Book Nook Cafe discussion

Share with us what you read in October.

Please provide:
~ A GoodRead link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

The Moral Molecule by Paul J. Zak Interseting, informative & well written. An Appetite For Wonder by Richard Dawkins A memoir Only half way through.

Jim, what an interesting combination of books! I'd love to hear what you think of them both - individually or in combination.

I read The Selfish Gene ages ago - it caused quite a stir when it came out. The "why people behave as they do" literature is so interesting, whether from a biochemical or genetic level or in terms of societal/cultural perspectives. Fascinating.

I actually have a bunch this month because some are short stories.
The Fall of the House of Usher-short story-2 stars
The Tell-Tale Heart-short story-4 stars
In Our Time-I had a rough time concentrating on this one. It just didn't hold my interest-1 star
The Great Gatsby-4 stars. I read this in high school and didn't like it then. Obviously opinions change!
The Pit and the Pendulum-4 stars-My favorite Poe of the ones I have read.
Paperboy: A Dysfunctional Novel-I still haven't rated this one or written a review. I liked most of it a lot but there was one subject matter (view spoiler)[incest between teenage brother and sister (hide spoiler)] that made me uncomfortable to read. I think I will do 4 stars anyway.
The Haunting of Hill House-4 stars. Not sure if I understood all of what happened but not sure if I am supposed to either. But it was a nice combination of scary and funny.

Forgot my audiobook:
The Edgar Allan Poe Audio Collection (the link won't come up for some reason)-I didn't rate this one because various stories and poems ranged from 1 to 4 stars....more closer to one, unfortunately. The narrators were pretty good though.

Jim wrote: "The Moral Molecule by Paul J. Zak Interseting, informative & well written. An Appetite For Wonder by Richard Dawkins A memoir Only half way through."

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Welcome to Book Nook Café, Jim ! Thanks for sharing your reads with us. I agree with Susan The "why people behave as they do" literature is fascinating.

Another book that may interest you in this general area is
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. I listened to the audio and really enjoyed it.

I am going to put The Moral Molecule: The Source of Love and Prosperity--Paul J. Zak on my TBR list.

I enjoyed discussing some of the short stories with you, Julie !

My October reads:


The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales--Edgar Allan Poe
fiction
Short story
Rate 3 /5
BNC group read. You can read our discussion thread.

Dad Is Fat--Jim Gaffigan
Audio book - Reader Jim Gaffigan
Non-fiction
Rate: 3/5
Humorous vignettes about a dad and his family of 5 kids. The family lives in a small apartment in NYC. I saw the author on TV and decided to get the book. If you have kids, this book can be lol funny. And even if you don't, like me, it's still pretty funny.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty--James Thurber
Short Story
Rate: 3/5
BNC group read. You can read our discussion thread.

The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love--Kristin Kimball
Non-fiction
Audio book - Reader: Tavia Gilbert
Rate: 3/5
This was one odd book. NYC girl falls for this unemployed, dirty wanna be farmer. Why I still don't know. They marry and start a farm. I didn't care for the authors husband. He was grossly unhygienic and self centered. The author seemed to follow his lead no matter how ridiculous. It did keep my interest, if only because I was constantly shaking my head in amazement.

Why I Live at the P.O.--Eudora Welty
Short story
Rate: 3/5
BNC group read. You can read our discussion thread.

Paul's Case--Willa Cather
Short story
Rate: 3/5
BNC group read. You can read our discussion thread.

Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of My Hasidic Roots--Deborah Feldman
nonfiction
Rate 4/5
I read this for a library discussion group. I found the book fascinating. The book explores what it is like to grow up as a female in the Hasidic Satmar community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. There is a follow up book to be published in March that I am looking forward to reading.

The Winslow Boy--Terence Rattigan
Play
Rate: 3 plus / 5
I wanted to read the play before I saw it. I enjoyed this drama and also the play which was performed by the Roundabout Theater company in NYC. The acting was very good. The play poses the question, when is fighting the battle for some cause not worth the pain and suffering that will ensue? You may win the war but at what cost?

The Necklace and Other Short Stories--Guy de Maupassant
Short story
Rate: 4/5
BNC group read. You can read our discussion thread.

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls__David Sedaris
Non fiction
Audio book Reader: David Sedaris
Rate: 2/5
I've enjoyed this authors work in the past. His essays can be lol funny. However, this collection was a big disappointment. I found the majority of the essays sad, depressing and some quite disturbing.

