Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 776038 times)

Babi · « **Reply #320 on:** February 23, 2010, 08:58:40 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

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Beautifully said, GUMTREE. In fact, I hope you won't mind if I point it out
to PAT as a good quote for her monthly Books review.

Gumtree · « **Reply #321 on:** February 23, 2010, 09:01:51 AM »

Babi

mrssherlock · « **Reply #322 on:** February 23, 2010, 10:52:30 AM »

My son castigates me when he thinks I've been impulsive in buying something. I point out that it is not impulsive when it is on my mental list, as books always are, especially certain authors.

Steph · « **Reply #323 on:** February 24, 2010, 06:05:50 AM »

Too many books and I simply dont care. I figure I will just read what I want.. I like to have choices and right now I have tons of them.

Babi · « **Reply #324 on:** February 24, 2010, 09:13:30 AM »

JACKIE, tell your son he is not to castigate his Mother. Most unfilial!

mrssherlock · « **Reply #325 on:** February 24, 2010, 11:55:56 AM »

Babi: In spite of my efforts, he is typically a male who knows best what others need to do and he will tell them where or not they ask! I'm stuck with him as he is stuck with me; there's no market for used kids I learned long ago. Seriously, he's a great help to me and I love him so he's allowed a little castigation now and then cause it's clear that it's my money and I choose what to do with it.

Steph · « **Reply #326 on:** February 25, 2010, 06:09:16 AM »

My two sons are struggling with their roles with their Dad gone. They are not quite sure how much help I will accept since their Dad and I have always been independent. Oh well, we are all in the process of learning how to deal with the hole in our lives.

Gumtree · « **Reply #327 on:** February 25, 2010, 12:14:36 PM »

Steph - why not talk to them about it all. I'm sure they want to help but maybe don't want to intrude. - it's hard for them to guess just what you need - tell them how you feel and don't be afraid to ask for help whenever you need it. Perhaps they need your help right now too.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #328 on:** February 25, 2010, 02:31:31 PM »

My children and I have, over tome, drawn closer to one another though their father died long after the marriage ended.

Babi · « **Reply #329 on:** February 25, 2010, 05:03:11 PM »

JACKIE and STEPH, I've got one, too. He worries about me, but he tries
not to be too obvious about it. Really, I don't know what I would do
without my three kids. They are my helping arm and my safety net, besides being a joy and people to laugh with.

EvelynMC · « **Reply #330 on:** February 25, 2010, 05:51:55 PM »

I just finished reading Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman. It is the story of a 12 year old girl who finds herself in the role of caretaker to her mentally ill mother, and how her life changes after her mother suddenly dies. --- Her GreatAunt comes and whisks her away (in a big, shiny car) to a new life in Savannah, Georgia. The story is filled with humor, the wisdom of very independent older ladies and tremendous warmth. I laughed out loud and highly recommend it, a real page turner.

This is the author's first book, and I hope she has more stories to tell.

Evelyn

mabel1015j · « **Reply #331 on:** February 25, 2010, 07:04:21 PM »

I'm reading Earthly Joys by Phillipa Gregory. For those of you who aren't familiar w/ it, it's about a gardener for Earl Robert Cecile in the 16th century. There was a lot of talk about the "knot gardens." Altho i had a pretty good idea about what they were, i went looking for them on Goggle.

Here is a video you might find interesting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AWByZ60I-I

and here are some images

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=knot+garden+designs&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=4feGS7GrHMbPlAeulLg9&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCIQsAQwAw

sorry, i know there's a way to make a link and not have that long url, but i don't know that yet...............

some of you who are quilters may be interested in knowing that one of the sites suggested that people look at quilt patterns to get an idea for designing their knot garden...........jean

Judy Laird · « **Reply #332 on:** February 25, 2010, 09:14:24 PM »

also just finished CeeCeeHoneycut and enjoyed it also.

Steph · « **Reply #333 on:** February 26, 2010, 06:06:52 AM »

CeeCEe has gone on my to be read list. Sounds good.
Finished Archangel last night. Loved it. So neat to find a new author that I enjoy. Oh.. Sharon Shinn and she writes fantasy with a biblical tinge of all things.

