Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 775103 times)

Steph · « **Reply #4960 on:** August 20, 2013, 08:29:25 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

Like every merchant who has ever dealt with them, I always think Brazilians.. They are the absolutely worst tourist in all of creation..and of course they are convinced that everyone speaks portugese and it is reallynot a popular language .

ginny · « **Reply #4961 on:** August 26, 2013, 11:50:13 AM »

I was at a loss for something light and enjoyable last night for bedtime reading and found, in cleaning out one of those huge TBR piles, Much Ado About Jessie Kaplan, another in the Paula Marantz Cohen series (there are only three apparently, sigh) about the septuagenarian Jessie Cohen of New Jersey and once again I am totally bemused and unfortunately have read half the book already.

In this one Jessie has moved in with her daughter Carla's family, and has developed some strange symptoms. Is her mind going? What's going on? There is plenty of additional chaos as the family prepares for a bat mitzvah for the daughter.

Mabel (Jean) had originally recommended these books, the writer apparently lives in Moorestown, NJ, (where I grew up), and they are really good. Light, enjoyable, but with themes anybody can identify with, they are like a good gossip with friends.

Just love the books. The author is professor of English at Drexel, and I wish she'd write more of these, she's written a lot of scholarly books but not in this series.

Wonderful light series of three.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #4962 on:** August 26, 2013, 12:44:17 PM »

Glad you are enjoying them Ginny.

nlhome · « **Reply #4963 on:** August 26, 2013, 02:44:08 PM »

I just finished "Behind the Scenes at the Museum" by Kate Atkinson. I'm still thinking about it. The time period hits my growing-up years, so although the setting is British, some of the scenes were quite vivid to me. It's not a book I would pick up to read, but a friend gave it to me.

MaryPage · « **Reply #4964 on:** August 26, 2013, 07:50:59 PM »

I like Kate Atkinson, but have not read that one.

Steph · « **Reply #4965 on:** August 27, 2013, 08:27:23 AM »

Ginny, added the author to me get to know list. Sigh. It does get longer and longer.

JeanneP · « **Reply #4966 on:** August 27, 2013, 11:50:39 AM »

I usual only reading mysteries or murder books but this week I read a great book,so different. It is by a new author Julie Kibles. .(calling me home) the name of it. Starts early 30s up to current. Racial problem.inter marriage.

nlhome · « **Reply #4967 on:** August 27, 2013, 08:50:27 PM »

MaryPage, I think that may be her first book.

Steph · « **Reply #4968 on:** August 28, 2013, 08:46:32 AM »

Mark that author as well. I am finally around to " A Case of Two Cities" bu Qiu Xiaolong.. recommended by someone here. Thus far, I am mostly confused.. Does China really have this sort of majestic public baths and conspicuous consumption??

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #4969 on:** August 31, 2013, 12:16:40 AM »

We are starting up the Poetry Page again - the loss of Seamus Heaney is a big loss that only reminded me again of both Fairanna and Babi - both daily contributers to the Poetry Page. Fairanna started the Poetry discussion way back during the early days of SeniorNet -

Fairanna shared as much of her own poetry as she did the poetry written by others - and for about two years we had only shared the poems of one poet a month so that we learned more about the poet and his or her work. Fairanna had featured poets that where new to some of us and we did a month with Seamus Heaney - but more - she and Babi were partial to his poetry and often shared his work.

It seems fitting to honor all three in September - we will be sharing for a month poems and quotes by Seamus Heaney and any poems written by Fairanna that you may have kept in some file on your computer.

Steph · « **Reply #4970 on:** August 31, 2013, 08:41:30 AM »

Not a poetry fan.. I like some, but nothing current. so would contribute nothinto it.

marjifay · « **Reply #4971 on:** August 31, 2013, 05:54:11 PM »

I am not a poetry reader. My poetry is rather limited - i.e. "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers..."

Well, actually my favorite poem is Little Boy Blue by Eugene Fields. I simply cannot understand most poetry, and haven't the patience or interest in trying to appreciate it.

Marj

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #4972 on:** August 31, 2013, 06:10:52 PM »

Marjifly you might want to peek into the discussion - there are photos accompanying some of the poems and now we are adding uplifting quotes often with photos that enhance the short truths - why not try this earlier page and quickly scroll till something hits your eye and then see what you think...

http://seniorlearn.org/forum/index.php?topic=176.3640

Steph · « **Reply #4973 on:** September 01, 2013, 09:30:41 AM »

mabel1015j · « **Reply #4974 on:** September 02, 2013, 12:33:45 AM »

I have finished Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler. I liked this story of an 89 yr old white woman who is relating the story of her teen-aged relationship with a teen-aged African-American boy in Kentucky and Ohio in the late 1930's and early '40's . She is telling the story to a middle-aged Black woman who has become her friend at the present time. The fear and passion of the young couple and the young man's family is palpable, although a little too romanticized for me. The love and friendship of the two different aged women is told with sensitivity and nuance. It is a story of it's time, both of the 1940's and of the 21st century. It has much drama. I like the characters. This is the debut novel for this author. I hope she writes some more.

