Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 776181 times)

MaryPage · « **Reply #2600 on:** December 14, 2011, 01:09:20 PM »

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 admired Bill Buckley's wit, charm and intelligence, but not his politics. I have a book he and Brent Bozell (also deceased, the one you hear about these days is his son and namesake) wrote while they were at Yale together; signed by them. Brent married Buckley's sister Pat, and the Bozells lived in Kenwood in Bethesda, Maryland and had 8 red-headed kids when I knew him fairly well. Eons ago. Late fifties or early sixties.

I own Florence of Arabia and intend to read it. Some day.

Rosemary, I adored Five Children and It, and The Phoenix & The Carpet. I think I owned a movie of Five Children and It, and passed it on to a great grandchild.

I have read too much this year to try to sort it all out into a list. Besides, I am fighting a cold, sore throat, and laryngitis. Life is the pits just at the moment, thank you very much!

maryz · « **Reply #2601 on:** December 14, 2011, 01:14:27 PM »

I hope you feel better soon, MaryPage. Hugs!

salan · « **Reply #2602 on:** December 14, 2011, 04:56:20 PM »

I downloaded several of Nesbit's books on my Kindle. They were free. I read Boxcar Children way back when, but downloaded it to read again.
Sally

Steph · « **Reply #2603 on:** December 15, 2011, 06:21:31 AM »

Iwould love Anatomy of a Skyscraper. Sounds really interesting to me. I should keep a list, but I dont.. I journal, but never include what I am reading..Hmm. maybe I c ould though.
Daniel Silva.. I am not reading him in sequence, but you actually should. I originally got a later one, read it, loved it and went on a hunt to find more and I try to read them iin some order, but still have gaps in the early ones. I wish I knew why I liked Gabriel so much.. I just do..

CallieOK · « **Reply #2604 on:** December 15, 2011, 11:31:18 AM »

I'm so glad to find others who like Daniel Silva.
I've read 9 of the 11 books in the Gabriel Allon series...but not the first one. It isn't in my local library branch so I have to reserve it...and I keep forgetting to do so.

I've just reserved the Diana Gabaldon book that was listed on this week's Best Seller list in the local paper. I really hope "The Scottish Prisoner" winds up the "Voyager" series - but I bet it won't.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2605 on:** December 15, 2011, 01:19:53 PM »

The Bill Buckley book "Elvis in the Morning" has been interesting. Yes, there is some of the real E P's life, but the young boy who became his friend when he was in the army in Germany and began courting Priscella is now at the U of Michigan in 1964 and joining in the SDS protests. Interesting perspective coming from the conservative BB. I'm curious about how BB tells the story as it plays out.

Jean

Frybabe · « **Reply #2606 on:** December 15, 2011, 01:59:09 PM »

I am reading Edith Wharton's Bunner Sisters. I like it a lot better than Undine, which I finished yesterday. This is probably the first Wharton I have read. Bunner Sisters was originally serialized in a magazine, the name of which I cannot remember.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2607 on:** December 15, 2011, 04:16:39 PM »

Okay, I finished Bunner Sisters. The ending distressed me - job discrimination against experienced, but older workers.

Steph · « **Reply #2608 on:** December 16, 2011, 09:01:38 AM »

I just started the Nineteenth Wife.. Very odd indeed. Telling two stories at once .. Both about polygamy.. Interesting thus far.

Judy Laird · « **Reply #2609 on:** December 29, 2011, 07:19:48 PM »

I play Magic Inlay and enjoy it a lot.
Haven't been around much lately has I have been enjoying poor health.
Was in the ER on Christmas so that was fun.
I am in the process of trying to buy a new car and can't make up my mind
about anything.

As an add on if you want to find fun games go to www.bigfishgames.com
I love thier top ten solitaire, lots of different kinds of Mar Jghon. I love the titanic games.

Steph · « **Reply #2610 on:** December 30, 2011, 06:36:31 AM »

Big Fish has some neat find the object games. You keep going up levels with it..
Reading sort of a silly light book just now.. I loved, I lost, I made Spaghetti.. All about her husband hunt and her passion for cooking, lots of recipes, although she sounds very very foolish about men.

jeriron · « **Reply #2611 on:** December 30, 2011, 09:07:34 AM »

I love reading about search and rescue dogs. I just finished one by Nora Roberts called the Search a mystery. I've never read any of her books before. Now I'm reading "For Keeps" by Donna Ball lighter then the Roberts one.
Donna Ball owns and runs a kennel and does classes for search and rescue and training dogs for the handycapped. I've read 4 or 5 of her fiction books that are mysteries centered around search and rescue.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2612 on:** December 30, 2011, 01:36:31 PM »

Checked my library, they have 3 Ball books all abt "Ladybug Farm" and historic conservation. I'll give them a try.

