Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 746456 times)

Steph · « **Reply #3080 on:** April 24, 2012, 06:05:59 AM »

This is the place to talk about the works of fiction you are reading, whether they are new or old, and share your own opinions and reviews with interested readers.

Every week the new bestseller lists come out brimming with enticing looking books and rave reviews. How to choose?

Discussion Leader: Judy Laird

I love the idea, but I am with you.. I am not into public nudity in any form for me. Since I love and use Amtrak , will try and remember to look out on such occasions.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3081 on:** April 24, 2012, 08:46:29 PM »

I am a dreadful prude and feel ill just at the THOUGHT of seeing bare backsides. Ugh!

About stress: we do not realize we have it. The day my second husband died (colon cancer and very much expected), I made the mistake of driving my car, albeit my daughter had offered. I felt I wanted to spare HER. Ha! I turned left on a red light and gave her The Fright of her Life! Left on a RED LIGHT!

The week after my third husband died. I went off and left my wallet with my entire LIFE in it, all my credit and health cards and money, etc., right on the counter at the post office! Just went to my car and drove all the way home and did not look for the wallet until the next day!

Scheesch! The things we do when under stress. Me? Oh no, never!

Yes, me. And yes, you, too. You can bank on it!

Steph · « **Reply #3082 on:** April 25, 2012, 06:33:36 AM »

Stress is a monster and often you dont even realize what it is doing to you. I am still struggling with the 20 pounds I gained the first 18 months after my husband died. I still will comfort myself occasionaly with food.. Not a good idea, but one that I seem to be unable to stop sometimes.

salan · « **Reply #3083 on:** April 26, 2012, 06:30:11 PM »

I am currently reading Alexander McCall Smith's latest Ladies #l Detective book-The Limpopo Private Detection Agency. It's a little more involved than his usual, but still charming and fun to read. I am also reading (and almost finished) The Cat's Table by Michael Onaatje. It's well written and easy to read; but not really the kind of book I enjoy. Maybe it's just the mood I am in, but I haven't read any really good books in months. Anyone have any suggestions about good books you have read lately? I have checked out Parrot and Oliver in America; but it's not appealing to me now. Have any of you read it?
Sally

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3084 on:** April 27, 2012, 04:00:26 AM »

Hound Dog Days by Alan Pearson is a very gentle and funny account of a year in Pearson's life with his family + dog + neighbours in a Northumbrian village. Just realised that it isn't fiction and this is the fiction page - sorry! But it's so good.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #3085 on:** April 27, 2012, 06:09:46 AM »

Memoirs often come as close to fiction as they do to reality. Think of Bill Bryson.. His stuff reads as fiction, but is supposed to be real.

FlaJean · « **Reply #3086 on:** April 27, 2012, 12:23:31 PM »

Salan, I'm glad you mentioned the new No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. I love those books and didn't know a new one was out. Now I am 25 on the library reserve list.

Steph · « **Reply #3087 on:** April 28, 2012, 07:34:11 AM »

I was so intrigued by Joyce Maynards memoir of her life and her time with Jerry Salinger that I have ordered the book that Jerrys daughter wrote about her father.. I gather that both of these have been roundly criticized by many authors for revealing the man.. I find that odd.. He is not the best author in creation..or was not actually, he died in 2010.. Sigh.. I do not understand New York critics at all sometimes.

Babi · « **Reply #3088 on:** April 28, 2012, 08:06:25 AM »

Sounds like Salinger was 'teacher's pet' with certain authors. Perhaps those who are upset at
the idea that their lives might be revealed after they're gone?

marjifay · « **Reply #3089 on:** April 28, 2012, 11:32:45 AM »

Thanks, Steph, for your thoughts on Joyce Maynard's memoir. I'd not heard of it, but I don't usually want to know about the private lives of authors I admire. And I did very much like his Catcher in the Rye which I read years ago. The only thing I'd heard about Salinger was that he was a rather reclusive, private man. The book does sound interesting.