Alias Reader wrote: "My October reads:

Paul's Case--Willa Cather
Short story
Rate: 3/5
BNC group read. You can read our discussion thread. ..."

When I click on this book, it says you rated it one star.
I am still trying to read it. I am only two weeks behind what I said I would do! :-)

October 2013 reads --


1. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Fiction
Rate: 3/5
The Handmaid's Tale warns us of a world post-national tragedy where women have no rights and conveniences and are greatly restricted. Offred narrates her experiences in America after the United States government has fallen and the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian government, has taken over. The population has diminished due to sterility, abortions and low birth rates. Therefore young, healthy women are treated as chattel, forced into becoming concubines. Offred's main purpose in life is to produce a baby for her master, a high powered official, and his wife. While Offred is passive, she increasingly takes risks to silently rebel against the society in order to be free and to find her daughter (who was taken from her by the government). Issues of women's rights, human trafficking, discrimination, human rights, and education.

2. The Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov
Fiction
Rate: 5/5
Bulgakov's novel Heart of a Dog is a malicious political parable on what the author envisioned as the inevitable corruption of a socialist state. First published in 1925, Bulgakov's novella was banned in the Soviet Union the following year and not republished there until 1987. Its central character is Sharik, a dog who falls into the hands of a medical professor, Filippov, who specialises in rejuvenating transplants. He implants a human pituitary gland and testicles into Sharik, creating Sharikov, who retains all the worst characteristics of both species – getting drunk, singing obscene songs and raping the house maid – but who nevertheless finds himself a post in the Moscow bureaucracy, in charge of ridding the city of cats. Eventually, even Filippov realizes he must reverse his operation.

3. Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Fiction
Rate: 4/5
Coraline is trapped in a parallel universe where she learns to value her parents. Led by a talking cat, Coraline meets her other "mother", who locks her up in a dungeon, threatening to replace her eyes with two shiny buttons, just like hers. There are other children who are trapped there, all are lost souls behind the mirrors. Coraline realizes that she is their only hope of rescue. She is determined to fight with all her wits and all the tools she can find, if she is to save the lost children, her ordinary life, and herself.

4. The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Writings: Poems, Tales, Essays and Reviews by Edgar Allan Poe
Fiction
Rate 5/5
First, I'm terrified by scary movies and secondly, I'm amazed by Poe's writing. Coming upon the House, "There was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart-- an unredeemed dreariness of thoughts which no goading of the imagination could torture into aught of the sublime." Roderick Usher (narrator's school chum) was invited to visit. He arrives and learns that Roderick believes the house to be alive, since his twin sister died two weeks ago. At night he hears cracking, ripping sounds and a piercing shriek. It is discovered that his sister, Madeline, was alive when she was entombed. The bedroom door opens, she falls onto her brother, and together they fall on the floor as corpses. The narrator flees, and a flash of light caused him to look back at the House of Usher, as it breaks into two. Roderick Usher, his sister Madeline, and the house all shared one common soul.

5. The Fountain of St. James Court; or, Portrait of the Artist as an Old Woman: A Novel by Sena Jeter Naslund
Non Fiction
Rate: 2/5
Definitely not your everyday biography. Nashlund chose to write a modern story of the protagonist, Kathryn, intertwined with a 19th century female painter, Élisabeth Vigée-LeBrun, friend of Marie Antoinette and a female oil painter of portraits. By intertwining characters, Nashlund stated that she wanted to show that these characters have similar lives (one a writer/other a painter; one a male child/other female child; modern mom divorced 3 times/ 19th century mom married only once, etc. I found it difficult to keep track which time period I was in. Also the title, "Portrait of the Artist as an Old Woman" is a reference to James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

6. Heroines: The Lives of Great Literary Characters and What They Have to Teach Us by Mary Riso
Fiction
Rate: 5/5
A summary of the plots of several classic books and delineating the characters of the heroines. Mary Riso states that classic literature is not just meant to be read, in order to write a paper for school or for our own reading pleasure. But literature can also introduce us to heroines who can teach us many valuable lessons about life. Although the circumstances of our modern lives differ in many ways from theirs, we can still learn to be courageous in the face of difficult circumstances, like Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, or to encourage others to live more sacrificial lives, like Lucie in Tale of Two Cities . Our circumstances may be different but the qualities needed to confront modern life are the same as the character qualities needed 200 years ago.

