Book Nook Cafe discussion

Share with us what you read in August 2017 !


Please provide:

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

I read

The Plot Against America--Philip Roth
Rate 4/5
Fiction
I enjoyed this book which I read with my library group. Very relevant. I would recommend it.

The End of Heart Disease: The Eat to Live Plan to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease---Joel Fuhrman
Rate 4/5
Non fiction
This was a re-read for me. Lot's of good info. I found it very motivating. Would recommend

The Longevity Plan: Seven Lessons from the World's Happiest and Healthiest Village--John D. Day
Rate 4/5
non fiction
Chock full of good info on a Blue Zone area where people routinely not only live to 100 but are healthy and active right up to the end. I would recommend it.

With summer finally ending and school starting in 4 days I tend to cram as many books in as possible and start to worry about what my sophomore year of high school will bring. By this month I tend to procrastinate on reading which sucks because the books I read were amazing (well some)

The Sea of Monsters by: Rick Riordan
8/1/17-8/4/17
5/5
Percy Jackson is back again for another summer at Camp half-blood and trouble is already rising. Grover is missing and Thalia's tree is poisoned by an unknown poison from the underworld. Percy needs to find a cure and find his best friend before the safety of the camp and all the half bloods are in danger.

The second book of the Percy Jackson series is filled with sass and faith between friends. I enjoy this series, it's more of a passerby series that I wanted to read and I would rather read other books then this one. Other than that it is really well done.
Book Rec: book 1-The Lightning Thief

All the Bright Places by: Jennifer Niven
8/4/17-8/9/17
3/5
A boy who thinks of death and a girl who counts down the days for freedom of her future. These two high school students meet on top of the bell tower. Nobody knows who saved who but when they both get down they are instantly friends. They are assigned a project together and they finally become their true selves. Traveling around Indiana and slowly falling in love.

This book could trigger anxiety or depression thoughts so if you suffer from that I would read this with a lot of caution. I didn't enjoy it because I had some anxiety about it and the characters didn't have any personality but their mental illness and there wasn't much development. There was some great research going into it but I thought it was okay.
Book Rec: Paper Towns, The Fault in Our Stars, and Hate List

Throne of Glass by: Sarah J. Maas DNF
8/9/17-8/14/17
A girl who was raised as an assassin is chosen in a competition to be the king's champion. Not only with the stress of winning this competition someone or something is murdering the other champions one by one. An adventure-mystery book that is really poorly written.

This assassin did not play the role of an assassin. She made all these threats and never showed her real power. She just flipped her hair and dressed up. There was only a part in there that she was truly a ruthless person. I feel like Katniss Everdeen or Inej Ghafa have better traits as an assassin then Celaena. It was just disappointing.
Book Rec:The Hunger Games or Six of Crows

The Glass Castle by: Jeannette Walls
8/14/17-8/18/17
5/5
An autobiography of a dysfunctional family with the kids mostly looking after themselves. With an alcoholic father and a mother who never cares for them. Sometimes they were a happy family with future plans of building a glass castle but it sometimes just fell apart. Moving from town to town they settle in a house and live out their lives.

This books is now in theaters and I still need to go out and watch it with my mom.
This book shows how grateful you have the clothes and a roof over your head.
Book Rec:N/A

Crooked Kingdom by: Leigh Bardugo
8/19/17-8/31/17
5/5
After surviving the Ice Court. Kaz Brekker and his team are back home fighting for their lives. Rescuing Inej and and getting revenge on Jan Van-Eck. Adventure thrilling and the world on the brink of war they test their faith in each other to save the Grisha world.

This is one of my new favorite series and the characters are so well written and you feel their emotion through the book and it was a roller coaster of a ride. I definitely recommend this one for anyone wanted to read a thriller.
Book Rec: Book 1-Six of Crows

Alias, is that Longevity Village called Okinawa? I have The Okinawa Diet Plan: Get Leaner, Live Longer, and Never Feel Hungry. I haven't looked in it for years. The premise is following the people of Okinawa because they tend to live to 100 years regularly. There are some recipes in it, too, which were simple and interesting, if I remember correctly.

Alayna, nice reading!
I enjoyed The Glass Castle, too, and would like to go see the movie.

