You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

I finished For Whom the Bell Tolls.
My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... Do yourself a favor. Pick another book by Hemingway. May I suggest A Farewell to Armsinstead?!
Hemingway uses special "literary techniques" in "For whom the Bell Tolls" that rather than enhancing the reading experience detract from it. The ending is totally soppy. What remains undeniably true though is that Hemingway can draw a scene so you see, hear, smell and feel it in your pores. Some dislike the macho behavior of his characters, but this doesn't bother me. I see it as typical of the times, and Pilar is the best character of this novel. She is a strong, intelligent,no-nonsense woman! The gimmicks and the ending totally destroy this book.

Now I will start The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. I am very skeptical that I will enjoy this. I am afraid I will find it preachy, and I hate books about illnesses. I am reading this for a friend b/c she still believes I will love it. I hope so! The narration of the audiobook is said to be excellent, so that is what I have chosen.

I am reading because I love anything by JD Robb and I can't wait to read it for my "C" title for the alphabet challenge, for my "A" title in the alphabet challenge, and for the Forgotten Classics challenge.

I'm reading The She-Devil in the Mirror for my El Salvador read for my around the world trip. Interesting so far. It's written as if the narrator is in a conversation with you. Which I think would get tiring after a while as it jumps around like people do when they talk. But it's only 170ish pages so hopefully not before then.

I am about to start for the 'Neglected Classics' monthly challenge.

Wooot! I really enjoyed that book when I read it last year. Hope you do too Lisa!

I'm reading by Veronica Roth....read Divergent last week & it was just awesome :)

My son read this and recommended it to me. I just started but it seems pretty good so far.

Chrissie wrote: "Now I will start The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. I am very skeptical that I will enjoy this. I am afraid I will find it preachy, and I hate books about illnesses. I am reading this for a friend b/c she still believes I will love it. I hope so! The narration of the audiobook is said to be excellent, so that is what I have chosen. ..."

I have this at home. Do you want to do a Buddy Read?

Almeta, sure! I have to warn you that I am already in chapter seven. It might annoy you that I go through books quickly.......... If that does not bother you, I am game! How should we talk? Via PMs? Send me one if that fits!

I find it depressing......

Chrissie wrote: "Almeta, sure! I have to warn you that I am already in chapter seven. It might annoy you that I go through books quickly.......... If that does not bother you, I am game! How should we talk? Via PMs..."

When you say now, you mean now! It was kind of depressing - I liked some of the people he met along the way the best, but I am always a sucker for just observing how the English behave.

Chrissie wrote: "Almeta, sure! I have to warn you that I am already in chapter seven. It might annoy you that I go through books quickly.......... If that does not bother you, I am game! How should we talk? Via PMs..."

I've set up a thread in the Buddy Reads folder. We can report our progress and comments over there. Maureen, come on over and join us in the discussion!

Buddy Read for The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

Maureen wrote: "When you say now, you mean now! It was kind of depressing - I liked some of the people he met along the way the best, but I am always a sucker for just observing how the English behave. ..."

Hey! Maureen is Harold's wife's name. What a coinky-dink!

Maureen, I had planned originally to read this book myself. I didn't know others were interested! I rarely do buddy reads. I completely understand that most people will not have the time to read as much as I do.

Almeta, I already left a message on that link.......

Maureen, another thing. Have you ever stayed in an English "Bed and Breakfast"? The conversation that occurred a few chapters back just would not happen. I personally do not think one is given an accurate idea of normal "English behavior". This is fiction.

I'm going to start Haunted Ground which is our group read this month.

Janice wrote: "I'm going to start Haunted Ground which is our group read this month."

Can't wait to read this one! Darren read it a couple years ago so he's pretty happy I'm finally giving it a try.

Just started . Only a few pages in and I'm hooked already!

Ann wrote: "Just started . Only a few pages in and I'm hooked already!"

Great news! I just picked my copy up from the library but I won't be able to start it right away. looking forward to it!

I've finished listening to Bel Canto, which was excellent. However, I suspect that listening to it in the car stopped me from completely immersing myself in the story, which would have been the case had I read it. I do wonder if on reading it might just get 5 stars.

Progress continues on Map Of A Nation while I should be getting my missing library book back tomorrow, hopefully in time to finish that off before tuesday!

Maureen wrote: but I am always a sucker for just observing how the English behave."

Chrissie wrote: "I personally do not think one is given an accurate idea of normal "English behavior". This is fiction. "

I'm English and I have to say that I didn't find this book very typical of our behaviour.