7. Skeletons on the Zahara: A True Story of Survival by Dean King
Non Fiction
Rate: 5/5
Excellent writing, great story. At times, I found it difficult to read about the all the brutality that these men lived through. It is truly a story about survival, courage, and brotherhood. Story of Captain James Riley and crew on the Commerce, which sailed from Connecticut and eventually shipwrecked off the coast of Africa, where they were abducted and sold into slavery. Somehow they traveled through the Sahara with barely any food or water (would drink urine), and endured sandstorms, and dehydration. The Captain had a relationship with his Muslim Master, fortunately he and the men were able to escape. (During this challenge, Captain Riley began his journey weighing 260 lbs. and by the time he was rescued he weighed only 90 lbs.)

8. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Fiction
Rate: 5/5
New Release
Excellent writing. This book relates to a painting entitled "The Goldfinch, 1654" by one of Rembrandt's most gifted pupils, Carel Fabritius. The Goldfinch was a popular pet during this time period. Some scholars believe that the delicate chain hanging from the top perch is keeping the bird from flying away. It may have suggested to have a moralized message about domesticity and flight. I think that there is something here regarding a "moralizing message about domesticity and flight" with regards to Theo. He and his mom visit the MET when a sudden explosion erupts and everything in his life changes. Theo emerges from the nightmare with a ring from a dying man, The Goldfinch painting, and the loss of his mom. Throughout the story, Theo goes from family to family (alcoholic step dad to his childhood friend's wealthy family, The Barbours, and to Hobie, the antique restorer, and yo Pippa, the girl Theo loves.) Theo moves to Las Vegas with his alcoholic step dad living in an empty "McMansion", in a half-finished Las Vegas housing development. Only in Vegas can you meet fakes, copies and illusions. This is where Theo makes friends with Boris, a worldly Ukrainian teenager who introduces him to all kinds of drugs. Theo has the painting with him but can't look at it, as he puts it into storage for safe keeping. Later Theo takes "flight" from NYC to Las Vegas back to NYC and eventually to Amsterdam. Theo has many "families" but he keeps his distance. Hobie's takes Theo under his wing to mentor him in furniture restoration. Hobie's viewpoint is "beauty alters the grain of reality" ; but then again, so do drugs. Boris masterminds their daily shoplifting sprees, as Theo hides his stolen painting. Later in Amsterdam, Theo will later be part of the murky underworld of art felony, leading to a showdown.

9. Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen
Non Fiction
Rate: 2/5
New Release
Totally disappointing, flat characters. Has nothing to do with the real life of Edgar Allen Poe and his wife. If you are looking for a short book on Poe, I would suggest Peter Ackroyd's Poe: A Life Cut Short.

10. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Fiction
Rate: 3/5
This novel is Rhys's answer to Jane Eyre . Charlotte Brontë's book had long haunted her, mostly for the story it did not tell--that of the madwoman in the attic, Rochester's terrible secret. Antoinette is Rhys's imagining of that locked-up woman, who in the end burns up the house and herself. Wide Sargasso Sea follows her voyage into the dark, both from her point of view and Rochester's. It is a voyage charged with soul-destroying lust.

Julie wrote: The Great Gatsby-4 stars. I read this in high school and didn't like it then. Obviously opinions change!..."

Julie, I could have written that sentence myself. I hated Gatsby when I was in high school. Yet I really enjoyed it as an adult.

Julie wrote: When I click on this book, it says you rated it one star.
I am still trying to read it. I am only two weeks behind what I said I would do! :-).."
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Thanks for alerting me, Julie. I guess somehow I didn't rate it and it gave it one star. I gave it 3.

The book discussion threads are always open. I look forward to your thoughts on the story.

I really enjoyed reading the short stories. I have the Norton Anthology of short stories and I think I will try to read at least one a month.

Carol wrote: "October 2013 reads -
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What an amazing reading month you had, Carol. It was fun to hear about your eclectic reading.

I am curious. How did you come upon The Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov ?

I was looking for different books, and I thought that I have read only a few Russian authors, so I looked up "Russian short stories" and I like the review on The Heart of a Dog.

Thanks. I love that you aren't afraid to read outside your comfort zone.

What a great list of books listed thus far. I read one measly book last month. Worse, it wasn't very good.

The Trailsman: Seminole Showdown by Jon Sharpe.

This is apparently a series featuring Skye Fargo, who has gone to Oklahoma (Indian Territory at this point) to help his former scout friend Billy Buzzard, a Seminole. Not very good western with somewhat graphic sex. Today’s sensibilities with yesterdays’ setting.

Seminole ShowdownJon Sharpe

I think you had quite a lot on your plate last month, deb.

