Book Nook Cafe discussion

It's that time of year folks!

Here is the thread to post your favorite reads and the ones you detested in 2017.

The book does not have to be published in 2017, only read by you in 2017.


If you could provide a link and a few words on each book that would be great.

My favorite hands down was The Fourth Monkey
a serial killer thriller by J.D. Barker.
The book I detested and am still struggling with is Let Trump Be Trump: The Inside Story of His Rise to the Presidency by one of his campaign managers who got fired but is still so sychophantic it's truly gut wrenching. I bought the book because I thought it might be an insight into the mind of a totally unfathomable human being, but I was mistaken.

Thanks for sharing, Joanna. I give you credit for trying to understand Trump. Living through this nightmare is enough for me.

I may still finish a few books, so I will hold off.

I will be holding off my best & worst list, too, as i think i will be able to read another 2 or 3 works. Since the book i finished this morning was such a winner, this is the best option for me.

Meanwhile, Joanna, like Alias, i admire that you wanted to read more about Mr. Trump & the campaign. I'm sad to read from you that Corey R. Lewandowski presented the work in such a fawning manner. Sad.

Bests Books of 2017
A Manual For Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Charlatan-America’s Most Dangerous Huckster and the Man Who Pursued Him and the Age of Flim Flam by Pope Brock
Celine by Peter Heller
Dead Wake – The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larsen
Follow You Home by Mark Edwards
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Max Perkins: Editor of Genius by Scott A. Berg
The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
Princesses Behaving Badly-Real Stories from History Without the Fairy Tale Endings by Linda Rodriguez McRobbie
The Wicked Boy-The Mystery of A Victorian Child Murderer by Kate Summersdale

Worst Books of 2017
All The Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell
Laura Ingalls Wilder, Pioneer Girl-The Annotated Autobiography by Pamela Smith Hill

I read a lot of good books this year and expanded my reading to include a lot of different genres. Only 3 books, I could not recommend.

Thanks for sharing, Julie. I'll have to check out some of your favs.

I recall when you posted about the Ingalls book. That's too bad that it wasn't done well.

Thank you Julie. Some of your favorites look intriguing :)

Julie, i vaguely recall you mentioning A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories while i was overseas. Seeing it on your list, i just downloaded it from my library. It sounds very good. Thanks.

AND, i've downloaded another from your list, Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories from History—without the Fairy-Tale Endings by Linda Rodríguez McRobbie. It sounds too good to pass up and is a decent length, to boot.

Today's USA Today had a review of Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser, which was favorable. I'd like to read it, as it includes plenty about her relationship with her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane. Something about Lane bothered me, so i'm hoping this will flesh it out.

Good reading year for you.

Here is my 2017 list

It looks like I will read around 53 books this year.

Favorites
No Dream Is Too High: Life Lessons From a Man Who Walked on the Moon--Buzz Aldrin

There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say--Paula Poundstone

** Being Nixon: A Man Divided--Evan Thomas This was my #1 book for the year.

The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics--Daniel James Brown

Al Franken, Giant of the Senate--Al Franken

All My Sons--Arthur Miller

Worst
Bright Line Eating: The Science of Living Happy, Thin Free--Susan Peirce Thompson

If Kennedy Lived: The First and Second Terms of President John F. Kennedy: An Alternate History--Jeff Greenfield


I had:
6 - five star books
23- 4 star books
17- 3 star books
5- 2 star books
2- 1 star book

My favorite book of this year was definitely Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook

And the award for my least favorite book of the year goes to...Caraval

Thanks for sharing, Caroline.

I see you read 73 books so far this year. Excellent !

Caroline wrote: "My favorite book of this year was definitely Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook

And the award for my least favorite book of the year goes to...Caraval"

Adding Lost Boy to my reading list. Sounds like something I would read.

Alias, that Greenburg is on my "worst" list, too. Overall, it appears you had a good reading year, though.

Caroline, pity about Caraval, as it doesn't sound awful, just not too good. Except for the self-delusions the description sounds a bit like the movie Get Out.

