating true-life genealogical tale going back to the days of slavery in the US.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2009 0:27:10 GMT
Thanks for this B. Fascinating. NPR covered this a couple of days ago. Look how much the First Lady resembles her mother in the photo. I really get so emotional when I read or hear these stories,followed by goose bumps. Did you read Cane River B.? I believe I mentioned my mother reading and enjoying. I gave it to her caretaker Cristina to read while I was visiting. She is slowly and painstakingly trying to learn reading English and wants to read American History so...
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Post by tillystar on Oct 15, 2009 8:34:09 GMT
I just finished The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid. I started it yesterday morning and read it like a mad person all day yesterday, snatching any moment with it I could. It’s a very short story, written as a monologue of a young man talking to an American in a bar in Lahore. He was born in Pakistan and went to study in America and tells of falling in and then out of love with the country and the life that he lived there. He describes that working for a big American finance organisation feeling like a modern day janissary – Christian’s captured by the Ottoman empire made to fight against their own people.
A quick read, written in a very simple, straightforward style but very thought provoking and clever.
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