I'm curious. Can you read in the car as you travel. I can't read in a car or bus but can on a train.

Then there are audio books.

Sometimes I can read while on the road but I don't try now as often as I used to. Oddly, even though we have two audio books (well, one is a lecture series), we haven't listened to them, either. Nor music, of which i recorded hundreds to my iPod. I guess we just aren't "there" yet.

My October reads:

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain: A novel about a young teenaged girl who gets caught up in a crime that results in her having to assume a new name and identity. Of course, the truth about her past has to come out eventually. A fairly entertaining read about the choices we make that can change the course of our lives. 3/5 stars

North River by Pete Hamill: Set in Brooklyn in 1934, this is a story about a doctor who--while mourning the death of his wife and the disappearance of his runaway daughter--arrives home to find his 3-year-old grandson left on his doorstep. This book had great descriptions of NYC in the 1930s, but something about it seemed missing to me. I felt unsatisfied by the plotline--I wasn't totally clear on what point Hamill was trying to make with it all. 3/5 stars

The Long Goodbye by Patti Davis: This book was pressed upon me by my cousin, who is a huge fan of Ronald Reagan. (Full disclosure: I am not. At. All.) So I read it under duress, which might have affected my feelings about it. I had conflicting emotions about rating this book. On the one hand, I could appreciate the beauty of Davis' writing--she writes in a way that evokes poignant emotions and vivid pictures. However, I found the book to be rather redundant--pages and pages of why she regrets the feud with her mother that kept her estranged from both parents; how much she would miss her father when he's gone; and how she realizes how much he loved her while she was growing up. All of those are beautiful things, yes -- but after a while, I got tired of reading the same thoughts expressed in multiple ways, and I started skimming the book. Based solely on my enjoyment of the book I would have given it 2-2.5 stars, but I upped it to 3 stars in recognition of how well Patti Davis can put words together to make a lovely sentence.

The Good House by Ann Leary: Based on reviews I had read, I had high expectations for this book. However, the book did not quite meet them. It was well written, but I couldn't quite follow the point of the overall storyline. Some storylines were introduced but not fully fleshed out, while others seemed to be either dragged out or ended too abruptly. "The Good House" fell short for me. But it was still an entertaining-enough read. 3/5 stars

The System: The Glory and Scandal of Big-Time College Football by Jeff Benedict: I am not a football fan. In fact, I detest football, so it might seem puzzling that I would choose this book. But I really liked several other books by Jeff Benedict (Little Pink House: A True Story of Defiance and Courage, Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. Coli Outbreak That Changed the Way Americans Eat, Without Reservation: The Making of America's Most Powerful Indian Tribe and Foxwoods the World's Largest Casino), so I thought I'd give this one a go. It's a detailed investigation into the world of college football--with all its flaws and warts. I started skimming about 3/4 of the way through because I was starting to get tired of so much football, but it was definitely a good read. Probably especially if you are actually a football fan. 3/5 stars

The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri: Hands down my favorite read of the month. Set in both India and the U.S., this tells the tale of two brothers, one wife, and a death that casts an overwhelming shadow over a shattered family. Lahiri is a master storyteller. 4/5 stars

The Spy Who Loved: The Secrets and Lives of Christine Granville Real life heroine who worked behind the lines and performed incredible feats of endurance and improbable rescues, all the while having her loyalty questioned by both the British by whom she was employed, and the Polish whose independence she never stopped working for. Good story, sad ending. I would have liked more personality, but 3 stars for Christine.

The Garden of Evening Mists Malaya during WWWII under Japanese occupation. Two girls are taken to a prison camp.One lives, one dies. The secrets the survivor carries and the ones she uncovers while learning to build a Japanese garden. Didn't like the stilted language or the slow pace. 3 stars

Someone: A Novel The story of an Irish girl living in Brooklyn ca 1920's-1960's. Not a bad book, but not extraordinary. I liked best the description of the 1960's house with carport. It was nominated for a National Book Award, why I'm not sure, but I give it 3.5 stars.

Half the Kingdom: A Novel Hilarious satire about aging and hospitals with a swipe at writers. I loved this one 4.5 stars

Looking for Alaska Mediocre YA book about kids at a boarding school. Not up to his standard. 3 stars.

