Book Nook Cafe discussion

Share with us what you read in March 2017 !


Please provide:

~ A GoodReads link
~ A few sentences telling us how you felt about the book.
~ How would you rate the book

Here are my March 2017 reads.

-Ragtime--E.L. Doctorow
Fiction
Rate: 4/5
I read this because I was going to see the musical version of the play. I enjoyed the book and the play a lot. The book is on the Modern Library 100 Best Novels. The story is set right before WWI. The novel gives you a feel for the era as it follows three groups of people. The story is told from the point of view of a wealthy upper crust family, an African Americans piano player and the mother of his child, and a extremely poor Jewish immigrant father and daughter. The tale also weaves in many historical figures of the time. Well done !

-Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty---Tim Weiner
Non Fiction
Rate: 4/5
This is a bio of President Richard Nixon. I found it very interesting. I had to knock of one star because the author had a definite anti Nixon bias.

-Between the World and Me--Ta-Nehisi Coates
Non Fiction
Audio book
Rate: 3/5
The book is a series of essays written to the author's son. He poignantly explains to his son race relations in America. I read it because it was nominated for the One Book, One New York program. That is a program that will try to get New Yorker's all reading and discussing the same book. The book was good but a bit repetitive. I liked that it gave me insights of what it is like to grow up black in America today. The audio is read by the author and I felt that made it even more personal.

-All My Sons--Arthur Miller
Fiction - Play
Rate: 5/5
I enjoyed this classic play by Miller. It's the tragic story of a man who must decide whether to send out defective plane parts that his company has manufactured during WWII. He has to choose between bankruptcy and caring for his family and the men fighting for his country. It's also about the lies we tell ourselves.

-Mayim's Vegan Table: More than 100 Great-Tasting and Healthy Recipes from My Family to Yours-Mayim Bialik
non fiction - cookbook
Rate: 2/5
If you are a Big Bang fan like I am, you will know the author from that TV show. Though the author oddly is referred to in the 3rd person in the book. That made me feel she really didn't write the book and her name was just used for sales. I was disappointed in the recipes. Also there was no nutritional info for the recipes.
If you are looking for a vegan cookbook I would recommend
The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen--Donna Klein It also doesn't have nutritional info. However, it is tops in my book because it doesn't include fake cheese and meat analogs. Just natural whole foods that everyone probably has on hand.

-If Kennedy Lived: The First and Second Terms of President John F. Kennedy: An Alternate History-Jeff Greenfield
fiction
Rate- 1/5
I read this for my library group and also as a Buddy Read at BNC. I am not a fan of "what if" history. I was hoping for more of a story. This book just threw a zillion names at the reader with no real story. It seemed like more of a discussion.

-Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis-J.D. Vance
Non Fiction.
Rate: 3/5
This is a memoir of growing up poor in the Rust Belt. The author manages to graduate from Yale Law school. The author's politics are not mine. I often felt he was blaming the victims. I also found it a bit repetitive. I'm not sure why this is such a big deal on the the NY Times bestseller list. I guess because the publisher is billing it as the book to read if you want to know why Trump was elected President.

-A View from the Bridge: A Play in Two Acts-Arthur Miller
Fiction - Play
Rate: 4/5
Another classic by the great Arthur Miller. Set in 1950's Brooklyn NY it's about a man who takes in two of his wife's illegal immigrant male cousins from Italy. When his niece falls for one of them, trouble soon follows. A timely read.

Excellent list of books read Alias!

Thanks, Barbara. :)

Nice reading, Alias!

I didn't read many books last month:

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen (3-star) - this one started out well but ended up being mediocre. The mystery was obvious to the reader but not the heroine and there was a lot of complaining about servants and/or the lack of them.

Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich (2-star.....I give all Stephanie Plum books 2 stars; audio) - these are so formulaic that I can't give them more than 2 stars. They are fun to listen to in the car while commuting, though.

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides (3-star; audio) - this was my jogging book. It was a good look at marriage and what it involves. However, this book didn't have the richness and depth that Jeffrey Eugenides' Middlesex did.

Within a Budding Grove by Marcel Proust (4-star) - this series is slowing my reading down but its got such a delightful cast of characters. I really like Proust's characters and stories. Even his navel-gazing is interesting.....just so, so long at times. Proust notices the tiniest things about our nuances and people's personalities and he's put them all into his characters and life situations.

I can see why the Plum books would be perfect while driving. That aren't too distracting and fun.

Props to you for continuing with Proust. My neighbor and friend was enjoying the first book but gave up as it was just too much. She said she may pick it up at another time.

I also own a used copy of Swann's Way but have not attempted it yet.

My March reading summary is a bit on the long side so feel free to give up anytime :)

1. La ciudad de las bestias by Isabel Allende
Rating: B+
Review: I love this story. It's just magical. Love the message about the destruction of indigenous tribes.

2. Pistols for Two: And Other Storiesby Georgette Heyer
Rating: A-
Review: A very cute collections of Heyer's short stories. I liked that the couples were all older, that is 30+ years old and not 17-year-old kids.