I'm still catching up on February book club reads (it's all that Toppler's fault! ;o) ) and currently reading

I'm reading the debut novel by Seeley James The Geneva Decision

Lynn wrote: "I'm English and I have to say that I didn't find this book very typical of our behaviour"

:0)

I'm reading Assassin's Apprentice which is the first book for the Alphabet challenge. I'm also listening to the audiobook Lord of the Flies. Once I've finished that audiobook, I am going to start the audiobook 1984 for the Neglected Classics challenge.

Ooo nice choice. Really interested in you thoughts on 1984. Robin Hobb is high on my to read list too.

Judy wrote: "Janice, I am enjoying it but then the cds wouldn't work anymore. I suspect they are warped from so much library use. Bummer! (I'm going to try my daughter's cd player and see if they will work in h..."

Try s DVD player I find they can read beat CDs better than a CD player sometimes also take a soft cloth and clean cd with rubbing alcohol

Judy wrote: "I'm currently listening to 2 books (the one book has cds that won't play in my cd player, warped from so much library use?) so had to switch midstream."

The two that you are reading interest me the most. I listened to Crocodile on the Sandbank for my Egypt selection at Around the World. I'm going to give it another listen since I was a bit distracted the last time and may have missed a lot. Yes, the bantering between the two really makes the book.

Helen wrote: "I've finished listening to Bel Canto, which was excellent. However, I suspect that listening to it in the car stopped me from completely immersing myself in the story, which would have been the cas..."

I look forward to reading Bel Canto, Helen.

Travis of NNY wrote: "Try s DVD player I find they can read beat CDs better than a CD player sometimes ..."

When my CD player quit, I just switched to my DVD player. I have observed that I have less "skips and stickies". I sometimes use my computer disk drive as well. Then I can type messages to you all while listening! (Not recommended, since the brain doesn't concentrate well on both things. Unless you like going back to the beginning of a chapter over and over and over again!)

Almeta wrote: "Travis of NNY wrote: "Try s DVD player I find they can read beat CDs better than a CD player sometimes ..."

When my CD player quit, I just switched to my DVD player. I have observed that I have l..."

Same here I have a 5 channel receiver tied into the tv dish etc for home theater and use dvd for cds haven't owned a cd player in at least 5 years

Well, I finished A Prayer for Owen Meany about a week ago. Very different from anything I have read before. I have to say I appreciated the writing and the size of the story. Unfortunately, I ended up giving it only 1 star. It just didn't sit well with me. I found it to be very depressing. Towards the end, I could only read a little bit at a time.

Nicole, in terms of depressing books, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry has to beat A Prayer for Owen Meany!

Chrissie wrote: "Nicole, in terms of depressing books, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry has to beat A Prayer for Owen Meany!"

Wow! I have Owen Meany on my list. I got a bad taste of John Irving a while back, so I have to wait for my palate to clear. :)

Almeta wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Nicole, in terms of depressing books, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry has to beat A Prayer for Owen Meany!"

Wow! I have Owen Meany on my list. I got a bad taste of John Ir..."

I must be clear. I have not read Meany, but I have a hard time believing it could be more depressing. Actually, now I am just bored. I bet it ends up happy though.....

Lynn wrote: "Maureen wrote: but I am always a sucker for just observing how the English behave."

Chrissie wrote: "I personally do not think one is given an accurate idea of normal "English behavior". This is f..."

I hope you like Graceling Lynn, I really enjoyed it when I read it a few years ago.

So I'm about 50 percent through My Dearest Cecelia: A Novel of the Southern Belle Who Stole General Sherman's Heart which I think of as a "sleeper" because I've never heard about it on GR. (That's rare!!). Only one thing to say about it so far: the male characters in this book need a high five. In the face. With a chair.

Almeta wrote: "Wow! I have Owen Meany on my list. I got a bad taste of John Irving a while back, so I have to wait for my palate to clear. :)"

Which John Irving book put you off? I've read Owen Meany twice, and gave it 5 stars.

I read his latest book, In One Person, and didn't enjoy it.

Ooooh I read A Prayer for Owen Meany about a decade ago, and remembered liking it a lot so was thinking of a re-read soon. Hope it doesn't disappoint me this time around!

I just finished Ilustrado, which I read because I'm living in the Philippines and this Filipino author won the Man Asia Literary Prize a few years ago. But ugh...it was really hard to get through! So I'm going to treat myself to The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes for the forgotten classics challenge. Yay!

I'm listening to China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power, and it's really excellent. Great narration, fascinating insights.

