Book Club

[smoky22]

@dawg lover I'm only on the 4th Inspector Alleyn, Death In Ecstasy.  You can tell Ngaio Marsh has a theatrical background because of the great dialogue.  I love Inspector Alleyn's sense of humor.

I haven't heard of the Orphan #8 book.  I doubt that I'll be reading that, but I am reading (finally) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and it's disturbing enough to know what that poor woman went through.

[SusieQ_2]

I just finished "Bulls Island" by Dorothea Benton Frank. She's a new author for me and I liked this one. She seems to set her stories in Charleston, SC which is nice. I like hearing a few southern phrases, along with the slower pace of life that lends itself to her writing.

The story is about a woman who left her home in Charleston, and a complicated past, to live in New York. Eighteen years later she has to return to Charleston for work. What ensues from the experience makes for a nice, easy, enjoyable story.

Currently I'm reading "All The Single Ladies" by the same author. It's not quite as engaging as the first one, but it's still entertaining.  

[sunala]

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@HB glamma wrote:

Just finished 'My Name is Lucy Barton' by Elizabeth Strout. I liked it; different and simple.  You kind of have to figure out what it was about.

Starting next, the new JoJo  Moyes book 'After You'.

I got lucky at our library the other day

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@HB glamma I also read My Name is Lucy Barton, but I didn't like it at all. The only reason I finished it was because I am a big fan of the author, and I thought that maybe the ending would be a satisfactory one for me.  No such luck.

I can't abide by cruelty to children and animals. Lucy's father was a beast, and Lucy's mother let him get away with his abuse and didn't protect her own daughter. I couldn't stand that she was trying to be nice (not that she was succeeding), and it made me very angry. I wanted to pull the bookmark on it several times but my optimistic streak kept me going.

I was very sorry I wasted my time. Next time I'll know better.

[lovescats]

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@sunala wrote:

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@HB glamma wrote:

Just finished 'My Name is Lucy Barton' by Elizabeth Strout. I liked it; different and simple.  You kind of have to figure out what it was about.

Starting next, the new JoJo  Moyes book 'After You'.

I got lucky at our library the other day

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@HB glamma I also read My Name is Lucy Barton, but I didn't like it at all. The only reason I finished it was because I am a big fan of the author, and I thought that maybe the ending would be a satisfactory one for me.  No such luck.

I can't abide by cruelty to children and animals. Lucy's father was a beast, and Lucy's mother let him get away with his abuse and didn't protect her own daughter. I couldn't stand that she was trying to be nice (not that she was succeeding), and it made me very angry. I wanted to pull the bookmark on it several times but my optimistic streak kept me going.

I was very sorry I wasted my time. Next time I'll know better.

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thanks for letting us know because I know  I wouldn't like it either.

[Susan in California]

As the month of May ends, I'll be taking a break from Nathanial Philbrick.

I have loved reading now three of his non-fiction books:

In the Heart of the Sea

The Mayflower

The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, & The Battle of Little Big Horn

 I have learned a lot, received so much new, well-documented information.

But it was also difficult reading about all the tragedy.

Not sure exactly what I am going to read in June.  I was considering

a book entitled THE MOVIE GOER, by Walker Percy.

I heard about it on NPR, but I don't know if I want to read an existential

writer right now.  Ha--after having read about so much bloodshed.

[Lila Belle]

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@smoky22 wrote:

@dawg lover I'm only on the 4th Inspector Alleyn, Death In Ecstasy.  You can tell Ngaio Marsh has a theatrical background because of the great dialogue.  I love Inspector Alleyn's sense of humor.

I haven't heard of the Orphan #8 book.  I doubt that I'll be reading that, but I am reading (finally) The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and it's disturbing enough to know what that poor woman went through.

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...Henrietta Lacks is one of the best books I have ever read ! Thank god for her.

[Lila Belle]

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@sunala wrote:

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@Lila Belle wrote:

I'm about half-way through Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen.

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@Lila Belle please let us know what you think when you're done. I read it earlier this month and gave it 5 stars.

Anna Quindlen is one of my very favorite authors, and I felt this was one of her very best. It will stick with me for a long time. 

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@sunala, I loved it!

The family dynamics, love of the land, Mimi's finding herself and purpose, fufilling her mother's dreams and the content of the suitcase all reeled me in.

I'm new to Quindlen (more  familiar  with her editorial writing ) andl liked Rise and Shine very much.