Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 776175 times)

MaryPage · « **Reply #2480 on:** November 01, 2011, 08:59:38 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 thought of books being given in a loved one's name.

Judy Laird · « **Reply #2481 on:** November 01, 2011, 04:54:44 PM »

Who ever recommended Still Alice book My heartfelt thanks. This should be a book that everyone should read. Thank you so much.
Amazon also thanks you, when ever anyone talks about a book I think I would like there it goes on my Kindle at the end of the month I am horrified. Oh well I don't drink any more so I think I am well ahead of the game!!!! hehe

jeriron · « **Reply #2482 on:** November 01, 2011, 05:31:52 PM »

Still Alice goes on Kindle on Jan. 9th.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #2483 on:** November 01, 2011, 07:38:20 PM »

I read "Still Alice" when it first came out, and was deeply moved by it, and recommended it ever since. I don't know if I recommended it here, but I know I have in other places on line. But, so many people say "I just can't handle a book with this subject matter". Best to think about it, before it befalls you, or someone you love.

maryz · « **Reply #2484 on:** November 01, 2011, 07:39:51 PM »

jeriron, according to amazon, Still Alice has been on Kindle since Jan 2009 or 2010 - at least that's what I think it says.

Steph · « **Reply #2485 on:** November 02, 2011, 06:11:56 AM »

I looked and could swear that STill Alice is on kindle and ibook as well.. Excellent book, hard to read, but worth it.. Giving up drinking?? What do you think they grow grapes for.. Help the poor grape industry out.

jeriron · « **Reply #2486 on:** November 02, 2011, 08:27:44 AM »

Sorry about that. I thought about the year when I was posting but should have and didn't go back and check.

Judy Laird · « **Reply #2487 on:** November 02, 2011, 05:31:29 PM »

Steph I can't buy any more grapes.

Still Alice is on Kindle I bought it a few days ago.

This disease will touch everyone of us without a doubt.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #2488 on:** November 02, 2011, 06:53:44 PM »

Yes, the disease is prolific and pernicious to the individual, their family and future generations within that family. Brrr, Grrr and yet, sad.

Steph · « **Reply #2489 on:** November 03, 2011, 06:25:20 AM »

Since my mother in law had it, I know what a terrible thing it does to people. She was bright and outgoing.. always busy and happy. It turned her into this horrible thing that finally did not even know her son.. So very very sad.
I am reading the third Lumby book..When I need something that is gentle and kind and very funny, I have turned to these.. The drawings are also wonderful..But I must admit, that although she places Lumby on the west coast, it truly sounds like the mountains of North Carolina..

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #2490 on:** November 03, 2011, 01:27:11 PM »

Yes, thank goodness for AA and Al-anon we are beginning to understand this devastating decease.

Judy Laird · « **Reply #2491 on:** November 03, 2011, 04:33:16 PM »

I don't understand
Barb does AA and Alanon discuss Altzhemizers and Dementia? Makes no sense to me

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #2492 on:** November 03, 2011, 04:48:20 PM »

Since the comment was made about feeling the grape industry would be affected I did not think that grapes had much to do with Alzheimer's or Dementia and assumed we were talking about how a grape product affects some folks. It appears we have been talking past each other...

Aberlaine · « **Reply #2493 on:** November 03, 2011, 07:13:35 PM »

Quote from: salan on October 25, 2011, 05:59:43 AM

I have just received Reading Group Choices 2012. Do any of you have access to this book? Every year they publish this book with suggestions for book discussions. They do a survey of favorite book club selections for the previous year, also.
Early in 2011 they asked thousands of book to share their favorite books. The following is a list of favorites of 2010.
1. The Help'
2. Cutting for Stone
3. Sarah's Key
4. Still Alice
5. The Book Thief
6. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
7. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
8. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
9. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
10. Little Bee

I have read all but Still Alice and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. How many have you read? What books would you add to this list? Do you agree or disagree with their choices. They are now taking a poll for book club favorites for 2011. What are your favorite reads for 2011.

I checked my list of books read in 2011. The following are my personal (not necessarily book club books) favorite for this year.
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
House at Riverton
The Silent Girl
The Butterfly's Daughter
The Peach Keeper
Girl in Translation

Sally

Sally, I've read all but Still Alice and Cutting for Stone from the 2010 list. I tried reading Little Bee, but it was too graphic for me. I bought Cutting for Stone and it's next. I haven't read any of the books on the 2011 list, but Girl in Translation is already on my mp3 player and will be my next audiobook once I finish Sarah's Key.

My book group is reading American Rust by Philipp Meyer for November. It's gotten good reviews. I'll let you know what I think about it.