3. The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon
Rating: A
Review: My best friend gave me a copy of this book and I was sceptical because I'm well versed in the Romance genre, and I thought it would be just another regular Romance novel, granted one with a religious name, but still. Instead, I was very pleasantly surprised. I couldn't put it down. It was a Romance novel, but the romance seemed like a side story next to the topic of Moses' abilities.

4. Notorious Pleasures by Elizabeth Hoyt
Rating: A
Review: I do not know what is it with me and Elizabeth Hoyt's books. I realise they are a bit cheesy (at least the Croatian translations are) and I say that to my everytime I start, but I read it all the same and generally love it. :D

5. Starman: David Bowie - The Definitive Biography by Paul Trynka
Rating: C
Review: Very detailed book, which makes it great if you want to know everything about David Bowie but not so great for you brain which becomes very tired due to the very small font combined with more than 400 pages.

6. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Rating: A
Review: There isn's much to say here. HP series will always be one of my favourite series of all times.

7. Catedral de la Asunción de María en Zagreb: Monografía Turística by Zvonimir Kurečić
Rating: A
Review: A detailed guide of the Zagreb Cathedral. Excellent work!

8. Son of the Morning by Linda Howard
Rating: B
Review: Historical romance with a bit of time travel. Some people said it was a copy of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander, but it's much less complex. It gives a completely different vibe.

9. Lea Deutsch - Zagrebačka Ane Frank by Pavao Cindrić
Rating: B
Review: A short biography of Croatian Shirley Temple (if you look at her career) or Croatian Anne Frank (if you look at how her life ended).

10. Seljačka buna Matije Gupca - Nova povijest 1573. by Zvonimir Despot
Rating: D
Review: This book was a total disappointment.

11. Passing by Nella Larsen
Rating: A
Review: This book left me speachless and I loved it.

12. Kultura, turizam, interkulturalizam by Daniela Angelina Jelinčić, Deana Gulišija, Janko Bekić
Rating: A
Review: I love all books by this author. She is, in my opinion, the greates expert on cultural tourism in Croatia.

13. Lady Susan by Jane Austen
Rating: A
Review: I despise Lady Susan as a person but I find this book charming, and I applaud Jane Austen for being so bold.

14. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
Rating: D
Review: I've never read anything by this author. The story was well written, but the ending left me so shocked it took me a few minutes to get my act together. Looking at it now, the topic is very relevant for what is happening today in the world.

15. Sanditon and The Watsons: Austen's Unfinished Novels by Jane Austen
Rating: B
Review: Such promies! It makes me sad that she never managed to finish them.

16. Kultura u izlogu by Daniela Angelina Jelinčić
Rating: A
Review: Not as interesting and gripping as the one above, but still very relevant.

17. La novia de Lázaro by Dulce María Loynaz
Rating: A
Review: A beautiful short story about the fiancee of Lazarus (yes, biblical Lazarus)

18. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Rating: A
Review: My favourite in the series, so far anyway.

19. National Geographic Jewish Heritage Travel: A Guide to Eastern Europe by Ruth Ellen Gruber
Rating: B+
Review: Wonderful and very detailed guide, clearly written with love for the subject.

20. Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt
Rating: C
Review: Definitely not as good as th first two. By this point, the cheesiness is starting to wear on my, this the rating.

21. The Beautifull Cassandra by Jane Austen
Rating: C
Review: Jane Austen's juvenalia, written for the amusement of the family. The stories have no head nor tail and are full of grammar mistakes. Charming all the same.

22. Le Cid by Pierre Corneille
Rating: C
Review: One of the few books from my high school curriculum, which I remember fondly. I go back to it every few years.

23. The Croats: Fourteen Centuries of Perseverance by Anđelko Mijatović
Rating: A
Review: A summary of Croatian history. Literally. Very good if you want to get the short version before diving into detail.

My March reading least, apart of

Ragtime E.L. Doctorow
Rating: 4 Starts

and for which Alias already gave a brilliant account, it is all French:

Things: A Story of the Sixties; A Man Asleep Georges Perec
Rating: 3,5 Stars

I found 'Things: A Story of the Sixties' brilliant, moving, originally written. A short novel to read all in one go and which, at the end of the day, still fits perfectly within the young people difficulties in finding their dimension our contemporary society. Instead A Man Asleep was extremely slow, I struggle to keep my attention focused, and even if I don’t deny the subject and the context are interesting, still I can’t say I have enjoyed it.
If I could have rated the two novels separately I would have given 4.5 stars to the first and 2 to the other.

Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter Simone de Beauvoir
Rating: 4 Stars

This is the first part of De Beauvoir autobiography, covering the years from her childhood to her twenties. I enjoyed the contents very much and the way it is written too. Reading it after coming back from Paris, it also reminded me all those places where I strolled around during my holiday. Really interesting to discover how the writer found her way in a society which ideologies were not her view of life and the struggle in breaking with her own family traditions. I will read the second part of the autobiography this month.