Babi · « **Reply #334 on:** February 26, 2010, 08:32:58 AM »

Shinn's other series doesn't have that Biblical tinge, but it's very engrossing. I love the characters.

joangrimes · « **Reply #335 on:** February 26, 2010, 08:46:25 AM »

I do not read Fantasy at all...so I will pass on that one.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #336 on:** February 26, 2010, 12:37:17 PM »

Someone here recommended The Bell Ringers by Henry Porter and I'm so glad I paid attention. Mysterious death of a former British Cabinet official brings former love to his inquest in the borderlands between Wales and England. Other mysteries follow, complicating any picture we are beginning to sketch so it's becoming quite delicious. Alomost parenthetically, a mention is made of "the great game of Afghanistan", Kipling's Kim's tentacles again!Oh, joy!

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #337 on:** February 26, 2010, 01:22:09 PM »

I think 'twas me who recommended "The Bell Ringers" - - jolly good wasn't it? And scary/frightening about how much info can be gathered on individuals.

JoanK · « **Reply #338 on:** February 26, 2010, 01:54:03 PM »

JACKIE: "there's no market for used kids I learned long ago". Don't tell my kids. When I get exhasperated with them, I tell them I'm going to trade them in for a used camel. (Or else I say I'll put them back in my stomach where they come from. My 6'5'' 200 pound son just laughs, I don't know why).

mrssherlock · « **Reply #339 on:** February 26, 2010, 02:32:08 PM »

Joank: Beat's me, too.

salan · « **Reply #340 on:** February 26, 2010, 06:07:28 PM »

The library just called and CeeCee is in. I will probably pick it up in the a.m. It sounds interesting. I am currently reading Edgar Sawtelle for my ftf book club, finishing up Sue Grafton's U is for Undertow, and re-reading The Book Thief. I want to finish up the Grafton book before starting CeeCee. Too many books going at one time puts my brain on overload!!
Sally

marcie · « **Reply #341 on:** February 26, 2010, 09:08:53 PM »

Salan, does your f2f bookclub talk about one book during one meeting or are there multiple sessions per book?

JoanP · « **Reply #342 on:** February 26, 2010, 09:56:52 PM »

Stopping in with the results of the preliminary vote for our Spring Book Club online discussions - we need a Run-Off vote since the votes were scattered among the 12 nominated titles. Thanks!

February 27- March 7 RUN-OFF VOTE for Spring Group Book Discussions!

Please vote for your first THREE choices from the top five titles you selected in the preliminary vote.
Remember the titles in the heading are linked to reviews.

RERUN VOTE HERE - (click this link)

Title	Author
*When Everything Changed*	Colins
*Staying On*	Scott
*Forgotten Man*	Shlaes
*The Doomsday Book*	Willis
*Story of Edward Sawtelle*	Wroblewski
*Noah's Compass*	Tyler
*Wolf Hall*	Mantel
*The Broken Teaglass*	Arsenault
*Possession*	Byatt
*Bleeding Kansas*	Paretsky
*A Woman of Independent Means*	Hailey
*Roses*	Meacham

Steph · « **Reply #343 on:** February 27, 2010, 05:57:32 AM »

Walked by the Barnes and Nobel yesterday. Not a good thing.. In I went for a DVD and out I came with the DVD and four books.. Hmm. possibly need to start another basket for not yet read books to match the first very full market basket.

salan · « **Reply #344 on:** February 27, 2010, 07:58:15 AM »

Marcie, my ftf reading group discusses one book in depth. The leader usually gives us a little background on the author and/or the setting. Then we go around the table, giving everyone a chance to comment on the book--ask questions, read certain passages aloud, etc. Some of us come early and stay late to discuss other books we are reading. We have a wide variety of interests, so the discussions are usually very interesting. Some members' recommendations I always take and others, I do not! The group has been meeting for 12 years. There are 12 members and 7 of us are "founding" members.
We meet once a month and I find it most enjoyable.
Sally

Babi · « **Reply #345 on:** February 27, 2010, 09:10:12 AM »

The Bell Ringers, Henry Porter. Got it. Do mention this one in
the 'Mystery' discussion, JACKIE.

marcie · « **Reply #346 on:** February 28, 2010, 02:02:07 AM »

Thanks, Salan, for the information about your book group. Congratulations on founding a bookclub that has been meeting for 12 years.

Steph · « **Reply #347 on:** February 28, 2010, 06:06:09 AM »

Our library has a book group, but alas,, it is another night meeting and I am simply not quite ready for night time reading..Oh well, maybe later in the year.