Marj

marjifay · « **Reply #3090 on:** April 28, 2012, 11:39:54 AM »

I just finished a very interesting book: SNOWDROPS by A. D. Miller. It was shortlisted for the 2011 Mann Booker prize. (A snowdrop is Russian slang for a corpse concealed by snow who is discovered after the Russian winter thaw).

The novel is about modern day Russia and a British man, a lawyer, who is sent to Moscow to work for a few years helping foreign banks with the legal work needed to finance Russia's new corporate projects there. The story is about what happens to him (he is not the Snowdrop.). Some questions you ask yourself after reading it: Was he a good person who turned bad, a bad person to begin with, or neither? How could some of what happened have been avoided? Hard to believe all the corruption in modern day Russia, but the author worked there as a journalist for several years, and seems to know a lot of what goes on there. This is Miller's debut novel; I'll read more of his future work.

Marj

JeanneP · « **Reply #3091 on:** April 28, 2012, 01:31:13 PM »

RosemaryKaye.

Some of the books you rec comend sound so interesting. I try to find them here but not having much luck lately. Hound dog days. I will look further than our library.

nlhome · « **Reply #3092 on:** April 28, 2012, 07:53:30 PM »

Thanks to recommendations here, I just read Sweet Tea and Jesus Shoes, which I did find fun to read. I am almost finished with Parnassus on Wheels, which is different from what I usually read, so I am enjoying that. And I just checked out By the Pricking of my Thumbs by Agatha Christie. I'm avoiding reality these days.

Steph · « **Reply #3093 on:** April 29, 2012, 06:31:03 AM »

The thing that stands out about Sallinger is his pursuing of young girls. Maynard was 18 when he first wrote her after she was published.. She discovered later quite a few women who corresponded etc with him at the same age. He was 53,, Whew..That is more than a little age diference. I loved his work, but that does not make him a nice human, just a good author.

ginny · « **Reply #3094 on:** April 29, 2012, 11:11:24 AM »

I agree, what wonderful and interesting sounding books you're reviewing here.

Thank you all, some great recommendations!

I keep checking in hoping to see something from Judy, hope she's ok.

JeanneP · « **Reply #3095 on:** April 29, 2012, 04:36:20 PM »

I remember Joyce Maynard. She use to have a column that I followed in our local paper. Goes back a few years now. I remember she was in a Messy divorce at one time. She had a few children quite young at the time also

Tried to find something on her at library but can't. Just a book of fiction . Would like to find her Memior. How was it titled?

JeanneP · « **Reply #3096 on:** April 29, 2012, 04:56:25 PM »

Just found her on the Web. Quite a story. Goodness they still talk about her and Sallinger which goes back almost 40 years. She was only 18. Lived with him less than a year. Her articles that she wrote were all about her bad marriage, Her family growing up. Father a drunk etc. etc. Also a photo in there showing her with the 2 African children that she adopted in the 70s. She only kept them for less than a year and then gave them up. (Could be she had them taken away for her). Doesn't say anything about her 3 children she had when married . I was thinking that her husband got them later. She had some wild years.

Steph · « **Reply #3097 on:** April 30, 2012, 05:48:03 AM »

NO, she and her ex husband seemed to have joint custody of the children. The divorce was a difficult one. She admits it in her memoir. She wrote four fiction books, hundreds of articles and of course the memoir. I remember her column from years ago. She seems to be much calmer now, lives on the west coast or at least she did when writing the memoir. Nothing in there about adopting any African children. Name of memoir... At Home in the World.
She had a pip for parents. She loved them, but am not sure why.

Frybabe · « **Reply #3098 on:** May 02, 2012, 07:35:13 PM »

Has anyone ever read any of Ralph Connor's (pen name of Rev. Dr. Charles William Gordon) books? He wrote about the Canadian West. When I have time later this evening, I think I will download them all to my Kindle. I found this list of his books in a website I didn't know about which has tons of books readable online. http://www.classicreader.com/author/157/ ManyBooks and Project Gutenberg have his works listed for free download. I didn't check to see if Amazon does.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #3099 on:** May 02, 2012, 08:59:06 PM »

If any of you frequent the Harper-Collins website, and go to BookClubGirl, the Ereader companies are making a big deal. I tried to link here, but it wouldn't work. There are 12 books available for $2.99 each, and downloadable to Kindle, Nook and other Ereaders. You don't have to take all 12. There are some good ones, some we've already read and some we haven't. I bought 8. I hope you will at least visit this site. It is often very worthwhile, book reviews, contests, info on upcoming books from H-C. I will try again to get a link to post. Cant do it.

roshanarose · « **Reply #3100 on:** May 03, 2012, 01:07:47 AM »

Tomereader - Thanks so much for that information. I shall certainly visit the H-C website.