The Plague Albert Camus
Rating: 5 Stars
What to say about The Plague? A masterpiece. Its contents are really strong, it is a complex book that inevitably makes the reader reflect on what often we try to not think about, death and despair. I would recommend to everyone to read it at least once, personally I think I will come back to it at some point.

Samanta wrote: Rating: D
Review: I've never read anything by this author. The story was well written, but the ending left me so shocked it took me a few minutes to get my act together. Looking at it now, the topic is very relevant for what is happening today in the world.


First, that is a great reading month !

Second, why the D rating for The Lottery? It seems you liked this classic short story. Typo ? I read it in school and again as an adult. I thought it was well done.

Samanta, that's a long list. Great reading!

Is it possible to put the book title and not the cover in the post? It's impossible to figure out what book it is from the app. I see a long list but can't comment because I don't know the titles.

Francesca, you've had a great month. Those are high ratings!
I haven't read The Plague...but maybe I should.

Francesca M wrote:
The Plague Albert Camus
Rating: 5 Stars
What to say about The Plague? A masterpiece. Its contents are really strong, it is a complex book that inevitably makes the reader reflect on what often we try to not think about, death and despair. I would recommend to everyone to read it at least once, personally I think I will come back to it at some point.."

I had to read The Plague in college.

We also did a group read of it here in 2010. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

It's my favorite Camus book.

Thank you Alias, looking forwards to read other people's comments. It felt a bit of a shame reading this book on my own.

Alias Reader wrote: "Props to you for continuing with Proust. My neighbor and friend was enjoying the first book but gave up as it was just too much. She said she may pick it up at another time.

I also own a used copy of Swann's Way but have not attempted it yet. ..."

I can't get past the first three pages. My reaction is always "What the heck is he rambling about? You know what, I don't even care."

Petra wrote: "Samanta, that's a long list. Great reading!

Is it possible to put the book title and not the cover in the post? It's impossible to figure out what book it is from the app. I see a long list but c..."

It was indeed Petra, I did enjoyed all the books which is something, I have to say, that does not happen very often.

The Plague definitely highly recommended. Also I just looked at the link Alias shared of the group read they did here, I wish I saw it before! if you're planning to go for the novel, it's worth checking it out while you read, there are a lot of useful and interesting links / comments which will make the reading even more interesting!

Petra wrote: "Nice reading, Alias!

I didn't read many books last month:

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen (3-star) - this one started out well but ended up being mediocre. The myste..."

Alias Reader wrote: "I can see why the Plum books would be perfect while driving. That aren't too distracting and fun.

Props to you for continuing with Proust. My neighbor and friend was enjoying the first book but g..."

Swann's Way is in my reading list, plus references to Proust keep coming out in all the books I am reading these days...good to know that you are enjoying it, Petra! Maybe I'll find the courage to start the series myself :)

Francesca M wrote: "Pif you're planning to go for the novel, it's worth checking it out while you read, there are a lot of useful and interesting links / comments which will make the reading even more interesting! ..."

I will; thanks! I like reviving old discussion threads.

Francesca M wrote: "Swann's Way is in my reading list, plus references to Proust keep coming out in all the books I am reading these days...good to know that you are enjoying it, Petra! Maybe I'll find the courage to start the series myself :)..."

It doesn't take courage but patience. That narrator is an annoying personality. So delicate and, in his way, demanding.
As well, Proust can ramble when he sets his mind to it. It's all great writing but yet sometimes......

Alias, i wonder if you noticed that the link you provided for the Nixon book isn't that book. Indeed, it's about micro-loans & small banking. I took note because last month i read a book which included a look at microloans. You had a good month of reading.

Petra, i think commuting with Evanovich is a clever way to keep up with the series. And kudos on continuing with Proust. I've known a few people who read the first in the series but not one continued to read more.

Samanta wrote: "Review: A short biography of Croatian Shirley Temple (if you look at her career) or Croatian Anne Frank (if you look at how her life ended)...."

Funny description, Samanta.

I want to again thank you for sharing about Georgette Heyer. Your assessment of Passing was about the same as mine. I had to reread one section toward the end because i couldn't believe what i'd read. It's a slim book but with an interesting look into what it took (takes?) to pass as someone from another race.

It was neat seeing quite a number of classics on your list. I've yet to read the Austen books you mentioned, which probably give insight into her better known novels. Samanta, i also liked El Cid very much, although i believe the version i read was by a British man. For some reason i don't see it on my Books Read List but i remember reading it.

Francesca, your vastly different ratings on the Perec books illustrates what we've been saying recently about how one author can create a beauty, then a stinker. Reading them one after the other must have been a real challenge.

I appreciated your comments on The Plague. I read it with this group, too, and know how valuable the notes Alias shares can be. It fleshes out aspects of the writing, history &/or story itself.

You mentioned feeling "ashamed" reading it on your own. It's amusing that you say this. When i read almost any book on my own (not a book group read), i find myself thinking about what i want to ask others about the book. Then i have to remind myself it's a "loner" reading. Sometimes it's frustrating, i must say.