My August reads:

A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen (3-star). A light, fun murder mystery; the second in the series. I suggest reading them in order as they are character-driven and past events matter.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Lost in September by Kathleen Winter (4-star; GiveAway win). I enjoy Kathleen Winter's writing. This story was an interesting look at a soldier suffering from PTSD in modern day Quebec City, who feels that he is James Wolfe, the man who won Quebec for the English from France in the 1770s.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The First Love Story: Adam, Eve, and Us by Bruce Feiler (5-star; audio). This is a look at Love and a tribute to Adam & Eve's relationship. I enjoy a look at the old stories with an eye on the ancient writings.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Lady Susan by Jane Austen (4-star). A fun little novella by a young Jane Austen.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Vanity Fair by William Thackeray (3-star). A fun story, for sure. I didn't connect with it (emotionally) and that took away from the rating. I may have been rather hard on it.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Alias, I read "The Plot Against America" last summer during the 2016 primaries and I agree that the book is well written and timely. (And, truthfully, incredibly frightening right now.) Last month I also read "It Can't Happen Here" by Sinclair Lewis, which was also eerily prescient and one that I would highly recommend.

Alayna wrote: "With summer finally ending and school starting in 4 days I tend to cram as many books in as possible and start to worry about what my sophomore year of high school will bring. By this month I tend ..."

Alayna, I loved your reviews !

I've read The Glass Castle and thought it was quite good. That was one dysfunctional family. The scene where she is in a limo going to an event and sees her mom digging in the garbage can always stayed with me.

Best of luck in you sophomore year.

Petra wrote: "Alias, is that Longevity Village called Okinawa? I have The Okinawa Diet Plan: Get Leaner, Live Longer, and Never Feel Hungry. I haven't looked in it for years. The premise is follo..."

It's called Longevity Village in China.

This article says it is Bama county, in southern Guangxi.
The article is very informative.

How they did it

Living a long life, Bama-style, according to those who have managed it:

Huang Puxin, 113: Be a good person. Have a good heart.

Huang Makan, 108: Eat green, organic, simple foods. I eat sweetcorn congee a lot. I don't have many demands.

Huang Meijian, 99: Work and walk around every day.
Dr Yang Ze's (strinkingly similar) advice

1. Treat yourself and others well, be more tolerant to yourself and others, be optimistic. Love life, love your family, have love to offer to people and be open-minded.

2. Have a healthy lifestyle. Neither eat too much nor stay hungry. Keep your diet bland. Eat more vegetables and fruits, and less protein and carbohydrates.

3. Do more exercise. All centenarians help themselves and do everything by themselves … They go farming in the mountains, they cook for themselves.

4. Bama women have children late: they give birth to their first baby at 27 and the last baby is usually around 42 or 43.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/201...

My reads for August:

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice, the first book in one my favourite book series, but definitely not my favourite. I've always been in love with Lestat (and might have been slightly blind to his faults) and seeing him here described as a superficial person just puts me in denial. :D 4.5 stars

Tarnished Crown by Erin Watt, a short story taking place between the last full novel and the next one that has just been published. It tells the story of the two characters from the series that had a turbulent past and a bad break-up before the events happening in the first book of the series. They were now given the second chance, which, of course, all of us readers wanted in the first place. :) The story changes between past and present day. Given that we all know how it ended in the past, it was hard to read those parts and there were quite a few of them. 4.5 stars

La plaza del diamante by Mercè Rodoreda, a story of a woman called Natalia, from her early adult years to her middle years. Natalia (who's name we don't actually find out until almost the very end of the story), falls in love with a bad boy and leaves her "stable" boyfriend (a life story of almost every young woman, one could say). As her life goes on through a largely unhappy marriage, two children and a war that leaves her a widow, Natalia becomes disillusioned with life and "loses color". This story is a portrait of an average Spanish (or Catalan, since the story is set in Barcelona) woman (or woman of any nationality, really), going through all the stages of life, unnoticed and taken for granted. 3 stars

Medalja za hrabrost by Nada Mihelčić, I am absolutely in love with this book. Four lovely stories for children with valuable life lessons. Some of them almost made me cry, but every single one made me smile from ear to ear. 5 stars

Edbin by Nada Mihelčić, a story of a boy with a funny name everyone mocks, that comes from a rich and dysfunctional family, which taught all the wrong life lessons, making him a very superficial but tormented boy. Everything changes for him when he, to win the girl he is in love with, starts volunteering as a help to an old war veteran. 5 stars