Babi · « **Reply #348 on:** February 28, 2010, 08:45:39 AM »

Yeah, that's true. 7pm in winter isn't all that agreeable, but 7pm in summer is easy.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #349 on:** February 28, 2010, 11:15:55 AM »

Babi: Stop that! You're reading my mind again! My daughter has vision problems which make it almost impossible to drive after dark so she relishes the freedom that the long days of summer bring.

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #350 on:** February 28, 2010, 12:39:29 PM »

Many members have expressed a great deal of interest and support for including Discussion Groups/Bulletin Boards on the SeniorNet National Website. We encourage all members interested in helping to re-establish the Discussion Groups to contact: discussiongrp@hq.seniornet.org.

DID ANY OF YOU SEE THIS NOTICE AS PART OF "SENIOR NET"'S LAST BULLETIN? Will we all rush back if they do?

mrssherlock · « **Reply #351 on:** February 28, 2010, 01:03:40 PM »

on NPR this morning was word of a novelization of Alice Liddell, the "Alice" of Alice in Wonderland. Melanie Benjamin, piqued by a seductive portrait of the then seven-yr-old by Charles Dodgson, and further intrigued by this from Alice's letter to her older sister:

Quote

But oh my dear, I am getting tired of being Alice in Wonderland.
Does it sound ungrateful? It is. Only I do get tired.

Judge the photo for yourself:http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124132534

Alice I Have Been is the historical novel wherein the 80+-yr old Alice reflects on her life and the impact of the instant bestseller AIW written at her request by Dodgson when she was 10. Tim Burton's new movie of Alice looks like it is for adults 'cause what I've seen of the trailer scares me. Maybe today's child won't react as I do. I've put my name on the list for Alice.

Another historical novel, this one in my hands as I speak, is Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. In this one Mary Anning, born in 1799, becomes one of the world's foremost fossil-hunters. Her pioneering efforts led, indirectly, to Charles Darwin's voyage on the Beagle and we know what that led to. Maybe reading this will compel me to finally read
The Origin of the Species.

jane · « **Reply #352 on:** February 28, 2010, 02:58:03 PM »

Tomereader...

I'm not holding my breath for any "discussions" reappearing on SN. The newsletters I've gotten seem to be interested ONLY in Learning Centers.

Who knows what whoever is "in charge" there now...[the latest director I heard of, Jodi Lyons, is gone] has in mind or who they think would do the discussions.

I don't have very kind feelings for SN and how they reacted to the crash of the discussions, so I'm sure that colors my thinking.

jane

maryz · « **Reply #353 on:** February 28, 2010, 03:24:02 PM »

I'm with you, jane - and I'll check it out and make a comment.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #354 on:** February 28, 2010, 03:38:31 PM »

Maybe someone has seen what SN lost when it cut us off. Such shabby treatment barely deserves an answer but I will make my disdain known to them you betcha! How they can expect us to continue to support them financially puzzles me.

Frybabe · « **Reply #355 on:** February 28, 2010, 04:16:09 PM »

I discontinued my membership and newsletter from Senior Net more than six months ago so I haven't seen their latest bulletin. I am inclined not to go back.

My best bud, George, has just started a computer class at the Senior Citizens Center in Mansfield, PA but he is not affiliated with Senior Net. He has gotten a huge response from the seniors up there. Thirteen signed up, sixteen showed up and more keep calling the center for info.

ANNIE · « **Reply #356 on:** February 28, 2010, 05:20:49 PM »

If you were in America's Prophet discussion, please go in and say goodbye and read the message from our author, Bruce Feiler.

Steph · « **Reply #357 on:** March 01, 2010, 06:02:45 AM »

It always bothered me that Senior Net seemed to discount the discussions for the classes in regular places.. I had talked to several teachers for Senior Net who seemed to not even know.. and I hated the redo, so I am not a candidate to go back.

Babi · « **Reply #358 on:** March 01, 2010, 08:49:07 AM »

Sorry about that, JACKIE. It must simply be that your thought projection
is so powerful.

I'm not surprised at the letter from Alice Liddell. I think any child
brought to the attention of an admiring and doting public would soon
grow very tired of the whole thing.

Personally, TOMEREADER, I'm perfectly happy here. I don't particularly
want to return to a site that pulled the rug out from under us with no
notice whatever. Very rude!

ALF43 · « **Reply #359 on:** March 01, 2010, 08:51:31 AM »

As far as SeniorNet goes, I felt that they dumped us and I in turn opted to dump them.

News:

Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 776038 times)