Book Lovers Club

Did not like the True Story of Hansel and Gretel, too grim for me.

That is one of the great things about my Book Club, I am forced out of my comfort zone every month! There are 9 ladies, and we really have different tastes. We have been meeting monthly for over 12 years; so I have read many, many books that I never would have read on my own. It grows you, I think, to 'think outside of your box'.

I just checked out RIn Tin Tin: the life and the legend by Susan Orlean for this weekend's reading.  I have heard good things about it and I love the dog centered books I have read lately, such as The Art of Racing in the Rain and One Good Dog.

Jane

I just reserved the Red Tent. Thanks ladies.

Kira:  I downloaded Didion's Blue Nights but haven't started yet.  I agree - The Year of Magical Thinking was great.  If you like her, try Where I Was From.  Maybe I found it particularly interesting since I was raised in CA, but a nice combination of "history and reportage, memoir & literary criticism".   She "reassesses parts of her life, her work, her history and ours".  Jan

So, I read today in The NY Times that The Bridges of Madison County is now being adapted into a musical for Broadway.... Yikes!!!





Speaking of Blue Nights, I read all of the advance praise about the book and had a reserve on it for months. When I got the book from the library, having finished reading The Boy in the Moon, I just didn't have the emotional fortitude to read Didion's book. So, I gave it to one of my friends to read instead. Having previously read excerpts, we had a very interesting discussion about the book. Most memorable was her thoughts about mortality. What resonated with me was how when we have children we think more about their mortality than our own. I always felt that, but never saw a description before like hers. I do "worry" every day about my children that it leaves me little time to "worry" about myself. A blessing or a curse.... I don't know.



Many annual lists are giving great deserving accolades to Didion's book. I applaud the NY Times for choosing to recognize Ian Brown's The Boy in the Moon. Nonetheless, both are extraordinary books and deserve recognition.

Sorry, I messed that up--Didion discusses the deaths of Dominique and Natasha Richardson in far more detail than she discusses Quintana's.

I appreciated her exploration of frailty and the ties we have to our children.

There was one funny section where she goes to PT, and sees these men who seem to be thriving with PT, and ultimately realizes they're New York Yankees....

Kira

I am having a hard time with the emperor of all maladies. I really was interested and liked the prologue, but am now going through what doctors did and knew about cancer a long time back. This isn't keeping my interest at all and is almost tortuous for meto read. I feel like I am reading a text book. Trying to decide whether to stick with ita bit longer or give up. I tink once it gets to modern times I will be interested again.

Kay, I read Emperor of Maladies and wondered how all the medical jargon would feel to someone who didn't work in the field. It does get better--what horrified me was the total lack of real knowledge until the genome was unlocked.

I work with a radiation oncologist who is also a bibliophile--he collects rare books and has a nationally known library--and he'd never heard of it. He was just interested in the radiation component.

One of my medical students who is running an oncology elective for other students advised me to read it, and I was fascinated, but it sure does read like a text. It does get better.

The lack of knowledge is stunning. Just stunning: chemotherapy was derived from analine dyes used in Germany. They didn't know how they worked, just that they seemed to work--and some are still in use.

MinusTwo: I've read Lisa Scottoline's mysteries, had no idea she wrote other genres.

Kira

sarah I find that Irving is getting quirkier and quirkier.  I have not enjoyed his more recent books, and have not even read the most recent one.  There are others that I have greatly enjoyed " A Widow for One Year" was one of them (which BTW was made into a movie for TV here in the US.  It had a different title and wasn't that good).  "The World According to Garp", also a movie, but naturally the book was better.  I also enjoyed "Until I Find You", and "The Cider House Rules" (also made into a movie, but on the big screen).  If I think of other quirkey authors, I'll let you know!!

To all of you who encouraged me to read "The Book Thief"...  I am successfully engaged in it.  Many thanks!! To Sara, you are welcome!!

Wenweb: I'm glad you gave The Book Thief another go and enjoyed it! I loved it and can't wait to read his other book.

Sarah: Let me know what you think of the ending of Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. I picked it up last year thinking the premise was so original and full of possibility, but wound up just confused and disappointed. The part with the brother at the end completely lost me. I'm curious to hear what someone who enjoyed the book thinks of the ending! 

mcsushi I too found "The Particular Sadness of the Lemon Cake" confusing.  The brother all during, but especially at the end.  It started off much better than it ended, IMHO making it a library read, which I didn't do

Laurie  I should have known better... 

I started reading the Red Tent a few nights ago.  But I have been not feeling great and have two sick kids, so I start reading and zzzzzzzz.  Oops!  I think I finally got into it tonight, I didn't fall asleep, maybe I am on the mend, lol!

It is interesting, I went to Catholic school as a girl and have read the Bible, a long time ago, the names all ring a bell with different stories and the womens views are interesting.  I'll keep you ladies posted as well.

I like Oprah just fine, but her book selections (many to empower women) have left me cold.  I don't know why.. it's something i would totally support.. it's just that the books often have a core of hopelessness in spite of the hope.. (I like the Red Tent just fine, but it is definitely not one of my faves).

I am reading my music books.  I found my box of biographies, analyses, etc.  .. kind of fun bedtime reading... not riveting and not as good as Oprah's books.

sigh.  I need a page turner.  (I am in line at the library the Book Thief).