Alias Reader wrote: "
Favorites
No Dream Is Too High: Life Lessons From a Man Who Walked on the Moon--Buzz Aldrin..."

This reminds me of the book I am currently listening to:
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth

Julie wrote: "This reminds me of the book I am currently listening to:
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth"

I have that on my TBR list. I look forward to your review and if you would recommend the audio over the paper book. Thanks !

Good morning!
I've had quite a few 5-star books this year; more than usual.

Favorites of 2017 (5-star):
The First Love Story: Adam, Eve, and Us - I enjoyed this look at love and it's focus on trying to determine whether Adam & Eve loved each other.
Learning to See in Three Dimensions: Poetry - a lovely book of poetry. This is a talented lady; she is an artist as well as a poet. Some of her art work is displayed in this book. Both art & poems are lovely.
Whistling Past the Graveyard - a warm, touching story set in the Civil Rights time of the South.
The Enchanted - this seems to be a "love it or hate it" book, from reviews I've read. I was completely drawn in.
All My Puny Sorrows - a beautiful tribute to a well loved sister.
A Town Like Alice - story of an outback Australian town.
Hag-Seed - the obsession of revenge.
Lincoln in the Bardo - a wonderful audio book. Loved the story, the voices and the concept of afterlife.
Wool - dystopian "after the apocalypse" story. Really well done and realistic.

Disappointments (1-star):
Early One Morning - a story very different from the blurb. Basically, a very non-story. It doesn't develop, say anything or have much of a point.
The Underground Railroad - one of those stories where the worst of any situation never falls on the protagonist and coincidence plays a big part.
My Sister's Keeper - a serious topic, drawn-out and with little substance. Throw in a romance for the sake of drawing in more readers.

Alias Reader wrote: "I have that on my TBR list. I look forward to your review and if you would recommend the audio over the paper book. Thanks ! ..."

It is read by the author and he inserts pauses in weird places, but it's not bad. Not like when I tried to listen to a Grisham book read by himself.
Also, you need to have a good interest in astronauts and space. If you are reading it only for the "life lessons" it might get boring.

Petra wrote: "Good morning!
I've had quite a few 5-star books this year; more than usual.

Favorites of 2017 (5-star):
The First Love Story: Adam, Eve, and Us - I enjoyed this look at love and ..."

I really liked A Town Like Alice and have Lincoln in the Bardo on my reading list. This has gotten a lot of good press this year.

Petra, nice list. I really liked Town Like Alice, too. I've not heard of the Eve & Adam book, let alone considered whether they loved one another. Interesting. And, of coarse i'm adding Wool to my list, scifi fan that i am.

Julie wrote: It is read by the author and he inserts pauses in weird places, but it's not bad. Not like when I tried to listen to a Grisham book read by himself.
Also, you need to have a good interest in astronauts and space. If you are reading it only for the "life lessons" it might get boring. ..."

Thanks for the feedback, Julie. I think I'll give it a shot. I think I will go with the book instead of audio.

Petra wrote: Wool - dystopian "after the apocalypse" story. Really well done and realistic. .."

Nice recap, Petra. Thanks for sharing.

I have Wool Omnibus on my Kindle but have not read it yet. Amazon had it on sale and you know how that goes. ;)

We read A Town Like Alice as a Group read in Nov. 2011 here at BNC.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I own his other book but have not yet read On the Beach

I read 79 books this year, more fiction than not, due to being on the road those 7 months. The following is my best & worst list, but, let's face it, i could have added another 3 or 4 per category.

Favorite Fiction—
To The Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey.
Loosely based on real-life Alaskan exploration in 1885. Names changed, spouse added, etc. But the story benefited by the additions, imo. I liked the sections between modern day men, one of whom sent the materials to a museum in Alpine, AL. And the wife’s section was good, exploring photography and birds of the 1880s. The exploration was good, incorporating myths into the story, as well.

The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon.
Short chapters, mostly from POV of Daniel, US-born 1st generation Korean, and Natasha, illegal immigrant from Jamacia, who is to be deported that night. There are a few other chapters, parents, man who almost ran her over, waitress, etc., but it’s mostly about them.