What's Left of Me Sci-fi story. Every child is born with two personalities in one body. The first few years of life are dedicated to removing one of the persons - "settling." The kids who can't settle are removed from society and experimented on. Of course the government is involved, and I suppose if I wanted I could make a case for this book as an allegory of current affairs, but the parts about the US being isolated and depraved is too peripheral to warrant that. 3 stars

Bleeding Edge Another satire, so smart that I didn't understand some references. it takes place in 2001, so guess what happens. The weird thing is that so much time is spent reviewing the '90's tech bubble and its wholesale move from Silicon Valley to Manhattan's money (Silicon Alley) that I didn't see 9/11 coming till the Sunday before. For that alone, this book deserves 4 stars.

Homestead A slow starter. This is a book of stories about a mountain village in Austria, way north in the Alps between Switzerland and Italy. It begins in the early 1900's and takes the reader through two wars and almost to the present day. This was a book club read, and the presenter actually cried about the fate of one character. It sneaks up on you, this book, and is so very memorable. 5 stars

The Luminaries A very, very long book written in wordy Victorian style, it is primarily a mystery. A young but prominent and well-liked entrepreneur disappears. Two weeks later, the hermit who lives outside of town is found dead, and a favorite local whore is found half dead of an overdose of opium and lying in the road. Twelve men come together, a thirteenth intrudes on their discussion, and they try to put the facts together to make sense of occurrences, but also to make sure their actions are seen in the best light possible. I can't begin to describe the complexity of the plot, the abundance of characters, and the importance of the setting, a mining town in western New Zealand during 1865-66. Altogether fascinating Booker Prize winner for its 28-year-old author. But 800-900 pages, so be prepared. 4.5 stars

Amy wrote: The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri: Hands down my favorite read of the month. Set in both India and the U.S., this tells the tale of two brothers, one wife, and a death that casts an overwhelming shadow over a shattered family. Lahiri is a master storyteller. 4/5 stars ..."

I've enjoyed the Lahiri books that I've read. Somehow this title got by me. Thanks ! I will put it on my TBR list.

Amy, I also admire you reading outside your comfort zone, (Reagan and football).

Michele wrote: Homestead A slow starter. This is a book of stories about a mountain village in Austria, way north in the Alps between Switzerland and Italy. It begins in the early 1900's and takes the reader through two wars and almost to the present day. This was a book club read, and the presenter actually cried about the fate of one character. It sneaks up on you, this book, and is so very memorable. 5 stars"

This sounds very interesting, Michele. I see my library has a copy so I've added to my TBR list. Thank you.

I enjoyed reading your list of October reads. You had a nice month !

I love this page where I usually pick up some great ideas. All of you readers inspire me and make me wish that there was more time in my day for the reading that I love.

My October was totally taken with 1 book only. I'm very pleased that it is finally finished and my lack of enjoyment in the read should not reflect too badly on the book. Wolf Hall had been highly recommended by many. I don't remember reading any bad reviews on the tome. And though I didn't enjoy it I've given it 2 stars mainly because I felt I should have liked it! I feel that the Tudors have been done and done too often. I'm also upset with myself that I didn't stop reading the book by page 100 which is my make or break for ALL books. To all those who enjoyed the book, you have my nod of appreciation that you've also made it through. I'm looking forward to something altogether different. My favorite time.

October was kind of a slow month for me, as work took up a lot of my time. Short stories and short novels were the fare ...

The War of the Worlds - 3.5/5 - entertaining story. My comments are in my Determination List thread.

The Fall of the House of Usher - 3/5 or maybe 3.5/5 - good story but didn't wow me. My thoughts are in the discussion thread for this story - I did enjoy our conversation.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - 4/5 - interesting and fun tale that was also thought-provoking. My thoughts are in the discussion thread for this story.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - 3/5 - the descriptions were lovely and the story was entertaining.

Pale Fire - 4/5 - very fun book with great writing and an unusual story structure. Definitely my favorite of the month. My comments are in my Determination List thread.

Paul's Case - 4/5 - lovely but very sad story of a boy trying to cope. Cather just knocks my socks off. A few comments are in the discussion thread for this story.

Lori wrote: "I love this page where I usually pick up some great ideas. All of you readers inspire me and make me wish that there was more time in my day for the reading that I love.

My October was totally ta..."

I love it too when fellow Book Nook members share their reads with the group.

Sorry, you didn't enjoy your October read. I am sure November will be better.

Susan wrote: "October was kind of a slow month for me, as work took up a lot of my time. Short stories and short novels were the fare ...

The War of the Worlds - 3.5/5 - entertaining story. My comments are in m..."