Dublin People: Short Stories by Maeve Binchy, Two stories, each featuring a random person living in Dublin and fighting their personal battles (with little or no success). It reminds me a lot of Joyce's Dubliners. What is it with the Dubliners and melancholy and negativity? 4 stars

A Nurse in Action by Evelyn Prentis, a second installment in a memoir quartet (quintet?) written by Evelyn Prentis about her life as a nurse. I only found out that there is a first book when I was already half-way through this one. Although the story in this book happens during WWII, the war is in the background and is mentioned when Mrs Prentis describes it's effect on her life and the life of the others around her. 4 stars

Lastavičin dnevnik by Amélie Nothomb, I'm not sure I completely understand this book. It reminds me a lot of Camus, but his "hero" was completely devoid of feeling. This "hero" is not, although he operates on a very weird level. The writing style is very dark, but it suits the story. 3 stars

Interesting books, well described. Samanta, i like learning about novels you've read from many different countries. It's informative. Alayna, it's neat that you add book revs sometimes, too.

I only read two books, both novels, last month.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... by https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., whose https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... I read and found fine, well researched but not great. The topic of this one is close to my heart, as my in-laws are from Pawhuska, in and around where the murders took place. Once again i am describing his book as fine, not particularly keeping my attention. It, too, is well researched, although in the credits i realized he didn't do all the research, as i originally thought. Nonetheless it is impressive. I just felt a better writer could have made this book very strong.

Meddling Kids https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... by Edgar Cantero https://www.goodreads.com/author/show.... A group of people who solved mysteries as kids get together because they feel they made a mistake with their last case. The story includes ghosts, incantations, Oregon, road trip and a dog, great grand child of their earlier dog. This was quite funny in places but in others it goes on too long with descriptions. I'm sure many people like the detail but i'm not one.

Samanta wrote: "I've always been in love with Lestat (and might have been slightly blind to his faults) and seeing him here described as a superficial person just puts me in denial. :D .."

Love is blind as they say. :)

Very interesting reviews. Thanks for sharing with us.

Madrano wrote
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI

This has been on the NY Times Best seller list for awhile. It sounds interesting. I like that one review said it "reads like narrative-nonfiction". One of my favorite genre.

Alias Reader wrote: "Love is blind as they say. :)"


Hahahahahaha...indeed, Alias. :D :D

Madrano, I see you've read an author from Barcelona. Do you tend to read Spanish literature often? I couldn't help but notice that it's always rather dark or depressing (at least the books I got my hands on). It's also interesting to note that all those books were recommendations from my Spanish-speaking friends. Their movies are equally as disturbing.

My August Reads

The Jewels of Paradise by Donna Leon This is a stand alone novel about research being done by a musicologist in Venice. I enjoyed the book but not as much as I enjoy the Commisario Brunetti mystery series by the same author.
Rating 3/5

Knit Your Own Murder by Monica Ferris. This is a cozy mystery series I read. The amatuer sleuth is the owner of a needlework shop in Minnesota. I enjoy these because I do needlework and i like the quirky characters
Rating 3.5/5
Cocaine Blues byKerry Greenwood
This is the first book in the Miss Fisher series. These mysteries take place in 1920's Australia. Rating 4/5
The Melody Lingers On by Mary Higgins Clark
The bones of the mystery are based on the Bernie Madoff case. Mary Higgins Clark is a good storyteller. Also, she lives locally and some of the places she references are places I know.
Rating 3.5/5
The Case of the Velvet Claws by Earl Stanley Gardner This was the first Perry Mason mystery. It was written in 1933 so the language was somewhat dated but the mystery was good
Rating 3.5/5

Samanta, over the years i've read a few Spanish novels and understand what you mean. I rarely read German novels because they used to seem depressing but that impression is decades old. I may need to revisit some with an eye toward humor, maybe?

Meredith, i enjoy reading older mysteries and one reason is the dated language. Sadly that us often accompanied by sexist and racist attitudes but it's almost easy to forgive "since it's old". Nice reading list --thanks for sharing with us.

Alias, the comment about Killer of Flower Moon is true but the story seemed to jump around, too. Several times i wondered why the officials weren't investigating one murder previously mentioned, only to learn in their timeframe it hadn't yet happened. To be fair, i was reading it on the road, so maybe i concentrated less than had i read it at home. Overall, the timeline threw me more than once when new investigators joined the case.

Meredith wrote: "My August Reads

The Jewels of Paradise by Donna Leon This is a stand alone novel about research being done by a musicologist in Venice. I enjoyed the book but not as..."

