Just what are you reading?

[Changeling]

I had a thought today that I would very much like to see some interactions about well, four of my favorite topics and it occured to me that it would be fun to start up a few threads (I feel so bold) about

What are you reading?

I just literally just finished Children of God by Mary Doria Russell. I read the first book Sparrow when it came out and I have had copy of Children of God the second book since it came out, but knowing the emotional input & output I went through I had put aside Children for a later date. This weekend after Dian's surgery I decided I had the time & energy to take it up.
Oh, my the utter power of this book astounded me. Her use of words alone send me into rapture. When she is describing all my senses came alive and saw what she was saying. The words she gives her characters to speak move me beyond belief.

As Sparrow was compeling because I had no idea where she was sending her linguist Jesuit into, Children of God speaks of the consequences of actions done because of culture (genocide) or of individual responsibility (rape) and in how people can come to terms with these atrocities. But ultimatley I found her stated purpose , she has said that part of her motivation for writing the books was after her conversion to Judaism - coming to terms with such horrors as the Holocaust in concert with loving God to be the most compeling part of the story.

[Margay]

Just started Atwood's 'The Blind Assassin'... Too soon to tell. I liked The 'Handmaid's Tale' (1985) it's disturbing how some parts of it, especially how the new regime came to power, match recent events.

Before this I read Sophia McDougall's 'Romanitas'. It's historic fiction in which the Roman Empire never fell and lasts until this day. Entertaining.

Also on my bedside table is a Dutch collection of essays called 'Lichaam en eigendom' (body and ownership) by Donna Dickenson, published when she recently received the Spinoza Lens Award. Dickenson writes about moral and legal issues in medicine. 'Lichaam en eigendom' deals with the risk of (women's) bodies being reduced to a commodity, in a world of DNA- and Stem Cell research. Who owns your DNA?

[NinasSpaceChild]

I'm reading Seventyseven Clocks by Christopher Fowler.

Chris is one of my favourite authors, but isn't widely read.

I fancy something by Anne Tyler next.

[Irish Beth]

I'm reading Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen. It is the true story about two seperate things happening at the same time......a serial killer in Chicago and the construction and opening of the Chicago's world fair. I highly recommend this book - it reads like fiction and is totally fascinating.

I just finished The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls - a truly inspiring book about growing up and a child's perspective.

Irish Beth

[Dee]

SISTERS IN THE WILDERNESS
The Lives of Susanna Moodie and Catharine Parr Traill
Charlotte Gray - Author

Penguin's bestselling book (over a year on The Globe and Mail list) from Canada's most eminent biographer is now on CBC-TV

In the inhospitable and hardscrabble bush of Canada, facing a pioneering existence that they never even knew existed, the well-educated, but modestly married, British born Strickland sisters, Susanna and Catharine, turned to the pen to ease their loneliness and isolation. Susanna Moodie’s Roughing It in the Bush warned her countrymen from taking the bait and emigrating to Canada; Catharine Parr Traill’s The Backwoods of Canada and Life in the Clearings celebrated her new-found freedom in Canada's classless society, and the spirit of industry. Both women had great influence on England's understanding of colonial Canada, as well as on Canada's own vision of its young self. Their writings have become central to all Canadian studies courses and are considered classic examples of pioneer memoirs.

February 1834

Tall, dense pine trees loomed over the Moodies, blocking any glimpse of the night sky, as they wearily clambered down from the heavy, horse-drawn sleigh. Susanna, John and their two little girls were exhausted, hungry and chilled to the bone. For eighteen hours they had lurched across packed snow and frozen swamp and through thick, silent forest. Now they had finally arrived at the home of Susanna's sister Catharine Parr Traill and her husband, Thomas, just north of the little Upper Canadian town of Peterborough. Golden light flooded out of the log cabin's open door: Susanna stumbled towards its promise of warmth and shelter — and reunion with her beloved sister.

Was it really less than two years since the sisters had last seen each other? It felt like half a lifetime. Back then, the two young women had been rising stars in the lively literary world of Regency London. They had more than enough talent and education to become serious writers: only the straightened circumstances of their own family, and their husbands' poor prospects, had held them back. Persuaded by their husbands that they would have a better future in the colonies, they had said goodbye to each other on the pebble beach of Southwold, in Suffolk. Then each couple had made their own way across the Atlantic, towards Upper Canada, for a new life in a New World.

So far, however, the New World had proved more hostile than they had ever imagined. As Susanna huddled in the sleigh throughout that long February day, she wondered whether she would ever be able to carve a comfortable life out of this wilderness, let along achieve the success as an author she had once dreamed of. "I gazed through tears upon the singularly savage scene around me," she wrote years later in her most famous book, Roughing It in the Bush, "and secretly marvelled, 'What brought me here?'" Catharine had found the landscape equally overpowering, admitting in her first Canadian book, The Backwoods of Canada, that "the long and unbroken line of woods...insensibly inspires a feeling of gloom almost touching on sadness."

