Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 774941 times)

Babi · « **Reply #3720 on:** October 04, 2012, 08:15:55 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

MARYPAGE. Perhaps that is why my preferred sci/fi reading is the books where good
triumphs and the evil get what's coming to them. Fantasy, as I know very well from observing
our world, but it helps. I read the harsh stuff when I was younger, stronger and more
hopeful and resilient.

Quote

that we saw reflected and admired or didn't in my grandson.

BARB, it took a long while
for it to dawn on me that the things that irritated me most in my children, were faults
of my own! Very useful eye-opener, indeed.

Steph · « **Reply #3721 on:** October 05, 2012, 09:37:58 AM »

Honestly I dont think I read things that reflect me or my life. I want to be carried away or read about places I have been or even that I dont even want to go. Dontl like certain genres.. Any celebrity or political autobiography is an automatic pass for me.. I love mysteries.. mostly that have strong females ,,, but I also read Daniel Silva.. ( spies), all sorts of science fiction ( Terry Pratchett make me laugh) not overfond of the too too romancetype mysteries. I get turned off by any book that insists all of the main characters are just tooo tooo handsome, beautiful glamerous.. Too much sex..sigh.. I am listening to the Girl with the Dragon Tatoo.. and would never go to the movie. Way too much torture

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3722 on:** October 05, 2012, 09:57:27 AM »

Steph sounds like you respect and prefer your reading that - mostly that have strong females

That suggests that you are uncomfortable around cloying dependent little girl type women - but more, reading your posts especially, these last couple of years you epitomize a strong women -

Good Grief look at what you are doing to get on with your life - you even purchased a second home in another state where you have no family nearby - you are learning new skills - you may not have a mystery to solve with some dead body showing up on your front lawn but my goodness if it were to happen I can only imagine you immediately calling the authorities and spic span it would all be taken care of - you may not try to solve the who and why but you would not wait for some passerby to call in and take care of anything unusual.

Not trying to prove a point - just acknowledging that you are every bit as strong a female as those who you respect and like to read as a character in a book. May even explain why you do not like the romantic novel - most romantic novels stereotype the nineteenth century women and not the strong pioneer women.

jane · « **Reply #3723 on:** October 05, 2012, 11:13:21 AM »

Quote

May even explain why you do not like the romantic novel - most romantic novels stereotype the nineteenth century women and not the strong pioneer women.

I don't find that the case with novels written in the last 20 years or so. I've found that many contemporary women's lit/romantic suspense { I enjoy those books immensely} reflect contemporary society. I believe there will always be women who are dependent and "needy," as there have been throughout history, and there will, I think, always be women who are independent thinkers and are treated with respect because they know they deserve it.

jane

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3724 on:** October 05, 2012, 11:26:38 AM »

Now that would be interesting to read Jane - a contemporary women's lit/romance - please do you have a couple of suggestions - I guess when I think of romance novels I think of the many bodice busters or the young woman trying to prove she can be successful on her own but eventually looses her place in the competitive race because she falls in love on the order of the Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks, You've Got Mail.

jane · « **Reply #3725 on:** October 05, 2012, 11:58:42 AM »

I'm not big on recommending books/authors to others since our tastes vary so dramatically. My sister seems to be the only one who understands the kind of books I enjoy. My friends seem to think that what they enjoy is what I will...and it never is.

But, since you asked, I like Linda Howard and her suspense/intrigue novels such as:

All the Queen's Men; Kill and Tell: A Novel; Diamond Bay;Midnight Rainbow

and I also enjoyed Nora Roberts (I can hear the gasps now...

) The Witness

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3726 on:** October 05, 2012, 12:08:05 PM »

Thanks - worth a try -

jane · « **Reply #3727 on:** October 05, 2012, 01:21:47 PM »

Borrow from your Library and if they don't appeal to you, you've only lost a little bit of time.

JeanneP · « **Reply #3728 on:** October 05, 2012, 02:19:46 PM »

I don't go for Romance novels. Love mysteries, Suspense. Change into not fiction for a break. Just read couple of Jennifer Weiner, Have a Miss Julie and 2 Beverly Lewis. (Amish) to read this week. At this time reading a fast read between cleaning. Kate Jacob "Knit the season". First of hers I have read. Also got 4 DVD at library yesterday.
Suppose to keep raining for next few days and so will sit back and enjoy the weekend. Nothing on Tv until Sunday night PBS.

