Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #1 (Read 162654 times)

pedln · « **Reply #800 on:** July 25, 2009, 11:17:20 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

Steph · « **Reply #801 on:** July 25, 2009, 03:27:38 PM »

I loved the Alienist and Carr wrote another about the same period.. Both excellent.
We did see the quilts on Route 15, but when you are 35' long and towing a car, you cant stop along the road any more.. Then we crossed over to the other side and I could not convince the other half to go back in the car.. Oh well.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #802 on:** July 25, 2009, 03:37:12 PM »

There is a mystery series, about a new york woman who is a midwife which has Police Commissioner TR as a character. Can't remember the author. She is from wealth, meets an iIrish policeman when her physicianhusband is murdered. Her family and the Irish family put obstacles in the way of their budding relationship. Very good color about early 20th century New York NY.

Babi · « **Reply #803 on:** July 26, 2009, 10:53:41 AM »

Wasn' t there another book entitled "The Alienist"? I seem to remember somethng by that name,
buit it's been quite some time ago.

JoanK · « **Reply #804 on:** July 26, 2009, 03:00:55 PM »

JACKIE: I read a number of books in that series, and liked it. But I can't remember the author or names. The names of the books had place names in them.

JoanK · « **Reply #805 on:** July 26, 2009, 03:04:34 PM »

GOT IT! I remembered that one of the books had Gramercy Park in the title, and Fantastic Fiction gave it to me: it's Victoria Thompson:
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/t/victoria-thompson/

Steph · « **Reply #806 on:** July 26, 2009, 04:41:45 PM »

I like Victoria Thompson very much. Think I have missed just one of hers and have been trying to find it. An interesting writer. TR is simply background in that one.. The Alienist , he is more of a character.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #807 on:** July 28, 2009, 02:58:17 PM »

I am addressing this message to anyone here who can give me a fairly thorough answer. I know all you wonderfully smart ladies, former librarians, professors, teachers, etc. can help me out here. I have a lot of books on writing and so on, but I want to know if you can give me a list of the various types/genres of novels/books; i.e., historical fiction, classics, (I think I know all the various mystery genres) but you're welcome to add those too. Biography, autobiography. There's one called "mystical" something or other. But just a nice complete list for me. Oh, I would so appreciate this. I find myself sometimes trying to tell someone what genre a book is, and unless it's one of those I've listed here, I am at a loss and feel kinda "duh". Or send a link to someplace on line that I can get this info.

Steph · « **Reply #808 on:** July 28, 2009, 03:20:49 PM »

Cant help on the genres list. I know there are places on line that can help though.
My printer is giving me fits.. Darn...

Aberlaine · « **Reply #809 on:** July 28, 2009, 05:49:45 PM »

I'm choosing the book my book group will read in August. I've chosen Snow in August. Has anyone read it and did you like it?

pedln · « **Reply #810 on:** July 28, 2009, 11:56:11 PM »

Nancy, the title Snow in August was ringing in my ears, so I googled it to see why. It's a Pete Hamill --- writes about New York. It sounded familiar because a lot the bookstores I visited in Seattle this past month had it on display. Did it just come out in paperback? Anyway, while browsing I came across a guide. Link below ---

Snow in August study guide

mabel1015j · « **Reply #811 on:** July 29, 2009, 01:20:41 PM »

Tomereader - have you seen this site?

http://library.ci.manchester.ct.us/ra/readnext.html

Some good librarians apparently put it together. Lots of different genres....................jean

JoanK · « **Reply #812 on:** July 29, 2009, 01:36:31 PM »

JACKIE: looks great. Would you post it in Mystery Corner: it's definately slanted toward mysteries.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #813 on:** July 29, 2009, 01:39:28 PM »

Thank you, Mable. I had seen the site, and even put it in my favorites. Just didn't think about it.