I am glad that the short stories fit your schedule. They worked well for me this month, too. Short Stories and audio books were a blessing to me this month.

On TV the other day they were commenting on War Of The Worlds as the anniversary was October 30, 1938.

It's interesting to think of that era when radio and newspapers were the main source of news. In the book I am reading, One Summer: America, 1927 the author points to that year as the heyday of reading. Book of the month clubs, a zillion newspapers, the start of Weekly magazines such as Time. It's sad that now with so many other distractions like TV and computers reading for many has taken a backseat. I can't but help but feel we are the poorer for this.

Lori wrote: "My October was totally taken with 1 book only. I'm very pleased that it is finally finished and my lack of enjoyment in the read should not reflect too badly on the book. Wolf Hall had been highly recommended by many. ..."

I empathize with you, Lori. It took me about a month to get through "Wolf Hall" as well--and I normally can read 5-7 books in a month. I also felt that I should have enjoyed it more than I did, considering all the glowing reviews and awards it received. In the end I gave it 3 stars because I could appreciate the effort that Hilary Mantel put into it. But I'm not in a hurry to dive into the sequel Bring Up the Bodies in the very near future. I will read it at some point, but the very thought of doing it right now is exhausting!

Michele, I'm interested in your review of "The Luminaries." I've been eyeing it since it was announced as the winner of the 2013 Booker Prize. But the size of it has me hesitating. I'm glad to hear you think it's worth its considerable weight!

I was dazzled by this book. About halfway through, there is a detailed summary of the action so far, so if you're lost, you can catch up. But after that, you're on your own. I thought it resembled one of those British comedies like Noises Off, where the first two acts set up a complicated premise, then the final act pulls it all together in an amazing and unexpected way---all the little details click into place and you want to laugh out loud. I enjoyed it, but it requires patience.

Here is what I managed to read in October.

The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales. I thought this was OK, 3 stars.

The Sunburnt Queen A true story of a British girl's survival of a shipwreck on the Sth African east coast, her integration into a local tribe in the 1730s, and her descendants. Lots of historical details, which I had no idea about. 3 stars.

The Last of the Mohicans A white hunter and his native American friends help a British army family in the British/French war in the Hudson area in the 1750s. Lots of blood and gore as expected. 3 stars.

The Garden of Burning Sand An American aid worker assists in a landmark rape trial in Zambia. Lots of issues covered in an overly-simplistic manner. 2 stars.

The Consequences of Love Audio. A lovestory set in 80s Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Simply told, but very powerful. 4 stars.

Mary Barton The struggles of the Bartons in 1840s Manchester. Difficult dialect. 2 stars.

The Big Sleep Private eye Marlowe does a job for the Sternwood family in 40s California. Quite funny in places, but I had trouble with the slang at times. 2 stars.

Sorry you had some clunkers in October, Lesley. I hope November will bring you all 4+ rated books.

I think I own a copy of The Last of the Mohicans but I haven't read it yet. I am not big on blood and gore, so I don't know when I'll get to this classic.

I read two books in October

And the Mountains Echoed byKhaled Hosseini
Rating 5/5. Hossein is wonderful storyteller. His use of language is wonderful and amazing when you realize English is not his native tongue

Blood from a Stone byDonna Leon
Rating 4/5 this is part of a mystery series set in Venice .

I loved "And the Mountains Echoed" as well, Meredith! It's amazing that every book Hosseini writes is as good as the ones before. He never stumbles. What an incredible writer.

Meredith wrote: "I read two books in October

And the Mountains Echoed byKhaled Hosseini
Rating 5/5. Hossein is wonderful storyteller. His use of language is wonderful and amazing when you realize English is not h..."
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I thought the The Kite Runner was amazing.

I really enjoyed both The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns so hope to get to his latest one soonish.

Starry Night: A Christmas Novel

Sweet, sweet Debbie Macomber book. 4 stars. It read more like her old books.

The Butler: A Witness to History

Didn't enjoy at all. I rated it 2 stars and am not sure why I rated it that high as every time I talk about it I tell everyone how much I didn't enjoy it. I haven't seen the movie yet but the book read like it was suppose to be a magazine article and the author turned it into a short book. He jumped around a lot and the book just didn't feel like there was enough of anything (he interviewed the real Butler, talked about the movie and he would throw in civil rights/ Obama stuff here and there that really didn't tie into anything) to create a book so he threw some stuff together and called it a book. BAD, BAD, BAD!!!!!

Walk Two Moons

Sweet YA book. 4 stars. I loved the relationship between the girl and her grandparents!