It appears March was such nice reading month for this group. Hurrah!

In March I read:

- Vinte Mil Léguas Submarinas, by Jules Verne – Another great adventure by this French author. This time a journey under the sea, with all its marvellous creatures. I found the classification of all marine animals a bit exhausting, but, despite of that, it was a good book, that made me travel (in my imagination). (3 stars)

- Moderato Cantabile, by Marguerite Duras – A very intriguing story, and above all, an intriguing writing. I love the way MD creates a “pathos” in Anne Desbaresdes life, after a crime that has nothing to do with her. I love the several themes that emerge (and are mixed up): the crime (the invented story around it), the alcohol (the sensual addiction), the betrayal (is it?), the relationship between mother and son (him taking care of her). Nothing is exactly how it appears. I do love the way MD uses words, simple, raw and poetic. (5 stars)

- A Gata, by Colette – This story is about a love triangle – Camila, Alain and Saha (Alain’s cat). So this is an unexpected love story, about the jealousy of Camila towards Saha. Colette’s writing is beautiful, and shows her love for cats, and her knowledge about them. The descriptions of Saha’s behaviours are impressive, sensual and gorgeous. (4 stars)

- Boneca de Luxo, by Truman Capote – I didn’t like this one. I couldn’t “connect” with Holly, I found her character strange and kind of erratic. I did like Capote’s writing, and I’ll probably read other books by this author, but this story annoyed me. (2 stars)

- De noite as árvores são negras, by Maria Isabel Barreno – This is a wonderful book, by a Portuguese author. It is a bit hard to read, because it has many non-identified narrators, but once you recognize each characters’ own voice it becomes very interesting. This novel was first published in 1968 during Portugal’s dictatorship, and it is about women’s role(s), at that time. Three female characters “think” about their lives and roles in the society: Luísa (the conventional woman, catholic non-working wife and mother), Amélia (Luísa’s teenage daughter, who criticizes the conventional roles, fights for her freedom, searches for her place in the world), Helena (Luísa’s sister, the independent spirit, who lives the way she wants, supposedly, who is the subject of other critics). It is a deep reflection about the role of women. (4 stars)

- A Coisa Que Eu Sou, by Ana Teresa Pereira – A compilation of “ghost stories” and “fairy tales”. Ana Teresa’s books have a particular “ambience”, the characters frequently have the same names, or are the same persons (we don’t know), and the author creates an idyllic environment where sometimes terrible things do happen. I started reading her books when I was 16, and I keep on loving her strange characters. Despite of the similarities between her stories, she always surprises me. (3 stars)

- O Conto da Ilha Desconhecida, by José Saramago – This is a great short story about a man who wants to find an unknown island. He has this dream and he fights for it. It is also a beautiful metaphor to self-discovery… “Liking is probably the best form of ownership, and ownership the worst form of liking.” (4 stars)

It was a good month! :)

Francesca M wrote: "My March reading least, apart of

Ragtime E.L. Doctorow
Rating: 4 Starts

and for which Alias already gave a brilliant account, it is all French:

[book:Things: A Stor..."

I'm curious about "Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter" and "The Plague". They sound promising!

I had a good reading month, too. One reason is that i wanted to finish reading some books i had in our motel room that i wanted to give away before we left. And they were on my Determination List, so there will be progress on that front, too.

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon was mentioned by someone in this group and i thank you Very Much. This is a YA about one day in NYC when a couple of teenagers meet. One is about to be deported and the other is a child of immigrants. The book alters chapters as seen from each character, plus some random people &/or family. The ending was exquisite.

The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin by Masha Gessen is one i wanted to read after seeing the author a time or two on MSNBC. I learned quite about about a part of Russian history after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. And what a sad, sad tale it is. While not exactly a bio of Putin, it covered what one can surmise, as well as what was published in his "official biography" from the state. Gessen ended the book in an upbeat way as protesters were getting bolder. Unfortunately that was in 2011, so we know it didn't lead far & murders of protest leaders ensued.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith. This was somewhat fun, in that the Bennett daughters lived in Asia a few years in order to learn efficient martial arts to combat the zombie plague victims. Indeed, those skills are often the first thing suitors note, even Mr. Darcy. Unfortunately, it follows the story a bit too much, making parts seem more like a rereading of the original and not always in a fun way.

The Lemoncholy Life of Annie Aster by Scott Wilbanks is another i heard about from some member here. (In both cases i must add that their descriptions were so good, i went straight to get them, so forgot to make not of who mentioned them. Sorry!) This is a time travel romp which i enjoyed. One day Elsbeth, living in 1890's Kansas, finds a house has been constructed on a distant part of her property. The house is in 1995 San Francisco, owned by Annabelle. The two begin exchanging letters, etc. Nice, although sometimes it went on a bit too much.

If Kennedy Lived: The First and Second Terms of President John F. Kennedy: An Alternate History by Jeff Greenfield. I read this book with our group, a buddy read. I don't know that the presentation could have been made better but i didn't enjoy this book.