Universal Harvester by John Darnielle.
In the ‘80s videos from small town Video rental place in Iowa have inserted few minutes of another film. Apparently this is labeled as a horror book, which I believe is a misnomer. It is a good book about small towns, finding lost souls and contentment, among other themes.

News of the World by Paulette Jiles
Jiles is a poet whose story and prose here were very good. A 60+ year old traveling man who reads the news aloud to people in small towns agrees to return a 10 or so year old girl to her aunt and uncle in south Texas. The story takes place soon after the Civil War. The author researched the story well, judging by what i know about Texas history. The newsreader was an endearing character and the story of the two was a reading pleasure.


Favorite Nonfiction-

War's Unwomanly Face by Svetlana Alexievich. (Note, this GR link isn't to the actual book i read but an earlier version.)
Long Intro, but poetic. Alexievich begins with a long intro, explaining her approach to history, that of the people, rather than the leaders. From there she progresses with interviews with women who were vital in WWII for the Russian front. They served as snipers, nurses, pilots, builders, bombers, etc. In addition many talked about their lives after the war when many citizens wanted to ignore the contributions they made. It’s striking and probably the most interesting book I read this year, although I broke up the reading, as the stories were remarkable and I needed time to ponder them.

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann.
Set near and around Pawhuska, OK, in the 1920s, where dozens of Osage Indians were murdered in order for survivors to inherit their rights to minerals in oil-rich land. Mollie Burkhart’s family was particularly hit and that is what caught the eyes of the agency which was the beginnings of the FBI. Well researched & full of old newspaper quotes, is about the deaths, history of Natives in Oklahoma and the investigations. First section is about the murders and local attempts at investigating; the next section is about the FBI, Hoover & agent Tom White, who headed up the final case. Finally the author looked at how many more possible murders were never, ever prosecuted there, let alone investigated. Good and disturbing story.

How the Other Half Banks: Exclusion, Exploitation, and the Threat to Democracy by Mehrsa Baradaran.
States two banking systems exist in America: government-supported banks that serve the well off, and a Wild West of fringe lenders and check-cashing joints that answer to the needs of everyone else—at a hefty price. The author states that this blatant inequality is not merely an economic problem; it is a threat to our democracy. She argues for a banking system supported by the people to serve all the people and not merely the wealthy subset. One solution she recommends is a return to a banking system the US used prior to WWII, the US postal service, much the way smaller banking still is in the UK and other countries. Full of sad and significant facts.

You Don't Have to Say You Love Meby Sherman Alexie.
This fascinating autobiography is written in an unorthodox style and is part keening for his recently deceased mother and part honest (sad) look at his youth. It’s he usual mix of poetry and prose with sharp insights and disturbing information. I admire his honesty, but he is the first (& near the beginning) to tell readers that this is his memory of how things went. Asking his siblings about some events, they recall some things differently. And isn’t that the way it is in some families?

Worst reading experiences of the year...i won't mention Jeff Greenfield's book because it's already been mentioned. It was unfortunate, but, as always, neat to share that misery with the group. :-)

Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile by Julia Fox.
Double bios, one of Katharine of Aragon and the other of her sister, Juana of Burgundy. Both were children of Isabella and Ferdinand. History declares the latter was insane but it appears that was a convenient ruse her husband and later her father used to keep power of her kingdom inherited from her mother, Isabella, for themselves. I felt the author greatly slighted Juana, indeed it almost seemed as though she only researched Juana because too many bios already existed for Katharine alone.

Under A Pole Starby Stef Penney.
Good description of the Arctic, which was the reason I read the book. However, this turned out to be too much a romance novel with ice for my tastes. There were numerous details of the sexual encounters but vagueness about such details as whether characters were murdered or just died in the cold.