Jennifer wrote: "Only one thing to say about it so far: the male characters in this book need a high five. In the face. With a chair. "

Oh this made me laugh and laugh. You are a girl after my own heart.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry was a failure for me. There is nothing wrong with the narration by Jim Broadbent, in fact it was superb. I particularly adored the voice of Rex, Maureen's neighbor! I listened to 23 of 38 chapters. Having listened to such a large portion, I still had to stop. If you care to know my personal thoughts please send me a PM. I am writing no review.

I have begun listening to The Grapes of Wrath and enjoy it very much. I can guess from the very start that it will not appeal to all. Some may call it slow and too descriptive. Many minutes are spent on a land turtle's passage from a ditch and then over the road. I have already laughed, and I have seen how meticulously accurate Steinbeck's depictions of landscapes and a character's personality can be. The story will be interspersed with chapters of historical content. That is fine by me. I imagine a slow wonderful read.

Janice wrote: "Which John Irving book put you off? ..."

Last Night in Twisted River was such a frustrating book, that it became an excellent group read! It stimulated soooo much discussion! (Now that I voice this...,hmmm...just like The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry!)

Almeta's review of Last Night in Twisted River (I changed my rating upward after it stuck in my head for a while!)

I have always only ever read one book at a time and finished it but I find myself with 5 books on the go at the moment that I have started for different challenges and reasons!
Going to spend the next week catching up with finishing some of these Eat, Pray, Love which I am reading a little of every now and again - not enjoying the 3rd part of it at all.

Love in the Time of Cholera - started for the February toppler but not finished it yet.

Among Others - February group read but didn't finish it in time

The Earth Hums in B Flat - someone has given me this to read so trying to fit it in.

Midvinterblod - A-Z challenge...really enjoying this book so find myself focusing on this one at the moment.

Rusalka wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Only one thing to say about it so far: the male characters in this book need a high five. In the face. With a chair. "

Oh this made me laugh and laugh. You are a girl after my own..."

:-)

Almeta wrote: "Janice wrote: "Which John Irving book put you off? ..."

Last Night in Twisted River was such a frustrating book, that it became an excellent group read! It stimulated soooo much discussion! (No..."

I have the book on my shelf waiting to be read. I have it on my alphabet list.

Judy, I adore Grapes of Wrath. Everybody says it is depressing, but jeez there are lines that are so terribly funny!!!! Don't people notice them?! I am enthralled. I am going to read everything I can get my hands on by him. I read the Pearl in school, but that wasn't so hot. Or am I different? Maybe!

Like there is Jode's grandfather running from the barn yelling at grandma, but all in good natured fun, and he is trying to button his underclothes but the buttons are all mismatched. You totally see it and love it. Grandma is yelling "Glory Be" or something like that. Their grandson has returned home after four years. There is much more to it than that of course. There is the funniest scene with a bunch of "hot" dogs and one bitch. Dinner was late. I could not stop listening.

Just started

The Man in Lower Ten
Librivox by Mary Roberts Rinehart
narrated by MaryAnn Spiegel

Shirley wrote: "Just started

The Man in Lower Ten
Librivox by Mary Roberts Rinehart
narrated by MaryAnn Spiegel


Read " and two others during the Rainbow Challenge last year.

I'm fond of Mary Roberts Rinehart's easy twisted stories. I hope you like this one.

Janice wrote: "I have the book on my shelf waiting to be read. I have it on my alphabet list. ..."

It will be interesting to see hear your opinion!

Afterwards you might want to add your two cents to this discussion: King Recommends Discussion of..... Twisted River

Rusalka wrote: "Ooo nice choice. Really interested in you thoughts on 1984. Robin Hobb is high on my to read list too."

Will let you know how I get on with 1984. Have you read it? Assassin's Apprentice is the first Robin Hobb book that I've read and I'm really enjoying it - good writing style - I've put the other two of the trilogy in my TBR already!

Almeta wrote: "It will be interesting to see hear your opinion!

Afterwards you might want to add your two cents to this discussion: King Recommends Discussion of..... Twisted River..."

At the rate I'm going to, I might never get to "N"! I was thinking about the discussion of John Irving's books. I loved all his earlier books - The Cider House Rules, A Prayer for Owen Meany, The World According to Garp, etc. Perhaps his flame sizzled out towards his later books.

Chrissie wrote: "Judy, I adore Grapes of Wrath. Everybody says it is depressing, but jeez there are lines that are so terribly funny!!!! Don't people notice them?! I am enthralled. I am going to read everything I c..."

Yep, The Grapes of Wrath is a great book.

Nicole, I am crazy about it. You come to care terribly for these people.