JoanK · « **Reply #3729 on:** October 05, 2012, 05:29:00 PM »

"just acknowledging that you are every bit as strong a female as those who you respect and like to read as a character in a book."

I'll second that!

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3730 on:** October 05, 2012, 11:11:58 PM »

Ditto what Barb and Joan said Steph!

I loved Linda Howard's Mr Perfect

I'm still loving Clara and Mr Tiffanyand am reading your archived discussion.

I'm ready for a rainy weekend too, several books from the library and a prayer shawl to knit on and a tote bag to crochet. If i get bored with those, i could do some housework. $:-\$

Steph · « **Reply #3731 on:** October 06, 2012, 08:46:07 AM »

Thank you all of you.. I hope that I am a living embodiment of the old saying.. What doesnt kill you makes you stronger.. I know the last three years for me have been hard. But this summer for the first time, I have relaxed. not trying to be perfect in all.. If I cannot do it, I can leave it and the world will not cease to be.. I even find myself peeping at the opposite sex and going.. maybe if I could meet someone who just wanted to go to plays and out to dinner and did not want anything else..Silly but true.. I still have my ghost, but he smles a lot and seems to urge me forward.

Babi · « **Reply #3732 on:** October 06, 2012, 09:18:59 AM »

I believe that, STEPH. A poignant memory of mine is when my father was deciding
whether to marry again. He told me he went to mother's grave and asked her if she would
mind. He said he could almost hear her voice smilingly saying, "Silly boy!"

nlhome · « **Reply #3733 on:** October 06, 2012, 11:37:02 AM »

Banned Books Week was this week. I happened to be in a library in another community that had an interesting display, using yellow warning tape, "do not cross," to bring attention - I was surprised at the number of those books I had read.

My thought, some of then might have been forgotten had it not been for challenges.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3734 on:** October 06, 2012, 01:29:36 PM »

I remember clearly that Boston banned Gone With The Wind because Rhett Butler said: "Frankly My Dear, I don't give a damn!" at the end of the book, and Boston, Massachusetts would not tolerate the use of the word "damn" back in 1939!

Remember the phrase constantly in use back then: "Banned in Boston?"

When you think of the words in print these days, well, I cringe. I am sure the current generation, that of my great grandchildren, cannot imagine why I shudder at words heard on television and appearing in print and used by them as though they were saying pretty or sweet!

My grandmother made me wash my mouth out with Fels Naptha soap while she watched back when I was twelve years old. I had said: "Darn it!"

Tempus fugits, indeed. Tempus omnia mutat.

Steph · « **Reply #3735 on:** October 07, 2012, 08:53:00 AM »

I too have problems with what they have on tv and movies and unfortunately real life.. I am high in the mountains, but the teen boys up here are still into theconstant spitting, which I dispise.. Ugly habit.. If I had ever caught my sons doing that, there would have been instant war.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3736 on:** October 07, 2012, 12:20:37 PM »

We recently had a family discussion about foul language. My son who teaches in high school started it by talking about dealing w/ a young woman who he told twice to change her language and then took her to the vice priniciple when she continued. I was also a high school teacher and saw a big change from the first round in the 60s, that ended in 1970, and when i went back for a second round in 1981 - students had no qualms of making inappropriate comments in front of me - not cursing, but comments to each other, like boys commenting to big busted girls.

The difference now is the cursing. We talked about how there was always street/within the group language, and language you used around people you respected. Now, young people hear "bad" language everywhere and don't recognize the "boundaries". They hear their parents and adults on tv and in the movies use bad language in all situations, so they use it too and are not taught differently by the adults around them.

I must say that i only once had a college student who used curse words in class. I let it slide the first time, but the second time when he used the "f" word, i told him that that was not an acceptable word to use in class and he apologized and didn't do it again.

pedln · « **Reply #3737 on:** October 07, 2012, 03:21:57 PM »

Remember the movie Love Story? Book by Erich Segal. The language in the book didn't provoke me, but the use of four letter words by the actress in the movie was shocking to me at the time.

Ordinarily I am not a lover of dystopian literature such as The Hunger Games, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading Newbery Award winner The Giver several years ago. It’s considered a children/YA book although NYT says that 55% of all YA books are bought by adults. At any rate, it was the mention of its author, Lois Lowry, that drew me to this article, which discusses the sequels to The Giver, thus making The Giver Quartet, and how subsequent events in Lowry’s life have influenced her writing. An interesting comparison between the writings of Lowry and Susan Collins is also included.