The Clansman by Thomas Dixon Jr..
Birth of a Nation, the movie is based on this book, which is actually the second in a trilogy about post-Civil War life, including the KKK. It is about a white senator contriving to control racial interaction in the south. I read this because it belonged to my grandmother. As it turned out there was a bookmark in the first chapter, so she may not have even read it...i hope not.

madrano wrote: "I read 79 books this year, more fiction than not, due to being on the road those 7 months. The following is my best & worst list, but, let's face it, i could have added another 3 or 4 per category...."


News of the World by Paulette Jiles
Jiles is a poet whose story and prose here were very good. A 60+ year old traveling man who reads the news aloud to people in small towns agrees to return a 10 or so year old girl to her aunt and uncle in south Texas. The story takes place soon after the Civil War. The author researched the story well, judging by what i know about Texas history. The newsreader was an endearing character and the story of the two was a reading pleasure.


Thanks for sharing your list, deb. Is 79 books an all time high for one year for you ?

Thanks for reminding me about News of the World I do want to give it a try. I am not sure
why, but I do find the cover appealing.

This isn't an all time high for me but for recent years, it is. When we lived away from family i tended to read between 90-100+ books most years. Now so many other obligations take precedent. Some weeks i mourn the loss of so much free time for reading. :-)

madrano wrote: "This isn't an all time high for me but for recent years, it is. When we lived away from family i tended to read between 90-100+ books most years. Now so many other obligations take precedent. Some ..."

My all time high is the mid 90's one year.

I am determined to read more and be online less this year.

I think i remember when you reached that 90s point, Alias. I used to do nothing else but read, so have had high numbers, particularly in the beginning of this century. Nowadays, i'm often surprised when i take the time to count my total, as the reading didn't seem that steady.

2017


Fiction:

Best:

- Moderato Cantabile, by Marguerite Duras – A very intriguing story, about the empty life of a woman and a crime, that has nothing to do with her, and yet, changes something in her life. I love how MD writes, she has a simple, very raw and poetic way to say things. (5 stars)

- Morreste-me, by José Luís Peixoto – This book was written after the author’s father death. It is a very touching book about the author’s pain after his loss. It’s just beautiful… The title is hard to translate: “morrer” means “to die”; “morreste” means “you died”; “me” means “me”; So maybe we could translate the title to “You died (in) me”, meaning a part of me died with you/your death… (5 stars)

- Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier – A fantastic suspense story, with great characters, and a scenic language. Just loved it! (5 stars)

- Abraço, by José Luís Peixoto – A compilation of texts. Some, autobiographical: the author's childhood, the little village where he has grown up, about his adolescence and his hardcore band, about his children, his travels, his work as a writer. Others about writing, about the writers that influence his work. Others a bit absurd and very amusing, like the one in which he claims to be the owner of the letter P, so we would have to pay him each time we use this letter..., or the one in which he tells how he travelled to Switzerland to take James Joyce's bones to Dublin. Above all, a beautiful writing, José Luís Peixoto has a gift to tell stories, to talk about feelings without being "cheesy", with all the simplicity and nudity that is possible. (5 stars)

- De noite as árvores são negras, by Maria Isabel Barreno – This novel was first published in 1968 during Portugal’s dictatorship. 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. (5 stars)

- A Costa dos Murmúrios / Murmuring Coast, by Lídia Jorge – Set in Mozambique, in the final years of Portugal's colonial African wars. The story of Eva Lopo who goes to Mozambique to marry her beloved Luis. After the marriage, through the coexistence with Luis and a lot of encounters with other Portuguese woman, Eva discovers that her husband is no longer the Maths student, he has become a man who slaughters, beheads, and smiles while doing it. Poetic and yet violent, we can almost hear the waves at the beach, in each page. (5 stars)

Worst:

- A Morte de Artur - Volume I, A Morte de Artur - Volume II, A Morte de Artur - Volume III / Le Morte d'Arthur, by Sir Thomas Malory – A very painfully reading (for me). I just loved "The mists of Avalon", and I was hoping to find some of that mystery in this classic. However, this is just the non-stop strange and non-sense adventures of the Knights of the Round Table, with too much heads rolling on the flour, for my taste, I mean... (1-2 stars, the 2nd volume is a little bit better than the others…)