Could these two women ever come to terms with Canada? In 1834, it seemed unlikely. During their first eighteen months in the colony, they had not even managed to see one another. Poor communications, primitive roads, family responsibilities and the relentless daily demands of pioneer farms had kept them apart, although only fifty miles separated them. But now, at least, they would have each other. Close allies since childhood, they would at last be able to share their fears and lift each other's morale.

When Susanna appeared in the doorway of her cabin, Catharine rushed to embrace her. Tears sprang to Susanna's eyes as she heard her sister's voice and felt Catharine's arms encircle her. The two young women clung to each other in an explosion of joy. Years later, Susanna wrote: "I never enjoyed more heartily a warm welcome after a long day of intense fatigue, than I did that night of my first sojourn in the backwoods."

"...Sisters in the Wilderness is an essential and outstanding addition to the annals of...history...the definitive biography."
—The National Post

"Gray has done a superb job of using the sisters' newly published correspondence, as well as archival material, to reconstruct their family lives."
—Maclean's

Floyd S. Chalmers Award
Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Award
Ottawa-Carleton Book Award Shortlist

http://www.penguin.ca/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,0_0140276742,00.html

[Randy & Betty in Pa]

Currently I'm reading a very engrossing publication known as the "Phone Book".... I'm in a section known to some as the Yellow pages looking under Pizza... Though the plot is a bit on the dry side I find it to be engrossing material to read...I'd recommend it strongly to anybody with those very special and intriging interests...... Dar, did you hear me?

Best to all

R. from pa

[RedjackRyan]

A briefer history of time - Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow


From the Amazon blurb.

Starred Review. In the 17 years since the publication of A Brief History of Time, Dr. Hawking's bestselling exposition of physics, new data from particle physics and observational astronomy have shed light on efforts to find a Grand Unified Theory of Everything that Hawking and Mlodinow use to enhance and update their answers to basic questions about the universe: where it's going and how it began. Discussed at length are the mysterious dark matter and dark energy-both of which can only be observed by their gravitational effects and are believed to make up 90 percent of the universe. Another area of research that has exploded in the past 20 years is string theory. Hawking and Mlodinow provide one of the most lucid discussions of this complex topic ever written for a general audience. Readers will come away with an excellent understanding of the apparent contradictions and conundrums at the forefront of contemporary physics. Recognizing that much of their audience will also be science fiction buffs, they include a chapter on the possibility of time travel. "Don't bet on it," the authors advise. Throughout these discussions, the authors maintain the same wry, lively tone that made the original Brief History such a delight. They close with a discussion of where physics ends and philosophy begins, "Why does the universe exist at all?" They cannot provide the answer, but they do provide an immense amount of food for thought.

[Dar]

Beth, isn't it fantastic?! I really enjoyed that book a lot. So much fascinating information about the history of Chicago and so amazing that he got away with what he did.

[SongDragon]

Well, I didn't have any books to read and Nana was going to the library. So I came on here and found recommendations for "The Sparrow" by Maria Doria Russel, and I'm almost done with it now. I almost cried after the last few pages I just read... It is very good, however. I'm having troubles putting it aside to do homework.

~Song

[GodSistah]

I am about halfway through "'Scuze Me while I Kiss the Sky - The Autobiography of Jimi Hendrix" by Dave Henderson. Very cool book!

~Andrea~

[Eva]

I just finished the last 'Fool' book by Robin Hobb. Now I have read all three trilogies that belong together. I didn't like the 'Ship' books that much so I read those very quickly. I felt I needed to read them to understand what is going on exactly in the other two trilogies. I found the fool / Sir Golden / The White Profet / etc. a very intruiging person. I want to know so much more about him (and others like him) than the books tell me...

Now that you bring up the word 'library', Song. I think I'm late. Have to bring them back tomorrow. Oops!

Eva

[folkrocks]

I just finished Patricia Cornwell's,"Predator," dissapointing ending. Kind of left you hanging. I teach Psychology so I find anything about Abnormal personalities to be very interesting. I am getting redy to start Steven King's "the Cell,". I love King's stuff, some people don't.

[KarenSews2]

Currently rereading Bailey White's Mama Makes Up Her Mind and Other Dangers of Southern Living. It's one of those books that makes me laugh out loud. The strange thing is, I met her at a book signing about 11 years ago, and she is NOTHING like her writing! She has the personality of this computer screen! Shortly after that meeting, my family was in Colorado and we visited a bookstore (a favorite pastime of all of us!). I saw some of her books and for some reason I opened one and noticed it was signed. I asked the girl helping us if she had met Bailey White. She got a funny look on her face and said, "yeah." Seems she had the same impression I had. I guess she'd go in the back room for a break, and just sat there. Not talking to anyone. I find it odd that someone can write the way she does and have NONE of it come through in her personality.

folkrocks, Predator is next on my list. Sad to hear it didn't end well.