All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai is another time travel novel. Because the invention of TT was a part of the story, it discussed technical aspects, including the fact that a person would need to travel both time and space, meaning stats need to factor in the revolving planet. This was a good one and i enjoyed it. I'm beginning to think i'm losing patience with reading, as i yet again felt it went on too long. I just didn't need all the details given. Twentysomething Tom forces himself (stealing) to be the first time traveler but things go amiss, so when he returns to 2016, it's the one we experience, not the super-slick flying cars one he left.

How the Other Half Banks: Exclusion, Exploitation, and the Threat to Democracy by Mehrsa Baradaran was my first true look at economics and banking, so it took me three months to get through it. Her thesis is that the US should resume banking through our postal system, something begun early in the 20th century, ending in the '70s. It's a brilliant idea, which might well help rid us of many of the pay-day loan type establishments. As it turns out i could have just begun with chapter 8 & understood much of what she had to say about the present system. I'm pro this idea.*

The Jeffers Petroglyphs: Native American Rock Art on the Midwestern Plains by Kevin L. Callahan is a book i bought on our travels last fall. These petroglyphs are in Minnesota and are easily accessible. Indeed, we actually trod on the red rocks, as they are in the earth itself, unlike others (Albuquerque) which are on walls of smaller mountains. The book was informative but also disappointing, as the descriptions were not necessarily about the petroglyphs there as much as stories which might be what the etched material is supposed to represent. Still, it was neat to learn that. I'm passing this on to a friend in the Twin Cities who has yet to visit the site.

Breaking Through Power: It's Easier Than We Think by Ralph Nader. I've long been a fan of Nader's but didn't vote for him in '00. This book explains a bit about how we got to the corporate legislators we now have & what we can do about it. His research and material was eminently readable. The 4th and final chapter included a number of regular folks like us who created groups to tackle issues important to them. Impressive.

The Plot to Hack America: How Putin’s Cyberspies and WikiLeaks Tried to Steal the 2016 Election by Malcolm Nance, who was a career intelligence officer for the US. He explained the history Russia had in hacking elections in countries nearer the country, why Trump was a ripe candidate for using and the process of hacking itself. Another informative book, fairly easy to read. EDITORIAL OPINION: The White House, seem to think that investigating the last election is a way to delegitimize the election without seeing that it's the ability & process itself which is threatening our democratic system. Naturally, they can only think in terms of themselves...or should i say "himself"?

Additionally i quickly read 3 books in a mystery series about a dessert chef from a cruise line who returns home to Ashland, Oregon, to lick wounds as her marriage seems to have ended. Ashland is well known for it's Shakespearean Play festival, so we learn about that. The mysteries are okay but the writing isn't very original and the repetitions about characters & the town have already become trite, so i'm reading no more. The titles i read follow: Meet Your Baker, A Batter of Life and Death, and Caught Bread Handed by Ellie Alexander. She includes recipes, which are ok looking.

Quite the month! This is probably more than i'll read my entire vacation. We'll see!

*I wanted to note a fun fact for readers. In chapter covering the gold vs. silver standard debates of the late 19th century, she mentioned that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum was echoing that argument. "The yellow brick road=the gold standard; silver slippers (in book they were)=preferred money standard; Dorothy=American people, specifically farmers. Emerald City=place of pretend value, having followed that greenback paper money; Wicked Witches=banking & money centers in the East and West; Scarecrow=farmers who lack brains to challenge the gold standard; Tin Man=industrial workers & specifically the steel workers, “who don’t have the heart to stand with the farmers against moneyed centers”; Cowardly Lion=political classes who lack courage to intervene. “Even the winged monkeys represent the dangers the Native Americans posed to western expansionists. The cyclone itself portends revolution, and of course Oz symbolizes the standard measurement for gold, the ounce (oz).”

@Alias and @Petra....it happens when you love reading and have a 5 week long sick leave.

@Alias......no, the rating is ok. I give my ratings by the feeling and that is what I saw in my head. I don't think I really liked the story and the ending was too shocking for me. It weirded me out. Maybe that is what makes it actually good. I might read it again sometime and now that I know what's going to happen I might appreciate it more.

@Petra....I'll change them to link for you as soon as I get the chance. I just got home and it's very late.

@madrano....I love classics and I love Jane Austen. I've been neglecting both lately and I want to return to them.

Lea Deutsch....she was actually called Croatian Shirley Temple by the newspapers of the time because she was only 5 when she landed her first theatre role and she was a prodigy. Again she is called Croatian Anne Frank because, being a Jew, she met almost the same fate. She was 16 (she was three months older than Anne Frank) when she was taken to the camp with her mother and brother (her father hid in the hospital and survived the war). She got the better deal than Anne Frank, though (if you can call any of it a better deal). She suffered from a weak heart and, due to the stress and sorrow caused by what was happening, it gave out while she was on the train going to the camp. She never managed to cross the border of Croatia.