Just finished Laura Lippman's Charm City which is about Baltimore and greyhound rescue. It was a fun, easy read.

marjifay · « **Reply #2613 on:** December 30, 2011, 01:55:09 PM »

Speaking of William Buckley, CSpan's BookTV is showing a panel discussion this weekend on his book "God and Men at Yale." Dec. 31 at 8 am; Jan. 1, 6 am and 3 pm (all Eastern Time). There is a link at the BookTV website so you can watch it at your leisure.

Marj

marjifay · « **Reply #2614 on:** December 30, 2011, 02:12:16 PM »

The only book I've read by Edith Wharton, House of Mirth, was a DNF for me. It was interesting for awhile, but I got bored with it about half way thru' and never finished it.

Marj

Frybabe · « **Reply #2615 on:** December 30, 2011, 03:58:07 PM »

House of Mirth doesn't sound interesting to me.

The Bunner Sisters is one 100 pages or so. I thought of it felt more like a longish short story. The word count is a little over 30,000 which puts it in the novella category. It isn't an "action" story. Mostly it is filled with "proper" attitude and etiquette, and self-sacrifice in a period of diminished prosperity. I can relate to the ending. Which reminds me, when I went into the local Manpower office to sign up for temp jobs, the only other people in there were two older men. I was told that they no longer do interviews unless you sign up online first.

PS: a little while back we were talking about the Durer engraving that inspired Undine. The most recent episode of Pawn Stars featured the engraving. I thought he was nuts to pay out $5,500 without getting it looked at, but he did well. It was most likely from the original plate, but a much later printing. It still was estimated to fetch over $20,000. Nice catch guys.

Steph · « **Reply #2616 on:** December 31, 2011, 06:07:45 AM »

I never really liked Edith Wharton. If you like novels about manners, etc, you will like her however.
I read two books on search and rescue dogs.. Have to look at Donna Ball to see if that was who wrote them.
Yesterday in Barnes and Noble.. They devoted a whole set out bookcase to: James Patterson.. The man is now officially a category all to himself. I now honestly am sure that he doesnt write any of them.. He has found a nice racket however.

Babi · « **Reply #2617 on:** December 31, 2011, 09:32:52 AM »

It is a marvel how sensitive animals can be to the people around them. Not
only dogs, but monkeys, ferrets, cats ... have alerted humans to dangers and illnesses or stayed beside them when ill or injured. When I'm not feeling well,
fat cat Nipper will come curl up beside me, lay a paw or nose gently on me and keep me sympathetic company.

Steph · « **Reply #2618 on:** January 01, 2012, 06:04:22 AM »

Animals... Ah yes, when I was a young girl, I told my pony all my troubles and she wouldnicker and nuzzle me . I could lay flat all the way down her spine and feel sorry for myself and she would stay very very still and you would hear small sighs of sympathy..

Babi · « **Reply #2619 on:** January 01, 2012, 08:19:49 AM »

That image made me smile, STEPH. I don't doubt for a second you had her
full and loving sympathy.

marjifay · « **Reply #2620 on:** January 01, 2012, 01:23:11 PM »

After reading just two chapters of James Patterson's newest Alex Cross mystery (Kill Alex Cross), I returned the book to the library. Dull, boring. Too bad as I have enjoyed his previous Alex Cross books. Guess he needed a better ghost writer on this one.

Marj

CallieOK · « **Reply #2621 on:** January 01, 2012, 01:37:49 PM »

I've seen James Patterson in several t v commercials advertising "Kill Alex Cross". One of them has a girl who looks like a "Tween" reading it enthusiastically. My library does not have it listed as a Tween or Young Adult book. What's JP trying to do?

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2622 on:** January 01, 2012, 08:39:39 PM »

I liked "the Whispers" by Belva Plain very much. Interesting characters, interesting subject - family relationships, well written, except for some bad editing errors. Several times she used "let" when the word should have been "leave" or some form of leave. I was aware of it because i used to say "let it alone" for example, all the time, it's part of that central Pennsylvania speech which i've completely changed since moving to NJ. I understand her using it, but it should have been caught by an editor - if they have such things any more.

She also had forgotten her training in past participles, as a lot of television people seem to have done these days, "she had got" for example. Another mistake that an editor should have changed. I've seen that similar mistake in Newsweek magazine and heard it often on tv in the last ten years. My ninth grade English teacher must be turning over in her grave.

Someone else said you had picked up "The Whispers." do you like it?

Jean

Steph · « **Reply #2623 on:** January 02, 2012, 05:59:35 AM »

I have read a few
Belva Plain over the years. Must try some current ones. Just now I have Queen Camilla as my car book.. Funny and weird. The royals live in a slummy housing estate, almost like criminals, and someone is after the corgis.. Oh me..