October's books weren't as good as September's books but all is good! :) I love seeing what others on here read and their thoughts. I've gotten a lot of great ideas!

Thanks for sharing, GJscollins.

Sorry to hear The Butler wasn't what you expected. Seems like the book is just a movie tie-in. :( At just around 100 pages, I guess you can't expect too much. I see Amazon has the kindle priced at only $5.

I've never read, Macomber. I should check her out the next time I am at the library. Glad you enjoyed her Christmas book.

It felt like a slow month for me but I did manage to knock off my 20 books for the year just in the nick of time! So not so bad! Here's what I read:

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver - 4.5/5
I really liked this, despite the subject matter. It was very wordy but in an accomplished, well-written way and I raced through it because I found it so compelling. All the characters were horrible, unreliable and self-centred but great to read about. The book raises many complicated questions about nature / nurture, guilt and blame and pushes you to try and pin down where you fall in these debates. I am still thinking about it weeks after I've finished it. In fact, because of this I have upped my rating from a 4 to a 4.5.



A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway - 4/5
My first real Hemingway as an adult. I loved this because of Paris and his tales of the Latin Quarter. I'm sure it was rather romanticized but I just wanted to be there (as I always do!) The stories about his famous contemporaries were interesting, as were his rather funny observations on how one should write. But ultimately I came, and stayed, for the City of Light.

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell - 5/5

I left this book at someone's house back in the summer and I finally got it back to finish! I adored Gerry's tales of Corfu and his animals. It sounded completely idyllic and his family are a hoot. I loved the section about his pair of magpies so much that I re-read it when I got the book back and laughed like a drain all over again. Brilliant!

And my failures:
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.
Could not get through this due to it being overwritten with cardboard characters and no discernible plot. Cannot understand the hype at all. I saw it compared to One Hundred Years of Solitude on a book list somewhere and almost went into a rage coma. No, just no.

I'm hoping to read just as many, if not more in November, but it's such a hectic month with the run up to Christmas I don't know how I will do it! Maybe I will only read short books :)

EDITED TO ADD: I forgot about the short stories we did! I read all of those and really enjoyed the discussions. Here are my ratings:

The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales - 2/5 - I was very underwhelmed by this one since Poe has such a reputation. I felt the characterization and the plot was weak, but it did raise many interesting discussion points.

Why I Live at the P.O. 3.5/5 - This was pretty good and read like a convincing, personalised family argument, with many sides and no true right answer. I only didn't like it more because the characters were rather unsympathetic.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - 3/5 - I have read this before and it is OK. Not as funny as the other Thurber I've read, but interesting from an interpretation point of view. Is Mitty a downtrodden malcontent, or a happy, imaginative dreamer?

Paul's Case - 4/5 - Very good, affecting story about the dangers of discontentment with much bubbling under the surface. I must read more Willa Cather after reading this story!

The Necklace and Other Short Stories - 4.5/5 - My favourite of the bunch. Maupassant is a master - he reeled me in and allowed me to judge Mathilde for her shallowness and vanity, then by the end had me feeling sorry for her. And the twist came as a complete surprise to me!

Soph wrote: "It felt like a slow month for me but I did manage to knock off my 20 books for the year just in the nick of time! So not so bad! Here's what I read:


We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver ..."

I picked that book up so many times. Love that you posted about it! I might have to go read it now! :)

Soph wrote: "It felt like a slow month for me but I did manage to knock off my 20 books for the year just in the nick of time! So not so bad!
----------------------------------------
Congratulations of finishing your 20 book list ! Also ahead of time at that. Really good job.

I am glad you enjoyed our group read of My Family and Other Animals. I did, too. The family was totally nuts and so much fun to read about.

Soph wrote: "I really liked this, despite the subject matter. It was very wordy but in an accomplished, well-written way and I raced through it because I found it so compelling. All the characters were horrible, unreliable and self-centred but great to read about. The book raises many complicated questions about nature / nurture, guilt and blame and pushes you to try and pin down where you fall in these debates. I am still thinking about it weeks after I've finished it. In fact, because of this I have upped my rating from a 4 to a 4.5 ..."

This book made an impact on me too, Soph. I read it several years ago and I still think about it, particularly when there's yet another shooting at yet another school here in the U.S. As the parent of two teen-aged boys, I was especially struck by the debate about whether Kevin was born a monster or was created one by his parents. It's a hard book to absorb, but it really hits you emotionally.