Great Mystery month, Meredith !

A lack of interest in the work I was doing and some travel have put me back in fine form for reading this past month. Making up for lost time, I guess.

Blake's Progress by R. F Wilson. A biopic of William Blake in which his visions turn out to be true, and Blake himself a time traveller. I found out that this is a "condensed book" version (remember those?) under Harlequin Romance's sci-fi imprint; the full book is Timequest. I prefer Blake's Progress for its brevity, and for editing out gratuitous historical characters like Thomas Paine and Mary Wollstonecraft. All in all, a fine time travel novel by the guy who brought us the story that resulted in They Live. Four stars, burning bright.

True Grit by Charles Portis. A straightforward Western revenge, but full marks for developing a character as original and unforgettable as Mattie Ross. Five tin stars.

The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy. It's the old story: boy sells girl, boy gains another girl, boy regains first girl, boy loses second girl, boy loses first girl, boy loses another girl. Four crossed stars.

The Works of Isambard Kingdom Brunel: An Engineering Appreciation by Alfred Pugsley. Just what it sounds like: a collection of essays on the works of England's most famous engineer. Quite interesting to see how they solved engineering problems back before they had proper materials and technique (or even reliable measurement tools), but ultimately a bit dry. Sticking to a single author would doubtlessly have improved things. Three equally-spaced stars.

City of Truth by James Morrow. I read this back when it came out, and had to see if it holds up (spoiler: it does). The story is unimportant: what you come for here is the setting, a city where people are conditioned (ala B F Skinner) to tell the truth. Instead of a Ford Reliant you have a Ford Adequate, and so forth. Lots of fun. Four figuratively pointed and bright objects.

The Wild Duck by Ibsen. Don't sleep with the help! And let sleeping dogs lie. Four remorseful but well-meaning stars.

A Cool Million by Nathaneal West. A modern-day Candide that serves as a sort of mid-point between The Dream Life of Balso Snell and The Day of the Locust. As is usual for these babe-in-the-woods books, it starts to wear thin after about 50 pages. Three stars, one for each mutilation inflicted on the protagonist.

To Walk the Night by William Sloane. Billed as cosmic horror ala Lovecraft, and not too far from it. Unlike Lovecraft's nervous and mentally unstable narrators, Sloane provides us with an alcoholic modeled on Bernie Wooster. What better man to face otherworldly horror with alomb? Four stars working on their 12th step.

The Killer Koala by Kenneth Cook. Outrageous tales from the Outback by the guy who brought us Wake In Fright (which I have never read, though I've seen the movie a fair few times). Four poisonous, grifting stars.

Oh, and on the topic of German novels: nope, still not funny.

Mk, i smiled at your pithy comments on some of the books you read. Glad you shared them here. Thanks for the addition about German novels, too.

Mkfs wrote:
The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy. It's the old story: boy sells girl, boy gains another girl, boy regains first girl, boy loses second girl, boy loses first girl, boy loses another girl. Four crossed stars.

Oh dear. I've had this one on my book shelf for about a decade. I guess it will stay there a bit longer. I did read another Hardy and thought it was good. Jude the Obscure Though I would put his works in quiet reads category. Not page turners for sure. :)

Alias Reader wrote: "Mkfs wrote:
The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy. ."

It's worth reading. Slow at first, but once the conflict ramps up it becomes a pretty good novel.

Mkfs wrote: "Alias Reader wrote: "Mkfs wrote:
The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy. ."

It's worth reading. Slow at first, but once the conflict ramps up it becomes a pretty good novel."

I think my copy is a Norton Critical, so I will get to at some point. I always find the Norton Critical editions enhance the reading of older classics or me.

For me i usually find Hardy's works page turners once i get going. I suppose this is because it's all so new to me. Just recently we visited an old castle with masonry which reminded me of Hardy's Jude. How i liked that novel!