Babi · « **Reply #2624 on:** January 02, 2012, 08:21:03 AM »

Maybe not, JEAN, esp. if the book is set in central Pennsylvania. I think
local dialect can tend to give characters a more distanct identification.
They are more real to me.
TV and Newsweek are a different matter, unless they were making a direct
quote. I still well remember my high school English teacher, Mrs. Mitchum,
when I've forgotten most others. She would also be most displeased.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2625 on:** January 02, 2012, 09:01:43 AM »

Quote

but it should have been caught by an editor - if they have such things any more.

I've been wondering, Jean, considering the increasing number of errors that I have seen creeping into books these days. It's not just the editors, but also the proofreaders. Perhaps they are relying too much on computerized proofing programs and not making a second "eyeball" check. We all know spell checkers are good, but they don't catch everything. Years ago, I interviewed for a position at a book company. What they did was interesting. They had two different typists type in the same thing and then ran it through a program that compared the two to find errors. The premise was that two different typists were unlikely to make the same mistake. They were able to cut the typing errors by 99% that way.

This is not quite the same thing but when I worked at Rodale Institute, I remember someone telling me that when cutbacks need made one of the first to go are the "fact checkers". Those would be the editorial assistants and research assistants who try to verify information writers include in their articles and books. These tasks are most important for newspapers and magazines that, in their rush to be the first to present breaking news, sometimes skimp on.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2626 on:** January 02, 2012, 01:12:46 PM »

Babi, i would agree about local dialect, it makes the characters very authentic, but "Whispers" is set in St Louis and NYC and the "husband" character is compulsive about "proper" everything, so i don't think it was deliberate. But i still enjoyed the book.

Jean

Steph · « **Reply #2627 on:** January 03, 2012, 06:11:06 AM »

Yes, many books nowadays have a false ring..I think it has to do with local usage of slang and how you say things. There are many writers who love to write about places, they never have been. Romance writers are particularly bad about eras..

Babi · « **Reply #2628 on:** January 03, 2012, 08:44:38 AM »

In that case, JEAN, I would definitely agree with you. If the author was going to have a very
'proper' character, she should have been careful to use proper language. "Whispers" sounds like
the title of a story about gossip/rumors and the harm they can do. What is the book about,
actually? I'm sure you probably explained that already, but I've forgotten if you did. (So many
posts, so many books.

)

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2629 on:** January 03, 2012, 12:13:46 PM »

You are right on Babi about what the title Whispers means. The protagonist is a middle age woman - well, when is midl age today, she's early 40s, i guess. She is married to a charming, handsome man who is moving up the corporate ladder and is OC about having and being allthe proper accoutrements that go w/ that. However, he also is filled w/ rage that shows it's ugly face now and again. There are 2 dgts w/ all the angst that teenage dgts, or about to be teenage, bring to a family, one is overweight which annoys the father and he is not kind about telling her so. I won't say any more bcs i don't want to spoil the story for you. Plain is a good storyteller IMO.

I'm enjoying Ken Follett's Fall of Giants. I'm only 100 pages into the almost 1000 of the book. He starts w/ the Welsh families and the gap of living style btween the coal miners and the owners of the mines. One of them has now gone to Russia, so i guess i'm going to meet the Russian family in the next pages. It starts in 1913. This is the first in a trilogy of several families in the 20th century.

Well, w/ 900+ pages, i have a long time to be enjoying just this first book of the three. Maybe the second one will be out by the time i finish this one. LOL

Jean

JeanneP · « **Reply #2630 on:** January 03, 2012, 02:31:27 PM »

I don't believe that "Perfect English" is the thing anymore. You can catch many mistakes when listening to the TV. Reading News. Lots of places.
I think some writers do know that it is wrong when writing it but I think that they are thinking of the person speaking as to if or not they would use the correct word. I know myself I was good in English in school and when still living in UK. Lost a lot of it having being years in US.

Your mention the word "Let" above. Always my grandmother, mother and most of us Lancashire people always used the term. "Now let it be" " Leave it be"
would have come along later I believe. Leave it alone would be the correct way now I believe. "Leave it be" still sounds Old English.

English teaching has now been taken out of our Illinois schools now. Lessons more as a Second language for students learning.

Frybabe · « **Reply #2631 on:** January 03, 2012, 05:03:53 PM »

Quote

English teaching has now been taken out of our Illinois schools now. Lessons more as a Second language for students learning.
Posted on: January 03, 2012, 12:13:46
Posted by:

That does not bode well, JeanneP. Are they encouraging illiteracy? What is their rationale?

jane · « **Reply #2632 on:** January 03, 2012, 05:27:53 PM »

I was just at the espn site to get the time for the bowl game tonight and saw the headlines on an article about "finger food" and the games...titled Just Deserts
Really? Must be very dry finger food, huh??? Maybe gives new meaning to sandwiches!!