Thanks for the lists!!

salan · « **Reply #2494 on:** November 04, 2011, 05:59:52 AM »

What's with the latest post on future discussions?
Sally

Steph · « **Reply #2495 on:** November 04, 2011, 06:06:11 AM »

I could not finish Little Bee. I simply cannot do violence any more.. But read most of the rest.. not Sarahs Key and I cannot remember even hearing about it before now.
I have decided to read Middlesex and just ordered it from my swap club.. He won a Pulitzer??

salan · « **Reply #2496 on:** November 04, 2011, 09:40:41 AM »

Steph, I finished Little Bee, but found it depressing & would not recommend it for that reason. Sarah's Key was good, but also depressing. I don't like to read depressing books any more. It's been a little over three years since I lost my husband and depressing books put me in a "funk" that I have trouble getting out of. No thank you! Let me know what you think about Middlesex. I've heard a lot about it, but haven't read it.
Sally

jane · « **Reply #2497 on:** November 04, 2011, 09:54:37 AM »

Sally...Just another of the spammers that try to get to our website daily. We delete over 100 daily. We have a spam filter, but some of them still get through, since they seem to hit us early in their "mission" to post at as many websites as possible. They often come in overnight USA since they're often in the Orient and/or former Russian areas, so it may take us, depending on our time zones, a bit to know. If you just click the

REPORT TO MODERATOR [ in the lower right hand corner of every post] that'll send an email automatically to several of us and we can get on it as soon as we get online.

jane

Steph · « **Reply #2498 on:** November 05, 2011, 06:18:13 AM »

Same here Sally, since my husbands death and the accident, I do not handle violence and depressing books well at all, and stop reading if they get that way.. On the other hand, I have just found Daniel Silva and love the assassins.. Weird, but I would guess, so far out of normal that I dont believe it.
My bed book just now is the third Lumby and it is fun before bed to read a bit about a very interesting and unusual type place.

Babi · « **Reply #2499 on:** November 05, 2011, 09:05:40 AM »

Can anybody explain to me what the spammers hope to get out of all these intrusions?
If it's supposed to be amusing, I'm afraid the humor escapes me completely. Are they
all trying to sell something? Are they all crooks and thieves?

jane · « **Reply #2500 on:** November 05, 2011, 11:55:34 AM »

Babi...I think the majority are selling something or getting paid for directing people to specific websites which may be selling something....everything from knocked off famous products (i.e., knockoffs of Ugg Boots, Coach bags, Christian Louboutin outrageously expensive shoes with the red soles, etc. to directing people to porn sites that charge, etc. Quite a few are in foreign languages when they do get through to post or their "translations" into English make little/no sense.

jane

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #2501 on:** November 05, 2011, 03:53:54 PM »

As I understand it there are two reasons for the rise in Spam especially international Spam - it is cheaper than buying a list of email addresses and once they have your email address there is an invisible filter that is not called a filter but some word that begins with an O that allows them to use software that will find if you include certain words in your email so they can advertise based on the number of hits

And then the second reason especially for foreign spammers is to figure out how to get around the protections we use - the more they can figure that out on a simple home computer then small companies and non-profits the closer they are to understanding how to get around the protections of corporations and then universities, labs and government sites.

Judy Laird · « **Reply #2502 on:** November 05, 2011, 04:09:42 PM »

A fond farewell to
Andy Rooney I feel as if I had lost a close friend.

salan · « **Reply #2503 on:** November 05, 2011, 04:34:16 PM »

Steph, thanks for reminding me about the Lumby series. I've read a couple, and will check on others. This time of the year, I seem to need to read comfort books. I checked out a couple of Christmas themed books from the lib. and have downloaded a couple of cozy mysteries on my Kindle. I'll let you know if any are worth reading.

I just finished Caleb's Crossing for my ftf book club. It was well writted, but I just couldn't get interested in it. I read half and had to turn it in, so I checked it out on tape (cd) and listened to the rest of it on my way to my family reunion. I found it tedious and rather boring. It will be interesting to see what the rest of the club thinks about it. Have any of you read it and what did you think?

Sally

FlaJean · « **Reply #2504 on:** November 05, 2011, 04:42:05 PM »

I didn't realize that Alexander McCall Smith (author of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency) had started a new series called Corduroy Mansions. It's about the people living in apartments in a an old mansion in central London. I am reading the second book "The Dog Who Came in from the Cold". Very good. Now I'll have to go back and find the first book in the series.

Andy Rooney had a remarkable career. How many people can work or even last until they are 92 and still love their work?

CallieOK · « **Reply #2505 on:** November 05, 2011, 05:08:55 PM »

Sally, I stuck with "Caleb's Crossing" after I read in the author's notes that it was based on a true story.
Quite by accident, I followed it with "Harvard Yard" by William Martin (because I had liked his previous books) and found reference to some of the incidents in C C in the beginnng segment.
"Sort of" made it worthwhile to have finished Caleb's Crossing.

I'm glad to know about the new Alexander McCall Smith series.

I've just finished "With Friends Like These" by Sally Koslow. Not quite a "light read" but not anything I really had to think about, either. I think I'll try another one by her.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #2506 on:** November 05, 2011, 05:20:56 PM »

FlaJean - the Corduroy Mansions series was originally serialised in The Daily Telegraph (a national newspaper) - my mother takes this paper and she never told me!! I have read both books and I would say that the second is better than the first - see what you think. I felt with the first that McCall Smith was just not on such firm ground as he is with the Scotland Street books, because he obviously lives here in Edinburgh and doesn't know London so well, so although the story was good there weren't so many local references. In the second book, however, he seemed to have 'settled in' to the whole thing more, and I enjoyed it.