Julie wrote:I can't get past the first three pages. My reaction is always "What the heck is he rambling about? You know what, I don't even care." "

:) All I know about the book is there are pages where he rhapsodizes about madeleine cookies. Maybe that is the key to reading the book. You need to eat madeleine cookies and tea while you read.

Petra wrote:I haven't read The Plague...but maybe I should. .."

The Plague and The Stranger are
the two book by Albert Camus that one should read, imo.

I think we have either a book buddy or group read on both of them.

madrano wrote: "The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon was mentioned by someone in this group and i thank you Very Much. This is a YA about one day in NYC when a couple of teenagers meet. One is about to be deported and the other is a child of immigrants. The book alters chapters as seen from each character, plus some random people &/or family. The ending was exquisite. ."

My library has it in their collection. I've put it on my TBR list. Thanks !

You had a really great reading month, deb !

madrano wrote: "
The Man Without a Face: The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin by Masha Gessen is one i wanted to read after seeing the author a time or two on MSNBC. I learned quite about about a part of Russian history after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. And what a sad, sad tale it is. While not exactly a bio of Putin, it covered what one can surmise, as well as what was published in his "official biography" from the state. Gessen ended the book in an upbeat way as protesters were getting bolder. Unfortunately that was in 2011, so we know it didn't lead far & murders of protest leaders ensued. "

I have this on my list. I also put it on the suggestion list for my library book club. Glad to see you enjoyed it.

madrano wrote: . How the Other Half Banks: Exclusion, Exploitation, and the Threat to Democracy by Mehrsa Baradaran was my first true look at economics and banking,

It's a brilliant idea, which might well help rid us of many of the pay-day loan type establishments."

I thought it odd that the author of Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis (which if I recall correctly, you also read) took the side of these pay day loan places. I understand they are lenders of last resort. However, they also totally rip off people who are the most financially vulnerable in our society.

madrano wrote*I wanted to note a fun fact for readers. In chapter covering the gold vs. silver standard debates of the late 19th century, she mentioned that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum was echoing that argument."

That is cool. I've never heard that analogy before. Thanks for sharing. Once again, congrats on the great reading month.

Andreia wrote: "Francesca M wrote: "My March reading least, apart of

Ragtime E.L. Doctorow
Rating: 4 Starts

and for which Alias already gave a brilliant account, it is all French:

..."


I’m pretty sure you would enjoy Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter a lot Andreia, If I understood you literary taste :)!

Samanta, what a sad story about the talented Lea Deutsch.

Alias, i like the photo of the madeleine cookies. I once made cookies and "glued" photos to them with sugar glue. They hardened and were impossible to eat but they sure looked pretty!

I'm pleased with my reading last month. Depending on how much one already knows about Russia under Putin the Gessen book may or may not be good for discussion. For me, so much was new. Then there are the parallels to Trump (as i saw them) and the crimes committed by the government...or so it seems.

Alias Reader wrote: "I thought it odd that the author of Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis (which if I recall correctly, you also read) took the side of these pay day loan places. I understand they are lenders of last resort. However, they also totally rip off people who are the most financially vulnerable in our society...."

I found that interesting, too. I wonder if he has a stake in them? Kinda laughing there. They do have a place if you pay them back immediately. The stats on how many do so is depressing, though. I don't remember about other military bases but in the south we noticed that the streets around them, in the city itself, are crowded with payday loan, title loans and paycheck loan businesses. It's sad and infuriating.

Samanta wrote: "My March reading summary is a bit on the long side so feel free to give up anytime :)

1. by [author:Isabel Allende|223..."

Samantha, I was reading your comments about the books you've read - so many and so diverse!!! :)

- I think I would like to read the one about Lea Deutsch.

- Jane Austen and Isabel Allende are two of my favourite authors. I think I could re-read all their books.

- I'm planning to read the 3rd book from the series "Memories of the Eagle and the Jaguar", soon. I actually don't remember much from the 1st and 2nd, but I know I loved them.

- "La novia de Lázaro" and "Passing" seem very interesting, too.

Francesca M wrote: "Andreia wrote: "Francesca M wrote: "My March reading least, apart of

Ragtime E.L. Doctorow
Rating: 4 Starts

and for which Alias already gave a brilliant account, it ..."

I think you're right :)

Andreia wrote: "Samanta wrote: "My March reading summary is a bit on the long side so feel free to give up anytime :)

1. by [author:Is..."

Thank you, Andreia! :)

I really had a lot of time on my hand so it was a rich reading month.

I'm not sure if there is an English translation of the Lea Deutsch biography but I can check it out for you or, at least, find out if there is anything in English...besides the articles on the internet, of course.

I've only read the first in the series but managed to get my hands on the rest of the series in Spanish and her other major work, too. I can't wait to dive in. I can't yet say that she is my favourite writer (that place still hold Jane Austen and Anne Rice only) but all of the books I did read were lovely. I read Zorro a few times.....in Spanish. It was a process, but I did it. I think it was sheer stubbornness. It's a very long book and the language is not the easiest but it's great practice.