CubFan · « **Reply #2633 on:** January 03, 2012, 05:33:50 PM »

I think that the teaching of good language skills (grammar), written & spoken, are more a reflection of the individual school districts than a sign of the times. Neither of my daughters received good English instruction in our school system, but my grand children are receiving excellent reading/literature, language (grammar), and math skills in their district. In fact my girls now understand why I was upset with their education as they see what their children are getting and what they missed. My grandson in college (who went to the same district the younger grandchildren are in) noticed quickly as a freshman the difference between the instruction he received in high school and some of his college classmates, especially in writing skills.

Another of my soap box issues.

Happy New Year.

Mary

mabel1015j · « **Reply #2634 on:** January 03, 2012, 05:44:57 PM »

What!?! No English classes!?! Companies are crying for people who can write properly, i can't imagine a whole state saying "no English!" yes, i do know that "i" should be capitalized

,. I'm on the ipad and don't have a real keyboard, so i'm one-fingering it and it's faster to not have to capitalize the "i". LOL

Jane - good joke about the deserts.

Jean

JeanneP · « **Reply #2635 on:** January 03, 2012, 07:29:58 PM »

I have always been proud of my hand writing. Lots of people still admire it . However that is another thing that has now been taken out of schools. Some children have such awful penmenship already.
I think that they are giving to much credit to everything being done on computers and and such things. Such a shame. Old way should still be taught on certain things.

roshanarose · « **Reply #2636 on:** January 03, 2012, 09:20:44 PM »

We have a TV channel here that can be regarded as International, I guess. It is SBS. The program I watched last evening is called "Global Village" and has short (approximately 15 minute) stories about customs, events etc. in different parts of the world. The program last evening was about workers in Cuba who "refine" tobacco leaves down until they can be shaped into cigars. The factories actually employ "readers", mostly women, who read out loud to the workers as they do their tasks. The sessions last 45 minutes - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The items they read are frequently from newspapers, psychology journals, poetry, and all manner of reading material. The workers love the reading as the majority of them were never taught to read and write. Very far-sighted of the Cuban authorities, even though there is a certain amount of propaganda in the readings.

The discussion about not teaching "proper English" in schools is of particular interest to me. When I was at school my subjects revolved around Home Economics which I loathed. I wanted to do Languages but was not allowed. How ironic that when I could choose my subjects at University that they were all language related. I suffered when learning both Ancient and Modern Greek because I had not studied any grammar at all at high school. I didn't know what a preposition or a conjunction was, and I certainly didn't know what Aorist, Past Perfect or Pluperfect meant. Neither did I know what Subject Verb Object meant, or passive voice and so on. I learned the hard way, you could say. I had no idea that I would ever be a language teacher, but I became one.

Even then jobs as English teachers (lierature that is) were not as in demand as they had been. It was Science and Maths teachers that the schools wanted. Now it is IT. The schools tend to follow trends, so let us just hope that more literacy studies are done. I am quite cynical about this though, because literacy continues to be spoken about in hushed tones, but no one ever commits to having literacy as a subject. It is as if the education boards don't want to admit that it IS a problem. Makes me cross.

Stepping down for now...

Frybabe · « **Reply #2637 on:** January 03, 2012, 11:47:52 PM »

I just have visions of civilization allowing itself to collapse into another Dark Age at some future point.

I hope I am awake for the meteor shower. I hear it will not be a very long one this year. Right Now the moon is almost full and one of the planets is shining brightly not too far away.

Steph · « **Reply #2638 on:** January 04, 2012, 06:25:39 AM »

Cigars and readers. For some reason there has always been a tradtiion of reading while the men make and handroll cigars. The employees actually used to contribute a small amount of money each week and they had a reader every day, but the reader read the entire newspaper and then books.. They did it in Cuba and then when the cigar trade moved to Tampa in Ybor City, they did it there. No idea if they did in Miami as well.. So the custom is old and fast dying out. Not many handrolled cigars made in the US

Babi · « **Reply #2639 on:** January 04, 2012, 09:11:26 AM »

With the Beatles singing soulfully "speaking words of wisdom; 'let it be", I would think that is fully accepted and used now.

This sounds a bit odd, CUBFAN, but by the time I was in high school I had
learned that a teacher with a reputation for being 'tough' was the one I
wanted. You learned something under those teachers. I had reason to be glad
for that as time went on.
If our civilization does crash again, FRYBABE, it may well be when the
computers/machines all crash and we find it necessary to start doing our math, communicating, getting about and generally functioning without them. Too many of us would be totally helpless.

News:

Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 776181 times)