The Children’s Author Who Actually Listens to Children

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3738 on:** October 07, 2012, 04:30:32 PM »

thanks - good article that makes you think.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3739 on:** October 07, 2012, 06:57:35 PM »

I have long loved Lois Lowry and did not hesitate to buy her books for my granddaughters when they were young and now for my great grandchildren.

JoanP · « **Reply #3740 on:** October 07, 2012, 07:33:16 PM »

I came in this evening to tell you that the vote just opened for November's featured book discussion. As some of the titles may be unfamiliar to you, please read the reviews in the heading of the Suggestion Box before going into the Ballot Box. Thanks, everyone!

Steph · « **Reply #3741 on:** October 08, 2012, 08:58:14 AM »

I love Lois Lowry and read quite a few of hers when I had the store. I also gave my granddaughte quite a few of her books.. Good writer.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3742 on:** October 08, 2012, 01:11:39 PM »

I gave up on The Red Tent. It just didn't grab me. Those first 100 pages about all the relatives and Jacob marrying Leah, spending 7 days in a tent w/ her and then marrying Rachael and spending 7 days w/ her and the jelousy between the wives just seemed like a bad romance novel to me. I'm sure there must be a better story in later pages since some of you and others really liked it, but i don't want to spend the time getting to that. I have too many books i know i will like on my tbr list.

Different strokes for different folks, thank goodness!

Jean

MaryPage · « **Reply #3743 on:** October 08, 2012, 01:27:58 PM »

I am so sorry, Jean; I loved The Red Tent soooo very much, and I feel bad that I recommended it to you and you did not care for it.

The story is actually right smack dab from the Old Testament of The Bible. I have always loved the story of Jacob's serving 7 years to get Rachel and then being told he had to take Leah first and then toiling 7 more years to get Rachel, herself. And those two women the mothers, together, of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Fascinates me.

And, as I think I said before, the relationships formed between the wives and the cocubines, especially during their monthly vacations in The Red Tent, were heart warming.

JeanneP · « **Reply #3744 on:** October 08, 2012, 05:10:02 PM »

I also loved reading "The Red Tent."Just can't think of the other book by the same author that I read. I must not of liked it as much as the First one.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3745 on:** October 08, 2012, 06:03:38 PM »

That is what makes this group so great - we have such a variety of reading taste - love it...!

Babi · « **Reply #3746 on:** October 09, 2012, 08:33:35 AM »

Well, Leah and Rachel didn't have to bear l2 sons. The concubines 'carried' some of the
load. I find it interesting that though Rachel was the best-beloved, it was Leah who was
the mother of Judah and the line of David, Jesus, and even the terms 'Jew' and 'Judaism'.

Steph · « **Reply #3747 on:** October 09, 2012, 08:37:08 AM »

hmm, not sure if I want to attempt the Red Tent.. will put it onmy sample this first list.
But the Jane Gardam is wonderful. I remember I liked Old Filth and this is a story of a woman.. breaking down in little pieces. Whew..

MaryPage · « **Reply #3748 on:** October 09, 2012, 10:56:21 AM »

Steph, I really loved The Red Tent, and I think you will, as well. It had to be listed as Fiction, of course, because it is Historical Fiction and the author had to write dialogue and thoughts in between the actual history as set out in the Bible. We do know that the lineage and basic facts regarding names and who "begat" whom are alleged to be true history, and they may well be. I like to believe that they are. Of course, the rest is imagination steeped in what is known of the culture of those ancient times.

For me, at least, it is thrilling to follow an imaginary tale of how those men who came each to be the First Chief of one of the Twelve Tribes of Israel were born and bred. A lovely story, IMHO.

marjifay · « **Reply #3749 on:** October 09, 2012, 11:29:22 AM »

For those who like to read about the bible. thought you might be interested in Isaac Asimov's GUIDE TO THE BIBLE which I have been reading and finding it fascinating. He does not talk about the teachings and theology of it, but gives a very interesting look at the history, i.e., the events, who the people were, where they lived, what they did and why, etc.

It's a big book of both the old and new testaments. But can often be found very cheap used at Amazon.

Marj

JoanK · « **Reply #3750 on:** October 09, 2012, 03:13:49 PM »

Asimov wrote about the bible? Who knew! (Probably Sci-Fi fans did. I read his Sci fi as a kid).