Rosemary

Steph · « **Reply #2507 on:** November 06, 2011, 05:49:53 AM »

I liked the scottish McCall Smith, but cannot bear to read the African ones.
They made me grind my teeth.. Just too too twee.

Babi · « **Reply #2508 on:** November 06, 2011, 08:20:38 AM »

Thank you, JANE & BARB. Now if some genius would just come up with a way to really
protect us on-line, he/she would deserve a Nobel.

I read Caleb's Crossing, SALLY, and was really taken with the way Caleb was presented.
It was sad that after all the sacrifices he made and all he attained, that he died so
soon after. He would most likely have had a long...and happier...life if he had not
made the decision to cross over to the white man's world.

FlaJean · « **Reply #2509 on:** November 06, 2011, 09:28:22 AM »

I loved the African stories. In fact, another is being published soon, I believe. However, these stories are more like the Scottish books.

jeriron · « **Reply #2510 on:** November 06, 2011, 11:04:24 AM »

I couldn't get into the African books but I enjoyed the movies on HBO. Infact they are showing them On Demand right now.

Steph · « **Reply #2511 on:** November 07, 2011, 05:43:56 AM »

Sometime I may try the movies, just to see how I feel about them..
I remember being so disappointed in the Dick Francis british series. Not the way I thought of his books at all.. They did do a lovely job on AllCreatures Great and Small books though. I watched every single one of those.

FlaJean · « **Reply #2512 on:** November 07, 2011, 07:43:25 PM »

I loved the "All Creatures Great and Small" books and also the videos. They did a terrific job of casting, I thought.

Steph · « **Reply #2513 on:** November 08, 2011, 06:10:44 AM »

Lumby's Bounty was really fun. It also included all sorts of information on hot air balloons and their construction and racing and shows. Learned a lot about them. I went up in one and adored it.But oh my the cost.

JeanneP · « **Reply #2514 on:** November 09, 2011, 02:20:55 PM »

Don't know if I mentioned this the other day in here.

For those who read "Sarah's Key" and liked it. I went to see the movie the other day. Was very good. Stuck to the story. (Many don't). Didn't realize that it was part in French with subtitles and part in English. Easy to follow.

Steph · « **Reply #2515 on:** November 10, 2011, 05:46:36 AM »

Started Jane Austin in Scarsdale.. Sort of slow at this point, but I will give it a bit more time.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2516 on:** November 11, 2011, 11:56:24 AM »

Picked up Nora Roberts new book "Next Always" at the library yesterday. I read about fifty pages last night. It's an interesting story, but very formulaic Roberts - 3 brothers, three women who are obviously going to connect w/ the brothers....... I've read this story already!!!
I'll read a little more to see if there is a new tangent, but, if not, i may not finish it. What is interesting is that the brothers and their mother are a construction company and are renovating an old victorian house into a bed and breakfast. There is much description about the architecture and the decorating. One of the women in an Iraq widower who has opened a bookstore, another owns an Italian restaurant and - the third is on her way to town to manage the b and b. All the busnesses are in a block on Main St, Boonesboro, Ma.

The details about the businesses may keep me interested, but i get a little bored with every man and woman who meet in these books having to have a romantic relationship and, of course, they find love, lose love and get back together in the end! I guess that's why they call them "romance" novels,

altho i didn't realize this was a "romance" novel when i picked it up. It's hard to tell when they are in the "fiction" shelves, but i sometimes question how it is decided which books go in fiction, mystery or romance!?!

ursamajor · « **Reply #2517 on:** November 11, 2011, 02:47:12 PM »

I graduated from Library School, and I also have never understood how the librarians decided whether a Tony Hillerman novel belonged under "Western", "Mystery" or was put in the general section. The decison hides books from me that I might enjoy - I never would read a Western and I am about equally interested in mysteries and general novels. I also avoid romances, and don't understand exactly how these are defined. I recently read a book that was gothic but not a romance! That confused me.

jane · « **Reply #2518 on:** November 11, 2011, 03:18:23 PM »

Ursa--- I'm also a LibSchool grad and I think it's a local librarian's decision...and sometimes dictated by shelving. I know hardcovers at our local library tend to end up in fiction while "romance," "romantic suspense" mystery, and the like in paperback may end up on the spinner racks.

I sometimes wish all fiction here in our local library was by author surname with distinguishing spine tags for westerns, sci fi, mystery, romance, horror.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #2519 on:** November 11, 2011, 03:50:22 PM »

Well, the new "thing" down here is the the collection is "intermingled" (the library's word, not mine). All fiction of any kind is intermingled with everything else, alphabetically by Author's name. Now don't that take the cake? That's fiction, mystery, sci-fi, western, romance, horror and any other "fiction" category you can think of. Bah. I hate it.

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Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 776175 times)