Steph · « **Reply #814 on:** July 30, 2009, 08:20:15 AM »

I have that in favorites too, but forgot about it.. Too many things in the favorites lists for me to remember at this point.
Still wandering about in two different fantasy books.. Both excellent.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #815 on:** July 30, 2009, 01:38:16 PM »

I just finished Shem Creek by Dorothea Frank..............some of you talked about it here many months ago and i just got to it. I loved it! She writes about Mother/dgt relationships as well as Mary Alice Monroe and w/ more humor and wit. And, of course, that geographical area of Charleston/SC islands/beach just adds something, like another character, to any book. I tho't her juxtaposition of SC w/ north Jersey made for an interesting environmental contrast. I loved each of the human characters. She does a good job of describing the personalities and each was different, just like us. She does a good job of writing the "dialect" of each character - the teen-agers, the tensions between Duane and Louise and the conversations between the sisters. It wasn't a book i was compelled to read straight thru, but it keep my attention and even tho i knew what the outcome was going to be from about page 50, i still wanted to read the story............................jean

jane · « **Reply #816 on:** July 30, 2009, 07:30:28 PM »

I'm enjoying a new book by Linda Howard called Burn. I've had a hard time putting it down. It's been a long, long time since a new book captivated me as this one has.
It's kind of a mystery/espionage sort of thing...though the reader knows more of what's going on than one of the main characters does.

If you've read her Cover of Night, you'll know what I mean about her books.

jane

mrssherlock · « **Reply #817 on:** July 30, 2009, 09:10:47 PM »

Jane: You've given me a new name to look for. Dara Horn's All Other Nights has a young Jewish Union soldier crossing into the enemy territory of New Orleans where he is supposed to assassinate his uncle, a top advisor to the cconfederate government. His arrival at his uncle's house, clad in the grey uniformsalvaged from the dead, occurs on Passover, hence the title. I enjoyed Horn's In the Image but didn't get very far in her The World to Come. So far this one is keeping my interest. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/dara-horn/

My sister alerted me to the novels of Elizabeth Adler, AKA Ariana Scott. The Secret of the Villa Mimosa is quite a nice thriller with missing heirs and travels from Hawaii to the Italian Mediterrean; The Last Time I Saw Paris is a sexy romp where a middle-aged First Wife tours Paris with her new love, a younger man. She had planned the trip as a second honeymoon until she was cavalierly dumped by phone from China where her physician husband is making headlines with his new sweetie, a noted pediatrician, as they dedicate a new hospital. The Property of a Woman is another in the thriller vein with Russian kGB, Ameridcan CIA, Romanoff-era Russian nobility's jewels,ultiple identities, great fun. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/search/?searchfor=book&keywords=

Jon Loomis is a professor of literature whose published works were poetry books. Lately he has branched out into the mystery field with High Season and Mating Season starring police detective Frank Coffin. The setting is Provincetown, called P'town here, where there are more high jinks that one could imagine, mostly sexual. Seems P'town is a meccdfa for gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans genders. Frank is straight (as is the author) but he has a view for the ludicrous told with tongue in cheek. These are not for the faint of heart but they are not outright raunchy; people's actions are described and much is left to the imagination. Funny. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/jon-loomis/

Steph · « **Reply #818 on:** July 31, 2009, 08:32:15 AM »

Funny and weird.
We once knew a couple who refused to visit p-town.. Convinced they would get dreadful diseases.. Sad,, but stupid. Great town, beautiful beaches.. and as for the gay community.. You should see Key West.

Judy Laird · « **Reply #819 on:** July 31, 2009, 11:07:52 AM »

Finished The Tenth Circle by Picoul, and really enjoyed it.

Babi · « **Reply #820 on:** August 01, 2009, 08:56:03 AM »

Quote

"..though the reader knows more of what's going on than one of the main characters does."

That tends to aggravate me in a book, JANE. I get to the point where I'm saying "Aw, come on!", when the characters are overlooking the obvious.

Steph · « **Reply #821 on:** August 01, 2009, 09:30:19 AM »

Meant to mention before. Went to a library book sale in Chataqua,NY on our trip.. I feel upon a Jessamyn West.. This one is her sole version of short stories. Crimson Ramblesrs of the World, Farewell. I loved her and have pretty much every single book she ever wrote.. She wrote light quaker type things originally, but later in life. she turned to a different sort of fiction.. "The Life I really Lived" says a lot about how to live ..and the one she wrote about her sister and her death ( cannot remember the title, but I did look it up and this was her real sister) was a wonderful book on dying..Anyway.. in a homage to writers we used to have,, she was my favorite.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #822 on:** August 01, 2009, 01:19:49 PM »

I remembered her when you mentioned her sister's dying. Very moving. Had forgotten about her.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #823 on:** August 01, 2009, 05:50:07 PM »

Jane - i love LInda Howard, thanks for letting us know about those books. .......... jean

Aberlaine · « **Reply #824 on:** August 02, 2009, 08:28:34 AM »

Quote from: pedln on July 28, 2009, 11:56:11 PM

Nancy, the title Snow in August was ringing in my ears, so I googled it to see why. It's a Pete Hamill --- writes about New York. It sounded familiar because a lot the bookstores I visited in Seattle this past month had it on display. Did it just come out in paperback? Anyway, while browsing I came across a guide. Link below ---

Snow in August study guide

Thanks, Pedln, for the study guide. I've had this book on my "To Read" list for quite a while. I didn't know it had come out in paperback. My book group likes to choose older books because most of us get them in the library rather than buying them.