It turns out she had heard a family rumor about her grandmother and investigated and based the story on what she learned.

Thank you Jeanne for bringing it to my attention.

......the other Jean

ursamajor · « **Reply #4975 on:** September 02, 2013, 08:31:13 AM »

I wouldn't be interested in the poetry discussion. I used to love poetry - the kind that rhymed and had meter = but iin my humble opinion modern poetry is just essays. The poets aren't willing to make the effort to even follow a meter, let along make words rhyme. The influence of the Japanese haiku has destroyed English poetry.

Steph · « **Reply #4976 on:** September 02, 2013, 09:17:54 AM »

I am on a waiting list for Calling Me Home. It looks fascinating.

JeanneP · « **Reply #4977 on:** September 02, 2013, 12:06:15 PM »

Steph.
I think you will enjoy it. She is a new author. Just hope she writes more. Not a young person. Some seem to do one book and then vanish .

MaryPage · « **Reply #4978 on:** September 03, 2013, 10:29:17 AM »

I've just ordered The Return by Michael Gruber.
Gruber is one of the finest writers I have ever had the privilege of reading, albeit I hate his venues and plots. But if you can manage the horrors, oh, oh, the writing! He has a Ph.D. in Biology, of all things!

Steph · « **Reply #4979 on:** September 03, 2013, 05:22:39 PM »

Without a good plot, I tend to give it up. No matter how well you write.

MaryPage · « **Reply #4980 on:** September 03, 2013, 07:46:13 PM »

Oh, his plots are most excellent. The Washington Post critic raved and raved about this one. It is just that they portray a very violent section of our society, and I find that a bit overwhelming for my preferences. But I learn a lot!

Steph · « **Reply #4981 on:** September 04, 2013, 08:11:03 AM »

OK.. I see. Will have to look for him in my swap club to see how I feel about him in the end.

JeanneP · « **Reply #4982 on:** September 04, 2013, 01:02:31 PM »

Violence has become a big part of our society now . So in order to know how and why and where it is happening we can't be squeamish. Got to see and read about things. Use to be just movies. Now for real.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #4983 on:** September 04, 2013, 01:19:38 PM »

I'm just 100 pages into Noah Gordon's third book in the "physician" trilogy. This one is Matters of Choice, it has Gordon's great story-telling. The first book The Physician, was set in the Middle Ages; the second The Shaman was a descendant in early 19th century Ohio; this one is a female descendant physician in Massachusettes. All protagonists are Dr R. J. Cole(s). This one is Roberta Jeanne D'Arc Cole

, who is both an attorney and a doc. She defied her doctor father, first by being a GIRL, then by going to law school, but after discovering that she has the occasional appearing "gift" of family members of being able to devine when someone is going to die, she went to med school.

At the beginning of the book she is working at a big hospital in Boston, spending 2afternoons a week at either a family clinic or an abortion clinic. When her personal life changes and the controvsery of her clinic work stymies her hospital career, she contemplates a major career change.

That's a far as i got last night, but i'm enjoying it as much as the other two. I know some of you have read Gordon and will like this book too.

Jean

Steph · « **Reply #4984 on:** September 05, 2013, 09:19:14 AM »

I like Noah Gordon and have not read two of the three mentioned. Will have to check them out.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #4985 on:** September 10, 2013, 12:33:57 PM »

Just finished Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs, she of The Friday Night Knitting Club. It was a fun read about a 50-something woman who had opened a lunchonette after the death of her husband and had been "discovered" by a cooking channel exec and is now in her 12th yr on the air. A young woman is added to the "cast" to pump up ratings and interesting scenarios result from the tension created.

It's a fun, enjoyable book, not bound to be a classic.

Jean

Steph · « **Reply #4986 on:** September 11, 2013, 08:41:56 AM »

I was lukewarm about the Knitting club, but that one does soundinteresting.. I just finished a book by Morgan James.. A woman, who is definitely writing about the area I live in in the summer. I think it is either her first or second book, but it is good. Needs tightening, but that is not unusual.

JeanneP · « **Reply #4987 on:** September 15, 2013, 04:29:34 PM »

Just ordered the new Billy Crystal book.' Still Foolin Em" I liked his last one. Always liked his movies. He was the best one when doing the Awards.

Steph · « **Reply #4988 on:** September 16, 2013, 08:44:10 AM »

Maybe here is a good place to ask.. Who determines Young Adult and adult fiction.. I just read the first of a series that I love and plan on finding more, it is labeled Young Adult, but is a fantasy and quite a dark one at that.

salan · « **Reply #4989 on:** September 16, 2013, 06:18:21 PM »

Steph, I have often wondered about that. I read the Hunger Games because it was assigned to my 11 year old grandson. I would not have put these books in that age range!
Sally

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #4990 on:** September 17, 2013, 05:14:57 AM »

My youngest daughter is 15 and this YA label drives her mad - she feels that anyone jumping on the bandwagon of vampires/dystopian societies, etc grabs the YA tag as a promotional tool. She does read some of the dystopian books (not the vampire ones, can't stand them) but she also reads a lot of 'grown up' literature - I have never censored what she reads in any way, as I think children/teenagers read to their own level of maturity. I and my friends were all reading adult literature at her age because 'YA' didn't exist.