A really excellent book on that topic is Columbine~Dave Cullen.

The majority of the book delves into the "why" of the event. The book dispels many of the myths surrounding the crime. It's really well done.

I've read Columbine too, Alias. I agree. It's a good companion to We Need to Talk About Kevin because it comes at the issue from a narrative nonfiction view, while "Kevin" is fictional.

One that I would -not- recommend is Nineteen Minutes~Jodi Picoult

I thought it was not well done. It went for the easy stereotypes and myths. I gave it 2 stars.

I liked other books by this author, but this one was really poorly done, imo.

I'm not a huge fan of Jodi Picoult. I enjoyed the first few books of hers that I read, but then I was able to quickly catch on to the "unexpected twist" that comes--like clockwork--in every book. It became a game with a friend and me to guess what page we could figure out the twist. Whoever guessed it on the earliest page won.

And the twists became more and more predictable.
And then we got bored with the game and stopped reading Picoult novels.

Great reading month for most here. Once more i've added title to my TBR...and i've taken names, so can blame the proper people when i DON'T get to them! I reckon i'll be haunting some of you for years after my demise. Still, i thank you for sharing. ;-0

I don't believe I've posted what I have read the last few months. For one thing, there hasn't been much. So I'll just recap my last couple of months titles, although I think there is something that I forgot to write down.

SECRET AGENDAS by Debbie G. Brownfield (not found in Goodreads)--This is a local author and book was chosen by my local book group. Unfortunately, I do not consider it well-written (nor did most of the members). It was about human trafficking, but full of unimportant details, long lists of characters whose names all started with the same letter, superficial relationships of the Harlequin Romance variety, and many typos. The author, a very nice, sincere woman, attended the book group meeting, which was rather awkward, so we wound up discussing the topic rather than the book itself.

The Spies of Warsaw-- I'm a big fan of this writer's works, set in pre-WWII or WWII times. Great atmosphere. 4*

Lying With Strangers--Very disappointing, I couldn't finish it. I have enjoyed this writer in the past, but wanted to throw this book across the room. Couldn't understand the characters' rationale behind their decisions, or their failure to communicate with each other, frequently making assumptions without listening. 1*

HOOK, LINE AND SINISTER, a collection of short stories edited by T. Jefferson Parker (not found on Goodreads). All the stories have a connection to fishing, about which I know nothing, but I enjoyed them anyway. Several of the writers are known to me, such as James W. Hall, Dana Stabenow, Don Winslow, and Ridley Pearson. Royalties from the sale of this book go to two charities which help women cancer survivors and returning veterans heal body and soul through fly-fishing. 4*

Defending Jacob--Also for book group. Most members rated this one very highly, but I wasn't so crazy about it. Very readable, but unsatisfying to me. 3*

I appreciate you sharing, Carolyn.

I totally understand that it's awkward when the author is present at the meetings. Sometimes I like it, others times it just seems like a fan club for the author and little substantial talk as it's all one sided so as not to hurt the authors feelings.

I purchased Defending Jacob for $1 at a used book store. Still haven't gotten around to it.

Thanks again for sharing your reads with the group. It's a fun way for everyone to find interesting books to read.

Carolyn (in SC) C234D wrote: "SECRET AGENDAS by Debbie G. Brownfield (not found in Goodreads)--This is a local author and book was chosen by my local book group. Unfortunately, I do not consider it well-written (nor did most of the members). It was about human trafficking, but full of unimportant details, long lists of characters whose names all started with the same letter, superficial relationships of the Harlequin Romance variety, and many typos. The author, a very nice, sincere woman, attended the book group meeting, which was rather awkward, so we wound up discussing the topic rather than the book itself...."

Ugh. This perfectly encapsulates the reasons why I avoid self-published books like the plague. The ease with which anyone and everyone can throw some pages together, pay out of their pockets to publish it and then call themselves an "author" makes me cringe. Everybody thinks they can be a writer these days! And here's the thing--when you are the person doing the writing, it's really, really hard to be able to edit yourself critically. So they tend not to do that, either! There's nothing that annoys me more than horribly written, poorly edited and misspelled "books." Yes, I realize that there are some legitimate, decent writers out there who are going the self-published route because traditional book publishing is so difficult to break into. But sifting through an incredibly large pile of doggie crap is not worth the very few diamonds you might find. For me, anyway. I'll pass.

Oh, and Alias--I read "Defending Jacob" and really liked it. Gave it 4 stars. It reminded me of Scott Turow. For what it's worth.