~~ Nancy

Steph · « **Reply #825 on:** August 02, 2009, 09:36:57 AM »

Having a wonderful time with the short stories. Jessamyn wrote ageless stories.. They were written in the 40's and are still just fine. Amazing.

jane · « **Reply #826 on:** August 02, 2009, 11:39:14 AM »

jean...neat to find another Linda Howard fan!

jane

Judy Laird · « **Reply #827 on:** August 02, 2009, 02:17:07 PM »

Count me in I am another Linda Howard Fan

mrssherlock · « **Reply #828 on:** August 02, 2009, 05:11:54 PM »

Someone mentioned Mrs. Fytton's Country Life by Mavis Cheek, my library had it, and I've read it. It is a delight. Not quite farce it is a look at the life of a First Wife as she decides to live in an English country village as her ex and Wife #2, plus her teen ofspring, settle in to suburban life in Wimbeldon. If you saw the movie "Tight Little Island" then you know the kind of laughs the Brits are so good at. She has written several novels, ssome of then are in my library's catalog. http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/c/mavis-cheek/

mabel1015j · « **Reply #829 on:** August 02, 2009, 09:18:50 PM »

I'm almost finished w/ "An Uncommon REader" what a delightful little book. ............. jean

joangrimes · « **Reply #830 on:** August 02, 2009, 11:15:10 PM »

Jean,

I loved that book. It is truly a delight.

Joan Grimes

Steph · « **Reply #831 on:** August 03, 2009, 08:09:20 AM »

Still reading the Jessamyn West.. Until this allergy attack clears, reading is not easy..

Babi · « **Reply #832 on:** August 03, 2009, 09:17:30 AM »

I'll have to see if my library has Mavis Cheek, JACKIE. Her book sounds like
something I would enjoy. I like most British authors and British settings very much.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #833 on:** August 04, 2009, 12:33:23 AM »

Babi - have you read The Uncommon Reader? It's about Queen Elizabeth II and what happens to her and the people around her as she takes up reading. I know that sounds ho-hum-so-what, but it is delightful and made me think about my own reading journey. My Dad always called me lazy because when i didn't have any special chore to be doing, i was sitting or lying somewhere reading a book - the court begins to have similar tho'ts about the Queen always having a book w/ her and how she is neglecting her other tasks....................jean

Babi · « **Reply #834 on:** August 04, 2009, 08:22:10 AM »

Yes, I did read that book, JEAN. I did enjoy it, tho' I found it hard to imagine
a Queen who had done very little reading. But on reading the book, I had to
admit that the daily schedule for royalty is probably pretty full, with little personal time. Tch, tch,...imagine disrupting everyone's routine that way by
taking time off to read.

Steph · « **Reply #835 on:** August 04, 2009, 08:39:29 AM »

Oh I have put The Uncommon Reader on my list. Sounds fascinating.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #836 on:** August 04, 2009, 10:10:06 AM »

Dara Horn's All Other Nights was cxompelling; it tells the story of Jacob Rappaport who becomes a Union spy during the Civil War. http://www.darahorn.com/ Jacob is torn between his love of America and his loyalty to his fellow Jews as the Army manipulaes him into one potentially lethal adventure after another. This one is worth your time. Horn's research yeilds fascinating insight to the lives of the civilians in the south from slaves to the social elite.

serenesheila · « **Reply #837 on:** August 05, 2009, 04:06:43 AM »

I thoroly enjoyed "The Uncommen Reader". It is an easy read, and quite interesting.

Sheila

Steph · « **Reply #838 on:** August 05, 2009, 08:08:32 AM »

Amazon has shipped my Grey Gardens, so will get to see if in a few days.

marjifay · « **Reply #839 on:** August 05, 2009, 04:01:19 PM »

I'll have to read THE UNCOMMON READER, Sheila, on yours and Jean's recommendation. I read and liked his THE HISTORY BOYS which was made into a good movie.

Marj

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Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #1 (Read 162654 times)