Steph · « **Reply #3101 on:** May 03, 2012, 05:59:57 AM »

Harper Collins.. thats all I need another site for books.. Sigh.

Babi · « **Reply #3102 on:** May 03, 2012, 08:37:41 AM »

Is it permisible to give oneself a title like 'Rev. Dr.' in a pen name?

It is obviously
very misleading. If Mr. Connor had been writing books on religious subjects, one
might even call it fraudulent.

jane · « **Reply #3103 on:** May 03, 2012, 11:46:08 AM »

Babi...I don't think it's ethical, but I know authors who've used "Dr." on their name when their degree was an honorary one or when it had nothing to do with the topic they were writing about. I consider it fraudulent and unethical, but I don't know if there are rules on names people can use...hmmm...maybe not considering what some people name their children and a pro basketball player, who's a dirty player in my mind, whose name is now something like Meta World Peace. PLEASE!!!

jane · « **Reply #3104 on:** May 03, 2012, 11:49:12 AM »

I had no luck with the HarperCollins site, so I did a search on BookClubgirl and it's at:

http://www.bookclubgirl.com/

The the link to the 12 books Tome mentioned is here:

http://www.bookclubgirl.com/book_club_girl/2012/04/book-club-girls-ebook-bonanza-12-great-ebooks-for-just-299-for-the-month-of-may-1.html

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #3105 on:** May 03, 2012, 12:12:16 PM »

Now, Jane...however did you get that link to work? I tried and tried, but then I didn't go directly to the bookclubgirl address either. It came to me in the form of a newsletter, and I tried to copy and paste, but the pictures of the book covers with the e-reader titles underneath wouldn't transfer that way. (might as well admit, I'm not the shiniest apple in the basket when it comes to computer expertise. LOL)

MaryPage · « **Reply #3106 on:** May 03, 2012, 02:36:08 PM »

Our schools are now full of children whose parents have named them: Princess, Queen, Captain, Colonel, Prince, Duke, and so on and on. Every rank and title you can think of is being given. No law against it. Why do they do it? Possibly so the child will sound and/or feel important? In hopes that it will rub off?

Who knows! Fads change. Always have. Always will.

JoanK · « **Reply #3107 on:** May 03, 2012, 04:11:22 PM »

As a Laker fan, I get to watch Meta World Peace every couple of days. I took his name change as a sign that he really wanted to change his ways and become a better person. Guess it didn't work. I feel sorry for him: he obviously has problems, but I'm not sure he should be allowed to play basketball where he can really hurt other people.

Frybabe · « **Reply #3108 on:** May 03, 2012, 04:16:18 PM »

Sorry for the confusion Babi. Ralph Conner is the pen name; Rev. Dr. Charles William Gordon is his real name. He was a Presbyterian, and later a United minister in Canada. I expect his stories will have some moral element and a lack of profanity in them. I've downloaded four of them to read later.

marjifay · « **Reply #3109 on:** May 03, 2012, 04:43:03 PM »

I'm reading Jane Gordam's GOD ON THE ROCKS. Didn't care too much for Old Filth, but this one is Terrific! One of the best I've read this year!

Marj

Steph · « **Reply #3110 on:** May 04, 2012, 06:38:52 AM »

I loved Old Filth..so will put that on my list to find.

Babi · « **Reply #3111 on:** May 04, 2012, 08:48:55 AM »

Odd bunch of names, MARYPAGE. Not having any very young relatives currently in
school, this was new to me. Fond parents can be truly foolish in naming their poor
kids.