In August:

- The Jane Austen Treasury: Her Life, Her Times, Her Novels, Janet Todd – A book that explores Jane Austen's life and its influence on her novels. The author analyses some of Austen's main works, and the “background” themes that usually are not considered in Austen literature, such as the war, religion, social differences between classes, and others. (4 stars)

- Todos Devemos Ser Feministas, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – A little but so inspiring non-fiction book, written after the author's TEDtalk about Africa. Chimamanda manages to express in a very simple (sometimes funny) discourse, the little & big differences between boys and girls, men and women... We should all be feminists, meaning, we should all fight for equal rights and opportunities, but not only in the paper (laws)... We should all promote the abilities of children, despite their gender. (5 stars)

- As Aventuras de Pinóquio, Carlo Collodi – This is the original book, written in the 19th century. Pinocchio is a wooden (naughty or naïve?) boy who puts himself in all kind of trouble to escape from school and do nothing… I did enjoy this book, but I would have appreciate it more if I had read it as a child... (3 stars)

- À Espera No Centeio, J. D. Salinger – Holden Caulfield is a teenager who has been expelled from his school due to bad performance. He is the narrator of this story, and through his discourse we get to know is doubts about the future, his anger towards other’s expectations, and impositions from his family and society, in general. It is a nice picture of the typical identity issues of this age. (3 stars)

- Helena, Machado de Assis – This is the story of Helena, an orphan who his recognized by her father in his will. After his death, Helena went to live with her father’s family, her brother and aunt and conquers their love, but she also fell in love with the wrong person… I tend to love 19th century literature. Machado de Assis was a Brazilian author and reminds me of Portuguese Eça de Queirós. (4 stars)

- Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse – I tried to read this book several times, and I finally did it this month. It is a very nice (and zen) reading about a spiritual journey. (4 stars)

- Lolita, Vladimir Nabokv – Nabokov writing is surprisingly engaging, despite of the theme – the confession of a mature man about his “love” (and relationship) with the young Lolita. It is the story of a lost childhood and adolescence... (4 stars)

- Amor e Amizade, Jane Austen – Three collections of letters between friends. This was a very amusing read. At the age of 14 to 17, to entertain her family, Jane Austen wrote this letters, about all the normal themes in her works, but with a more sharp humour, I would say. I laughed and laughed while reading them... (4 stars)

- Retrato do Artista Quando Jovem, James Joyce – After travelling to Ireland, visiting James Joyce Museum and getting around Dublin, I had this wish to read his books. So this was my first Joyce. It was a good surprise! It is a very rich book, apart from the main character story – his life, his unrestrained imagination, his struggle to discover himself, to get rid of social-religious-political influences, and pursuit his dreams – there are many references to Ireland history, that demand some investigation, but make the book even more interesting! (4 stars)

Andreia wrote: "In August:

- Siddhartha, Hermann Hesse – I tried to read this book several times, and I finally did it this month. It is a very nice (and zen) reading about a spiritual journey. (4 stars)..."

I own a copy of this book. I also enjoyed it. I have a few more books on Buddhism and mediation that are on my very long TBR list.

Thanks for sharing you August reads with us, Andreia. You really had a very nice reading month.

Andreia, i agree about Pinoccio--as a child i would have loved it. As an adult i was exhausted by his antics!

I've had that relatively short Joyce book for years and still haven't begun it. Perhaps upon my return from Europe i, too, will become inspired to read it.

Nice reading month for you. Congratulations.

I had a particularly good reading month in August, with nary a clunker in the bunch.

NONFICTION:

Al Franken, Giant of the Senate by Al Franken: I had the good fortune to meet Al Franken at an event when he was promoting this in my state. Loved this book. It’s funny and wry and intelligent and serious and offers concrete suggestions about policies that can make life better for the people of his home state (and by extension, the country). I would almost consider moving to Minnesota in order for Al Franken to be my senator. 4.5 stars

Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family by Amy Ellis Nutt: An account of a transgender girl born as an identical twin to her brother, and adopted by a couple in Maine. It details the family’s journey to acceptance and understanding of gender and identity and rights. Highly recommended. 4.5 stars

The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey by Rinker Buck: An account of the author’s journey with his brother as they traveled the 2,000-mile length of the Oregon Trail the old-fashioned way – in a covered wagon with a team of mules. The book juxtaposes the personal story of the siblings’ relationship with the history of the trail, the people who made the migration, and its significance to the country. 4 stars.

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell: Interesting look at how social epidemics start – at that particular moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Gladwell also talks about the particular personality types who are “natural pollinators” of new ideas and trends; i.e. the people who create the phenomenon of word of mouth. Well written, although I enjoyed Outliers: The Story of Success a bit better. 3 stars

My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Family's Nazi Past by Jennifer Teege: A memoir by a German-Nigerian woman who was adopted as a child and learns at the age of 38 that her biological grandfather was Amon Goeth, the brutal Nazi commandant depicted in Schindler's List. The book details her attempts to research her family history and come to terms with it. Interesting, but repetitive in parts. 3 stars.