"La novia de Lázaro" and "Passing" are wonderful stories. The first one is so poetic. Passing has a very interesting atmosphere and a crazy ending. I didn't particularly like any of the characters but still loved the story and gave it 5 stars. :)

Samanta wrote: "Andreia wrote: "Samanta wrote: "My March reading summary is a bit on the long side so feel free to give up anytime :)

1. by [authorimage:Isabel Allende|..."

If you can read Isabel Allende's books in Spanish, it's even better. La casa de los espíritus (a masterpiece) and De amor y de sombra (about Pinochet's dictatorship) are my favourites. I haven't read yet her most recent books.

I find it difficult to love (5 stars love) a book when I don't like the characters, but that happened with La chatte, by Colette. The writing was so beautiful, and the cat, too, that I loved that novel, 4 stars love, however... :)

I'll make a search about Lea Deutsch, maybe I can find something in English.

Andreia wrote: "Samanta wrote: "Andreia wrote: "Samanta wrote: "My March reading summary is a bit on the long side so feel free to give up anytime :)

1. by [authorimage..."

I've not yet read La casa de los espíritus, but I did read Croatian translations of La hija de la fortuna and El retrato en sepia a while ago. I always thought these three were connected. Is that true? Unfortunately, I don't remember the storyline that well anymore.

I honestly don't know why I gave the Passing a 5-star rate. It was more of a compulsion, a spur of the moment decision.

I couldn't find any information on a possible English translation of Lea's biography.

Petra wrote: "Samanta, that's a long list. Great reading!

Is it possible to put the book title and not the cover in the post? It's impossible to figure out what book it is from the app. I see a long list but c..."

Petra, I've put everything in link only version.

Samanta wrote: "Andreia wrote: "Samanta wrote: "Andreia wrote: "Samanta wrote: "My March reading summary is a bit on the long side so feel free to give up anytime :)

1. ..."

Me neither, Samantha, I have the memory of a goldfish... But, I don't think they are connected... Anyway if you liked those two, I think you'll love the House of Spirits :)

What do you recommend by Anne Rice, to start? Interview with the Vampire?

Thank you, Samanta! I really appreciate it.

City of the Beasts sounds really interesting. I'm not a big fan of her book, Daughter of Fortune but I would give this one a try.

Harry Potter is a great read. I love the movies, too, and never tire of watching and rewatching them.

The info book on the Cathedral would be interesting. Is it close to your home? It looks lovely.

I have Passing on my ereader. You've made me want to read it soon.

You've read a great variety last month! Nice!

Andreia wrote: "Samanta wrote: "Andreia wrote: "Samanta wrote: "Andreia wrote: "Samanta wrote: "My March reading summary is a bit on the long side so feel free to give up anytime :)

1. [bookcover:La ciudad de las..."

Interview with the Vampire is the first in Vampire Chronicles so it might be good to start from scratch. They are all connected by Lestat.

Petra wrote: "Thank you, Samanta! I really appreciate it.

City of the Beasts sounds really interesting. I'm not a big fan of her book, Daughter of Fortune but I would give this one a t..."

City of Beasts is a fun read. I would put it into YA adventure category. There are two more which I still have to read.

You said it all with Harry Potter. :D

Thank you! The Cathedral is one of my favourite buildings in the city. It's in the centre, the historical part of the city, about half an hour tram ride from where I currently live. I visit it on regular basis as part of my job (tour guide). I read the booklet in Spanish for job purposes, but there is a copy in various other foreign languages.

I would really like to hear your opinion on Passing.

Samanta wrote: "Andreia wrote: "Samanta wrote: "Andreia wrote: "Samanta wrote: "Andreia wrote: "Samanta wrote: "My March reading summary is a bit on the long side so feel free to give up anytime :)

1. [bookcover:..."

I did love the movie... :)

Samanta, how interesting that you are a tour guide. I imagine that is a fun job.
If I'm ever in Croatia, the cathedral will be a "must see" stop and I'll get the pamphlet in English. :D

Petra wrote: "Samanta, how interesting that you are a tour guide. I imagine that is a fun job.
If I'm ever in Croatia, the cathedral will be a "must see" stop and I'll get the pamphlet in English. :D"

I adore my job. The cathedral is definitely a "must see".

This month, I continued on the revisiting-old-anarchist-works theme and read the two lluminatus spinoff trilogies. There's a third, which as far as I know was never collected in omnibus form, but I might still have the paperbacks somewhere.

Schrödinger's Cat Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson. A more or less direct sequel to The Illuminatus! Trilogy which takes place before, during, and after, but usually in parallel universes. Wilson gets a bit liberal with the use of his pet eight-circuit (or was it six? been so long) model of human mental and spiritual development, and people who cannot follow nonlinear narratives will be lost early on, but the book is a *lot* of fun. Plot? Y'know, I cannot recall one, but I didn't notice the absence either. More like lots of unrelated plotlets. Four stars which may or may not have gone dark.