Ah, thanks for that clarification, FRYBABE. BIG difference.

MARJ, I was kind of divided on "Old Filth", too. But if you recommend "God On The Rocks",
I'm ready to take a look at it. I'll check out my library sources.

serenesheila · « **Reply #3112 on:** May 04, 2012, 01:36:40 PM »

I just ordered "God Rocks" for my Kindle. I rather enjoyed "Old Filth". If GOTR is even better, I look forward to reading it! Thanks for your post, MARJ.

Sheila

jane · « **Reply #3113 on:** May 04, 2012, 01:51:42 PM »

Quote from: Tomereader1 on May 03, 2012, 12:12:16 PM

Now, Jane...however did you get that link to work? I tried and tried, but then I didn't go directly to the bookclubgirl address either. It came to me in the form of a newsletter, and I tried to copy and paste, but the pictures of the book covers with the e-reader titles underneath wouldn't transfer that way. (might as well admit, I'm not the shiniest apple in the basket when it comes to computer expertise. LOL)

It wasn't you. It was the link in the newsletter. They'll let you click on them, but they don't seem to be transferable, in my experience, if I try to copy and paste them. What I did was a google search on BookClubGirl and then went to the site and copied the url from the address window in my browser.

Thanks for that site!

jane

Steph · « **Reply #3114 on:** May 05, 2012, 06:04:37 AM »

ON Jane Gordam, I do have on my ipad, her short stories collection.. I dive into it from time to time. I like short stories, but only sometimes..

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3115 on:** May 05, 2012, 08:29:24 AM »

I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but if you enjoy Jane Gardam, do try her 'Bilgewater', it really is my favourite, and is possibly autobiographical in parts. It's about a young girl growing up in the boys' boarding school where her father is headmaster (I think, he's definitely a master of some sort).

JeanneP · « **Reply #3116 on:** May 05, 2012, 09:54:34 PM »

I am reading "The Good Daughters" by Joyce Maynard at the moment. Enjoying it. Hope I can find more of her books in Large Print.. I have gotten to like the LP better.

Steph · « **Reply #3117 on:** May 06, 2012, 05:57:30 AM »

Dont think I have read The Goo dDaughters, so will look for it.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3118 on:** May 06, 2012, 09:50:20 AM »

I have just finished 'The Fair Miss Fortune' by DE Stevenson. I picked it up in the library (large print as it happens), had not heard of this particular one of hers before. I just loved it - it's the story of twin sisters, one of whom decides to move to a small English village and open a tea shop (being a 'lady in reduced circumstances' - this is the 1930s). There is a full cast of village residents, all brilliantly drawn with not the slightest nod to PC-ness. Charles, a captain home on leave from the army, falls for the tea-shop sister. The other sister then arrives, having fled her job in London because the French owner of the hat shop in which she was working has taken an unhealthy shine to her. She doesn't want him to find her, so the sisters pretend to be one person, with only one of them going out at at time. The shy son of a rich busybody falls in love with the second sister. You can probably imagine the rest.

The joy of this book for me was in the detail. The various supporting characters are hilarious, with Stevenson's usual vicious one-liners - eg "her long thin hand....was as clammy and boneless as a filleted sole"; "he saw no reason to spare a fallen foe, not having had the advantage of a public school education". Everyone (even the ladies in reduced circumstances) have no apparent money worries whatsoever (the tea shop, for example, is never opened, and the two sisters are looked after by their old nanny - who is presumably paid for her services - even though they are now 19 years old - so they never cook, clean or do any laundry.)

On looking for a link to this novel, I also discovered a wonderful-sounding new shop in Edinburgh, specialising in just these kind of books:

http://www.greyladiesbooks.co.uk/

Can't wait to go and have a browse.

Rosemary

marjifay · « **Reply #3119 on:** May 06, 2012, 12:08:18 PM »

Thanks, Rosemary, for your recommendation of Gardam's Bilgewater, and D.E. Stevenson's The Fair Miss Fortune (love that title). I've not read anything by Stevenson, but her books sound good. I've put both books on my TBR list.

Marj

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Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 746456 times)