Miracle Boy Grows Up: How the Disability Rights Revolution Saved My Sanity by Ben Mattlin: A memoir by Ben Matlin, who was born with spinal muscular atrophy, a congenital weakness from which he was expected to die in childhood. Not only did he live through childhood, he became one of the first students in a wheelchair to attend Harvard, from which he graduated and became a professional writer. Mattlin’s life happened to parallel the growth of the disability rights movement, which is detailed in this memoir with humor and wit. 3 stars

FICTION:
It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis: An alarming, eerily timeless look at how fascism could take hold in America. The book details the chillingly realistic rise of a president who becomes a dictator to “save the nation from welfare cheats, sex, crime, and a liberal press.” Written during the Great Depression, but incredibly relevant to what is happening in America today. 4.5 stars.

The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney: Four siblings are just months away from inheriting a joint trust fund set up by their deceased father and controlled by their mother. They are spending more than they could afford, counting on the money from "The Nest." Their plans are destroyed when their older brother, high on alcohol and cocaine, goes off in a speeding car with a young waitress he met at a wedding. The car crashes, the waitress is seriously injured, and their mother takes most of the money out of "The Nest" to use as a settlement. The story is about family dynamics, sibling bonds, the importance of friends, the influence of money, and making smart choices. I enjoyed it. 3.5 stars

The Headmaster's Wife by Thomas Christopher Greene: A story about the headmaster of an elite prep school in Vermont as his life spins out of control. 3 stars

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain: Historical fiction of the early life of Beryl Markham, the British-born Kenyan aviator adventurer, racehorse trainer and author who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic from east to west. I liked the parts about her childhood better – once she started marrying and divorcing and dating married men, the book got too “chick lit” for me. 3 stars.

Amy, the Buck book is on my list. We used to live in Oregon and often heard about the trail. Alias & i read the Lewis book during the campaign and were gagging on how similar it sounded to what we were experiencing.

Maybe you can answer a question for me. We watch Out of Africa while over here. When Finch-Hatten died, my mind went to Beryl Markham. Was he one of the men with whom she was involved? I know it was a female pilot in Africa but i believe that i read about another. Amy idea?

Madrano wrote: "Maybe you can answer a question for me. We watch Out of Africa while over here. When Finch-Hatten died, my mind went to Beryl Markham. Was he one of the men with whom she was involved? ..."

Yes, Denys Finch Hatton was one of the men with whom Beryl Markham had an affair. He was at the time also in a romantic relationship with Karen Blixen, who is the author of "Out of Africa," correct?

Thanks for sharing Amy.

I am glad to hear you enjoyed the Al Franken book as I have a hold on it at the library.

I also am glad to see you liked The Oregon Trail. I saw an advertisement for it but didn't know if it was too gimmicky. I'll put it on my list. Thanks !

I was toying with putting The Headmaster's Wife on my list. I generally like books set in schools. Nice to see it on your list. I guess I will add it to my TBR list.

Alias Reader wrote: "I am glad to hear you enjoyed the Al Franken book as I have a hold on it at the library. ... I also am glad to see you liked The Oregon Trail. I saw an advertisement for it but didn't know if it was too gimmicky...."

I did enjoy the book, yes. It was a good mix of memoir and frank discussion about what's happening in the country today. When I went to the event where Senator Franken spoke, I was bowled over by his intelligence and wit. I wish he would run for president! But he says he believes he can do more lasting good as a member of the Senate, and I do have to agree with that assertion.

Re: Oregon Trail book -- I didn't think it was gimmicky, no. I think if it had been just a straight recitation of Buck's journey and his life problems, it would have been. But there's so much historical detail about the trail itself and the people who traveled along it -- I learned a lot.

Yes, Amy, Blixen wrote "Out Of Africa". I suppose both women must have been devastated when he died. Was one aware of the other, i wonder? What a story.

Amy wroteRe: Oregon Trail book -- I didn't think it was gimmicky, no. I think if it had been just a straight recitation of Buck's journey and his life problems, it would have been. But there's so much historical detail about the trail itself and the people who traveled along it -- I learned a lot.."

Thanks for the follow-up comments. I will put it on my list.