Frybabe · « **Reply #3751 on:** October 09, 2012, 03:31:04 PM »

Marj, that book is still on my shelf. Haven't looked at it in ages.

salan · « **Reply #3752 on:** October 09, 2012, 05:25:17 PM »

My ftf reading group read The Red Tent a number of years ago. All of the group thought it was a good book. It's very good, but not my kind of book at all. That's the good thing about my ftf group....they force me to read "out of my realm". I've discovered some really good books that way.
Sally

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3753 on:** October 09, 2012, 07:57:29 PM »

Some of you may be interested in a new Harvard course on Do It Yourself Scholar.... Interpreting the Bible, read the description here. It's free, just click on the "itunes" link at the beginning of the paragraph. If you don't have itunes, it will prompt you to download it, it's also free.

http://diyscholar.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/interpreting-the-bible/

Babi · « **Reply #3754 on:** October 10, 2012, 09:04:05 AM »

I began reading and studying the Bible at a fairly early age. I still do. I've also read the Jewish 'Tanakh', their Bible,
with it's commentaries and explanations. Helps, sometimes, to compare the two. I'm now reading, for the second time,
(didn't grasp much the first time around), the Qu'ran. I want to know what it actually says, rather than what others with
probably partisan view, tell me it says. I have been quite startled, actually, at the inaccuracy of some of the things I
was told. And of course, like anyone with an interest in religion, I took a course in comparative religion in college.
My basic faith is firmer than ever, but I've been forced to raise a doubtful eyebrow at some of the doctrines that have
developed in the church.

Steph · « **Reply #3755 on:** October 10, 2012, 09:05:31 AM »

I know I am a minority, but I guess for me, I remember that the bible is always and forever a translation and many many scholars disagree on what was actually meant. It also was originally translatedby men...for men... and I suspect slanted towardsmen.. Sorry.. but that is it.. The Old Testament can be truly gruesome in spots.. Desert people live somewhat differently than other tribes.

marjifay · « **Reply #3756 on:** October 10, 2012, 11:03:52 AM »

JoanK wrote, "Asimov wrote about the bible? Who knew! (Probably Sci-Fi fans did. I read his Sci fi as a kid)."

Asimov also wrote a Guide to Shakespeare, but I have not read that one.

Marj

mabel1015j · « **Reply #3757 on:** October 10, 2012, 12:57:46 PM »

Since we were talking about Tiffany and I know some of you are art lovers, i thought you might enjoy hearing about this new site.......from my openculture newsletter this morning

http://www.openculture.com/2012/10/artsy_rolls_out_huge_archive_of_fine-art_images.html

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3758 on:** October 10, 2012, 02:04:00 PM »

Steph not a minority of one - another thought that a professor opened my eyes - the first was Mark, with Mat and Luke using his work as a benchmark - and then the realization - what kind of story would be written about a well loved figure two years after 9/11 if the terrorists were in power here in the USA - Two years before Mark wrote his section of the New Testament the main and most glorious Temple in Jerusalem was completely destroyed by the Romans. That event was as traumatic as 9/11 and had to influence the story telling.

We also have various copies with whole parables written in by monks when they copied the work and even St. Jerome alters some stories as compared to the three other originals - then other monks while copying loose track of where they are and sections of pages are not carried forward.

For me there is much Theology that has been more valuable tying me to my beliefs along with viewpoints but not the practices of some of the Eastern Religions. Have not read the Qur'an - still working on the Upanishads.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3759 on:** October 10, 2012, 04:20:53 PM »

Regardless of a person's individual belief, it can only be a Good Thing to study all of the religions of this world.

While I do not personally believe in the Native American gods of the earth and of all nature, there is nothing more soothing to me than to hear a Native American explain why they believe all living creatures have souls and why the wind carries spirits and so on and so forth. Very soothing. I have also heard Japanese explain why they worship and revere their ancestors, and that, too, is a lovely thing. Makes me want to set up a sacred place with pictures of all of My Dead and then bow and pray to them.

One thing I am 100% certain of: God does not have a sex. But it was the MEN of this world, even given a he, a she, and an it to choose from OR given the choice to make up a pronoun to use for God alone, well, these men with their God-given egos (one wonders why and deplores the fact that we can ask, but no answers come) took it for a certainty that God is a He. And so we are stuck with a point of theology we know perfectly well is mistaken. From the git go.

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Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 774941 times)