Masks of the Illuminati by Robert Anton Wilson. What do James Joyce, Albert Einstein, and Aleister Crowley have in common? This book, and probably nothing else. Wilson posits Joyce and Einstein as drinking buddies. Well into their cups one night, they encounter Sir John Babcock, who is being hounded by a sinister agency headed by Aleister Crowley. Can they solve the mystery? Is there a mystery? What in the world was Wilson on when he wrote this, and where can I get some? Undoubtedly the most literate of the three main Illuminatus trilogies. Five gleefully demented stars.

Humiliation: And Other Essays on Honor, Social Discomfort, and Violence by William Miller, the The Anatomy of Disgust guy. A student of Icelandic Sagas (Njal's Saga being the most famous) takes a look at social obligation, and the difference between shame, embarrassment, and humiliation. The book starts out with an explanation of why, given an unexpected gift or an undesired invitation to a dinner or party, you are fully justified in seeking a blood-soaked retribution. Really enjoyed this one, and the stark cover made for great subway reading. Five vengeful stars.

Samanta wrote:
@Alias......no, the rating is ok. I give my ratings by the feeling and that is what I saw in my head. I don't think I really liked the story and the ending was too shocking for me. It weirded me out. Maybe that is what makes it actually good. I might read it again sometime and now that I know what's going to happen I might appreciate it more...."

I definitely understand! I only read it for the first time a year or so ago, and was not completely shocked because I half expected something perverse from Jackson. But I actually rated it highly because of the shock value. :)

Such great lists above! Will work on posting my list now. As always, late!

An average month, one extreme to the other. :)


Extraordinary People by Peter May 4/5

This is the 4th Peter May book I've read, his The Lewis Trilogy: The Blackhouse, The Lewis Man, The Chessmen being the other three.
Different setting and characters, but the same intense attention to time and place and melding of storylines. This one is a man that is half Scots and half Italian living in France. He accepts a challenge to find a man that has been missing for a decade. It's no spoiler to tell you that he does, and his methodology and the hoops he jumps to do so are most interesting.

The Confessions of Young Nero by Margaret George 4.5/5

Admittedly, I'm nitpicking a bit with a 4.5 rather than a full 5, but while I loved her Nero, I wondered if perhaps George was going a teeny bit overboard in her cleansing of his reputation. I do, though, fully believe that ancient historians have blackened his name beyond all recognition, and I hate the unfairness of those past historians. I understand that for the most part they were thinking of their own necks and survival of same, but there was a rule of conscience that they ignored.

Anyhow. I loved Georges recitation of Nero's life, and the reasons he was the way he was. She brings him to life and her method of inserting outside narrations occasionally is enlightening and very telling. The "other half" so to speak. George brings a wonderful humanity to Nero, and I anxiously look forward to her second book on Nero.

The Nightwalker by Sebastian Fitzek 5/5

Chilling. Twisted. Loss of self. Treachery. Cross, double-cross.

Keeps the reader guessing until the very end......and past.

As with the only other Fitzek book I've read ( Therapy ), I read this one in one sitting. Fortunately I'd already eaten.

Recommended, but be sure to have dinner first.....'cause you won't want to put it down.

If Kennedy Lived: The First and Second Terms of President John F. Kennedy: An Alternate History by Jeff Greenfield 3/5

I'd have preferred a more personal story, not what I found to be a bit cut and dried notion of Kennedys political life/possibilities. And to be honest rather Pollyanna(ish) in conclusions.

The majority of the names were familiar to me, but for someone not around then they came way to fast and furious to be effectively integrated into the story.

There was a bit toward the beginning, and I'll paraphrase, that spoke of how thankful they were for the rain and bubble top that day, that the alternative (the truth) would have been too awful to contemplate.

This reminds me of time travel stories where someone goes back to right a wrong, and either enable what happened, or Time readjusts to bring about the same results. I love time travel tales, but this alternative history story doesn't move me to search for more like it.

The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz 1.5/5 (down from 2.5)

I really wanted to love this addition to the excellent Millennium series by Steig Larsson. Instead I only made it to 33%, cringing most of the way. The factoids are all there, but Lagercrantz's addition lacks the heart that Larsson put into his characters. They are cardboard, the plot is formulaic in the extreme, and I couldn't have cared less about their fates.

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Crossover by Michael Jan Friedman 4/5

A great combo of the old and the new of Star Trek. Brings back Bones and Scotty, not to mention centering around Spock and his Reunification mission. Nicely done. If you are a Star Trek fan, you'll enjoy it, otherwise.....maybe not.

Mkfs wrote: "This month, I continued on the revisiting-old-anarchist-works theme and read the two lluminatus spinoff trilogies. There's a third, which as far as I know was never collected in omnibus form, but I..."

I enjoyed reading your reviews, Mkfs !

Cateline wrote: "An average month, one extreme to the other. :).."

Nice month, Cateline !

I'm sorry the Kennedy book didn't live up to expectations for any of us. Oh, well. They all can't be winners.

:) Well, it did reaffirm my dislike for alternate histories. heh So, that's something.

:)