Belatedly, what I got read in August. (There were lots of Scott Turows at Goodwill.):

A Taste for Death
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Rogue Lawyer
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Ordinary Heroes
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Personal Injuries: A Kindle County Legal Thriller 5
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

LOL, Craig. Isn't that the way? One good book sale can do us in.

Craig wrote: "Belatedly, what I got read in August. (There were lots of Scott Turows at Goodwill.):

A Taste for Death
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"

A very nice August, Craig.

I think I've only read one Presumed Innocent from your list. I know I read it when it came out so it seems that was in 1986. Yikes ! Where do the years go.

Well I am still making my way back through the archives of this thread so I am putting up my reads from August 2017. I literally read a lot that month and not sure how I squeezed them all in so this list will be long. It seems I might have been reading two or three books at a time which I do sometimes, but that is the only way I would have ended up with this many reads. So here we go! lol

The Damnation Game by David Brian - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Demonic by Lee Mountford - 5 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Unhallowed by Monte Plaisance - 5 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Mountain King by Rick Hautala - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Windows to the Soul by J.M. Barlog - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Haunting of Brynlee House: Based on a Real Haunted House by Caroline Clark - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Some Will Not Sleep: Selected Horrors by Adam Nevill - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Salvage by Duncan Ralston - 5 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The House on Hayden Pond by Jessica Monks - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Winthrop House by Ambrose Ibsen - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

A Special Kind Of Evil: The Colonial Parkway Serial Killings by Blaine Lee Pardoe - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Murder Seat by Noel Coughlan - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Haunted Rock & Roll: Ghostly Tales of Musical Legends by Matthew L. Swayne - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Christmas Shopping by Angel Gelique - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Merry Murder by Angel Gelique - 5 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Haunting on East 48th Street by R.A. Horn - 3 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Waiting Room by Jonathan Kent - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Dead Game by Susanne Leist - 4 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Wizard Rising by Toby Neighbors - 5 stars.
My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

So that was all my reads for August! Going back in time like this helps me see what books I need to continue to read if they are in a series - I had forgot about the fantasy book Wizard Rising as I think I have the other books in the series which I have never read. So it helps putting these books up from years back. :)

Marie wrote: "Well I am still making my way back through the archives of this thread so I am putting up my reads from August 2017. I literally read a lot that month and not sure how I squeezed them all in so thi..."

Impressive accomplishment Marie. Looks like you were on a bit of a supernatural binge. 🙂

Barbara wrote: "Impressive accomplishment Marie. Looks like you were on a bit of a supernatural binge. 🙂..."

Thank you, Barbara! Yes - it does seem that way for sure! lol :)

Marie wrote: "Well I am still making my way back through the archives of this thread so I am putting up my reads from August 2017. I literally read a lot that month and not sure how I squeezed them all in so thi..."

Thanks for taking the time to share and provide the links, Marie.
You certainly had a productive month !

Alias Reader wrote: "Thanks for taking the time to share and provide the links, Marie. You certainly had a productive month !..."

You are welcome, Alias! I am still trying to figure out where I found the time to read so many. :)

What a busy reading August you had in '17, Marie. Of course, i was most intrigued by the Blaine Lee Pardoe and Victoria R Hester exploration of the unsolved Virginia murders. In the early '70s we lived in that historic area and reveled in it. I cannot imagine living there knowing the history this book shares. Thanks for the title & facts.

As always, i like to see your comments on what you feel are superior versus okay books. The idea of a church at the bottom of a lake is creepy without any extraordinary issues. Campus issues addressed by J.M. Barlog sound good because those college years are frightening on their own without anything else happening.

I could go on but won't. I'll just thank you for sharing the titles and your enthusiasm for them.

madrano wrote: "What a busy reading August you had in '17, Marie. Of course, i was most intrigued by the Blaine Lee Pardoe and Victoria R Hester exploration of the unsolved Virgini..."

I just saw this post Madrano.

That is interesting that you had lived in that area of Virginia at one time so I can see why this book was probably a shock. I read true crime books once in awhile and most of the time I find some that I have never heard of before.

It seems I read a lot of interesting books that month as it seems I was all over the place in genres. :)

Hopping across genres is fun and keeps a person sharp, imo. :-)

madrano wrote: "Hopping across genres is fun and keeps a person sharp, imo. :-)"

Good point. I used to mostly read legal thrillers and whatever was on the bestseller list. I think I've grown as a reader once I expanded my reading horizons.

About the only thing i don't read is User Manuals, to my own embarrassment.