[Lin]

The Secret Life of Bees

Lin

[SongDragon]

Lin, I loved that one! As I thought, grumbling as I had to read it for school, it wasn't my type of book. It wasn't my type of book, but I can learn!

Eva--Sorry about bringing up the library :p . I always feel somewhat sad returning books to the library, even after I've finished them. My local library is pretty lenient, but some libraries are likely to disembowel you if you bring the book back a minute late!

~Song

[Lin]

Songdragon...funny, when I first picked up the book I thought it really was about bees and thought 'this could be interesting'. But as I am reading it, I find that I love the story!

Lin

[Pesky]

Middlesex. I am so enjoying this book. A novel that purports to be a memoir.

[Des]

Once by James Herbert

"Once... a faerie tale for adults. This is one of Herberts' best books to date. Following the life of a young man (Thom Kindred), who after a stroke, returns to his childhood home to recover. After a strange occurance on a walk in the woods, he discovers that the woodland around him is home to a range of mythical creatures, from elfs to faeries.

This is truly a faerie tale for adults, Herbert truly make us believe once again that there is more to the world than what we see. At times you do get a feeling of i've read this before, (due to the resemblance (if not physically) of Thom to Nick Dismas (Others), (the limp for instance)).

To be fair (faere?) this is one of Herberts' best works to date, so if you're planning reading any of his work make sure you read this at least ONCE...."

[dragonlady]

I'm reading some of the eBooks I've gotton from Fictionwise and haven't really had time to read. I just finished Lost Property by Fiona Glass about an elf with amnisia who is taken to a human hospital to receive treatment. and The Aquarius Age, I can't remember the author off the top of my head, sorta like the Da Vinci Code but about the Gnostic Gospels.

BTW, Great thread Changeling...and welcome back to the Board...;)

-di

[Rkitko]

All of my reading recently has been confined to required texts. Some are interesting, however.

Currently, I'm reading Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers (by Robert M. Sapolsky) for my Psychoneuroimmunology elective. Interesting read so far about the mind-body connection, stress-related diseases, and how personality, attitude, and emotions can effect our health.

[Dar]

Eva,
I read Hobb's 'Assassin trilogy', the others are definitely on my list.
"Middlesex" was a fantastic book. I really enjoyed it a lot and recommended it to a whole lot of people.

I just finished reading "The Outstretched Shadow" by Mercedes Lackey (love her!) and James Mallory, it's the first in a trilogy called "The Obsidian Trilogy".

Now I'm reading "A Flame in Hali" a new Darkover novel by Deborah J Ross, who is doing a very credible job carrying on in the late great Marion Zimmer Bradley's footsteps.


I could have sworn I already posted all this, but it seems to have disappeared, so perhaps I'm now posting in my dreams.

[Eva]

Dar, I think we had a thread like this not long ago. I posted about Robin Hobbs trilogies too then and someone (maybe you?) responded to it.

I can certainly recommend you the "Fool" trilogy. It's very good.

Eva

PS: I am looking for good books about vamipres. Doesn't have to be 'horror' perse. 'Adventure' is fine. Anne Rice is not really my thing. I am not very fond of Lestat and his pals and I don't really have the patience for Rice's style of writing.

[Dar]

Eva,
"The Gilda Stories" by Jewell Gomez is a really terrific vampire novel. I enjoyed it a lot and I'm not really a big vampire fan.

And I've heard Tanya Huff has a pretty great vampire series, it's called the Blood Series "Blood Price" and "Blood Trail" are two of them. I haven't read these myself, but I do like other books I've read by Tanya.

[Irish Beth]

Folkrock - we must be on the same page (all puns intended). I too just finished Predator and had the same reaction as you. I started reading Cell over the week-end and it is sooooo scary and good - just like the Stephen King of old. I'm having a hard time putting it down to get some sleep!!

I also adored The Secret Life of Bees. I love books that can make me laugh out loud!

IB

[Changeling]

PS: I am looking for good books about vamipres. Doesn't have to be 'horror' perse. 'Adventure' is fine. Anne Rice is not really my thing. I am not very fond of Lestat and his pals and I don't really have the patience for Rice's style of writing.


:mad: darnnation!!!


Eva, I just wrote a lovely little note about vampire books & somehow lost the whole message (DragonLady warned me this could happen)


Now, I have to get back to work & don't have time to truely replicate it, but here is the shorthand


not steamy sex
author: Charlaine Harris
series: Southern Vampire Series
a few titles: Dead Until Dark, Living Dead in Dallas, Club Dead (& others)
I've only read one but recall that is was pretty good.


author: Jacqueline Lichtenberg
titles: Dreamspy Those of My Blood


She also authored the Sime~Gen series which I would also highly recommend -- those books are vampiric in a way)



for steamy sex
author: Laurel Hamilton
series : Anita Blake
the first 5 or so are good but it goes downhill after that....



well, more later we are unpacking more books every week & I should be able to send you at least a half dozen or so more titles & authors.