I also question the film certificate system in this country - we recently borrowed "The Kids Are Alright" from the library - it is a 15 certificate here, and in the first few minutes there was graphic sex between a man and a woman, oral sex between the 2 women protagonists, etc etc - I don't know who was more embarrassed, daughter or me. We didn't watch the rest of it, and when I took it back I tried to explain our reaction to the librarian but I don't think she took the point at all.

Rosemary

MaryPage · « **Reply #4991 on:** September 17, 2013, 08:23:10 AM »

I understand exactly what you are saying. Precisely.
You see, what to our sensibilities portrays a loss of innocence that is painful for us to see in the young, and especially young girls, because WE were well and truly innocent at that age and we feel wistful for those times, seems perfectly alright to the youth of today. It is a given, these facts of life: copulation and four letter words and all of the rest.
I cringe.
I was told by one of my sons that a Billy Crystal/Bette Midlar movie was OK. I like them, so I viewed it on HBO movies recently.
Horrors!
One small, mebbe 7 years old, mebbe younger, child calling his grandfather "Farty." Lots of bathroom jokes.
Me, I just cannot take in living a family life such as they famously film today. I LIKE nice! Take me back to Leave It To Beaver, or whatever. Give me manners and respect for others. And keep your bathroom functions to yourself and your sexual antics behind closed doors.

maryz · « **Reply #4992 on:** September 17, 2013, 08:56:00 AM »

I always liked my mother's (1908-1983) comment about a racy-to-her book she was returning to the library: "I don't mind a little sex, but I don't want an instruction manual." Obviously I've laughed about that for many years - and agree with her.

Steph · « **Reply #4993 on:** September 17, 2013, 11:05:19 AM »

Aha, I will remember that MaryZ, it describes me perfectly..

Dana · « **Reply #4994 on:** September 17, 2013, 11:16:14 AM »

When I was a kid you joined the library, probably had to get parent's permission--I think I went with my mum the first time--age about 7 or 8 maybe, or 9--there was a kids' section but you could go everywhere and borrow anything--you just had to have the nerve to brave the librarian and check it out....! If you didn't (have the nerve), you read it in stages in the library.....I think this YA stuff is bizarre, surely the point of reading is that personal freedom it gives to dabble and choose whatever hits your fancy.....

Tomereader1 · « **Reply #4995 on:** September 17, 2013, 12:24:52 PM »

Rosemary, I'm with you! I Netflixed "The Kids Are Alright" and I, this ancient, aged, open-minded woman, only made it as far as the scene with the 2 women. I put the disc back in its envelope and returned it to Netflix. My oldest daughter, had unfortunately bought the DVD, and while she is as open-minded as I (maybe moreso) she gave the disc to me to put in either the library sale, or the charity pick-up! And let's not get into movies whose prime dialog consists of the F-word. We just watched "Argo" and I think it runs a close second to "The Departed" for the use of that word. The Hollywood SAG seems to think these movies merit Academy Award nominations for both movie and actors. I don't.

JeanneP · « **Reply #4996 on:** September 17, 2013, 01:19:01 PM »

Now at our two libraries the floors are separate ages to 15 are downstairs , computers. Books and DVD. Cards are different colours. Now upstairs after age 16 can get anything you want. Some of what they watch on the computers unbelievable. Library have no way of censoring like can be put on home computers.

Teenagers now are way ahead of what we were. 10 year olds know more than I did at 16 .have seen more ,done more.

Dana · « **Reply #4997 on:** September 17, 2013, 02:14:56 PM »

Isn't that strange--that they segregate the books and under 16 is a different card, how odd....I guess at the library here the kids have their own section but I thought that was because they tend to be a bit noisy and no-one says Shhh any more....come to think of it, I've not noticed kids looking round the "adult" books, but I quite likely don't notice, will keep my eyes open next time I go.

Frybabe · « **Reply #4998 on:** September 17, 2013, 04:27:42 PM »

Dana, it's a little hard for me to tell seeing that I only volunteer for a few hours, but you may be right. I sometimes wonder if separating the books out like that channel the kids to books at a certain reading level which may not do much to encourage them to take out something slightly more advanced to challenge them. But then, if the child is a reader, I think he/she would start looking further on their own. Most of the kids that come in when I am there are younger and with a parent. I did have one come ask about WWII books about ships. He took three or four home with him.

Our library has a room with sections for tots and early readers up to and including Juniors. The teen book section is out in the main section with the adult books. Our branch is small, covering three rooms. The children's section is one room which is as large as the other two put together. The Librarian shares the smallest room for her office. Naturally, the smallest room covers the non-fiction and a small section for Science Fiction.

JeanneP · « **Reply #4999 on:** September 17, 2013, 08:35:34 PM »

Our library had a real problem last year. Had to hire security police. Got to be a hanging out place for high school kids from about 14 to 16 . The high school is just 2 blocks away.Some way they have taken care of the problem, they still have a person walk all around the rooms every half hour.

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Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 775103 times)