What Are You Reading --- January 2014 - Page 10

sunala · ‎03-09-2010

I finished the biography, Johnny Carson, written by Henry Bushkin and it was just as you'd expect. Johnny was a huge egomaniac who lived his whole life trying to win his mother's love. He never succeeded. It was very interesting, for whatever it's worth, because who knows how much of it is true? Vanity Fair had a big article this month on Jimmy Fallon taking over the Tonight Show, and they also had an article about Johnny Carson and his success on the Tonight Show. A lot of quotes were taken from the book. It was a good, entertaining read.

Now I'm reading Rivers, by Michael Farris Smith. It's very hard to put down.

Review from Booklist: As a Mississippi native, award-winning short story writer and first-time novelist Smith makes good use of his home state’s milieu in this powerfully written apocalyptic tale about an unending southern storm. Smith imagines the devastation the Gulf Coast might experience if Hurricane Katrina marked the beginning of a continuous deluge of rain and wind, forcing the government to establish the Line, which isolates the South in flooding and lawlessness. Still haunted by the death of his wife and unborn child, a man named Cohen chooses to stay below the Line, where he avoids the chaos and ekes out a living in his unfinished house. Then a pair of teens ambush and nearly kill him, stealing his Jeep and ransacking his belongings. Left homeless, Cohen finds his way to a ramshackle trailer park controlled by a messianic figure named Aggie, from whose clutches Cohen frees the teens and several women for a perilous dash to safety above the Line. While Rivers is already inviting inevitable comparisons to Cormac McCarthy’s The Road (2006), Smith’s canvas is broader and the story even more riveting.

I'm off to bed to read some more.

Happy reading!

Sunny

"That's a great first pancake."
Lady Gaga, to Tony Bennett

esmerelda · ‎03-10-2010

I've pushed aside The Goldfinch yet again and am reading (audio download) Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War (Robert Gates). It started with an author's note, which was read by the author. Makes me wish he was reading the whole book; but the reader is doing a good job. Am enjoying it. Good to get behind-the-scene details on past news stories.

*********************
Keepin' it real.

RINGER · ‎03-10-2010

Just finished reading "The first phone call from Heaven" by Mitch Albom and did NOT like it very much. His other books were far superior, but this could have been done in 100 pages! ${#emotions_dlg.thumbdown}$

RINGER · ‎03-10-2010

On 1/17/2014 Troop_Angel said:
Last night, I finished Mitch Albom's The First Phone Call From Heaven. I give it a 5 star. I'm anxious to read his other books now. Next, I have Lynn Austin's "A Woman's Place" and Lisa Kleypas' "Rainshadow Road", book 2 in her Friday Harbor series. Just have to decide which one to read first. Hard decision!

Oh how interesting!!!! I was VERY DISAPPOINTED IN IT and did not like it at and felt his other books were far superior!!!! I would not even give it maybe 2 stars!

To the other book reader who gave Sycamore Road another try, am so glad you did as I too loved it!!!!

Judaline · ‎03-10-2010

Lovers of Bertie of 44 Scotland Street~ POSSIBLE SPOILER.

I was looking thru the AMcCallSmith series-library had most of them. I picked up Bertie Plays the Blues. On the cover is his saxophone. I just read a little of the synopsis and almost collapsed laughing in the aisle. Seems Bertie wants new parents so he puts himself up for sale on ebay. I'm telling you, I love this kid. I don't know how far down in the series this book appears, but I don't think I can wait-will probably end up getting it. Thanks again for those suggesting the books.

MoJoV · ‎10-01-2010

I just finished Vanity Fair on my Kindle. I think I read it in high school. It reminds you some things never change. I love reading the old classics.

Trees are the lungs of the Earth

smoky22 · ‎05-30-2010

I finished The Dead In Their Vaulted Arches, the 6th in the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley. There is nothing I can say about the book since almost everything is a spoiler. It continues immediately where the last book ended. If you haven't read the series, don't start here. If you have read the other 5 books in the series, RUN, don't walk to get this book. Alan Bradley has created such a unique and endearing character in Flavia, and the writing quality in this book is the best he's ever done.

"everybody counts or nobody counts"

Yahooey · ‎07-09-2010

I finished The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri. It was good, not great. It is difficult to write a saga that spans over a lifetime following a family, In this case, 2 brothers, spouse, parents and offspring.

Just started The Woodcutter by Reginald Hill. After such high praises, am looking forward to dive into the thick of it. So far, it is keeping my interest.

depglass · ‎03-10-2010

The Ninth Girl by Tammy Hoag.

dawg lover · ‎03-15-2010

On 1/20/2014 smokymtngal said:
I finished The Dead In Their Vaulted Arches, the 6th in the Flavia de Luce series by Alan Bradley. There is nothing I can say about the book since almost everything is a spoiler. It continues immediately where the last book ended. If you haven't read the series, don't start here. If you have read the other 5 books in the series, RUN, don't walk to get this book. Alan Bradley has created such a unique and endearing character in Flavia, and the writing quality in this book is the best he's ever done.

Smoky, I am half-way through the new Flavia book, and hoping to finish today. Great book!