- Espanha / Spain, by Jan Morris – I love Spain, and this book has many interesting and curious stories about Spanish culture and History facts. But I found it a bit boring, maybe because it was written in the late 60’s, and some of its information is already dated... (2 stars)

- Boneca de Luxo / Breakfast at Tiffany's, by Truman Capote – I didn’t like this book. 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, but this story annoyed me. (2 stars)


Non-fiction:

Best

- Todos Devemos Ser Feministas / We should all be feminists, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – A very inspiring book. The author explains in such a simple and neat way what is feminism. (5 stars)

Worst

- Arrume a Sua Casa, Arrume a Sua Vida / The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, by Marie Kondo – This book has some nice tips to deal with our mess and to get rid of stuff that we don't really need, but the section about books really annoyed me, and I felt that the author didn't have much ecological awareness... (2 stars)

Andreia wrote: "2017
- Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier – A fantastic suspense story, with great characters, and a scenic language. Just loved it! (5 stars)

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, by Marie Kondo – This book has some nice tips to deal with our mess and to get rid of stuff that we don't really need, but the section about books really annoyed me
==========================================


I agree about Rebecca. The movie is excellent, too.

I also agree with you about the Kondo book. Rip the pages out ! Is the women insane?

Seriously though, I thought she might have some mental issue. OCD ? As a child she it seemed she was consumed with anxiety about cleaning/organizing/decluttering. I found it sad.

She notes she actually cried when she found soap scum under her shampoo bottles in the shower. So she recommends drying them after each use and putting them away in the cabinet. You know if I did this I would find myself in the shower without shampoo!

She also advocates completely emptying and putting away the contents of her purse every single day, only to refill it again the next?

It was all too much for me. A much better book on the topic is
Clutter's Last Stand: It's Time to de-Junk Your Life!---Don Aslett

Alias Reader wrote: "Andreia wrote: "2017
- Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier – A fantastic suspense story, with great characters, and a scenic language. Just loved it! (5 stars)

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The..."

Hello Alias!

I agree with you, Kondo seems to have OCD and a unhappy childhood.

Anyway, I really need help in this topic, thanks for the recommendation, I'll try to find Aslett's book.

About 'Rebecca', I also loved the movie :) Have you read 'My cousin Rachel'? I haven't seen the movie, too. But I really like Rachel Weisz.

Andreia wrote: Have you read 'My cousin Rachel'? I haven't seen the movie, too. But I really like Rachel Weisz. .."

No, I haven't. Thanks I will check it out.

As to Clutter's Last Stand, what I really thought was helpful is he describes different reasons/personality types why we may have trouble letting possessions go. And he then gives specific ways to combat the problem for each personality type. I found it quite helpful.

For example, if you are the type that can't let go of things for sentimental reasons, even if the object no longer serves you, he will give you tips on what to do.

Alias Reader wrote: "Andreia wrote: Have you read 'My cousin Rachel'? I haven't seen the movie, too. But I really like Rachel Weisz. .."

No, I haven't. Thanks I will check it out.

As to Clutter's Last Stand, what I ..."

That seems different and a more deep approach to the problem. I'm that kind of person... :) But I am better now, I guess...

Best:

1. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
2. Watership Down by Richard Adams
3. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
4. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
5. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Asuten (a reread)
6. Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian

Worst:

1. The Sittaford Mystery by Agatha Christie
2. Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
3. The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

Irfken wrote: "Best:

1. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
2. Watership Down by Richard Adams
3. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
4. Homegoing by Yaa Gya..."

Good list !

I first read A Christmas Carol as an adult and enjoyed it quite a bit. Of course I had seem the various movies a zillion times.

Thanks for the titles on your best list. I will check them out.

I want to echo AliasReader's commendation of Aslett's book. I read it before my first real purge and found it quite useful. Good luck with organizing, etc., Andreia.

And interesting list. So many folks point to Malory's Arthur as the definitive one, so it's good to read an opposing view. I've tried to read it a time or two but abandoned it.

Irfken, i wasn't a fan of the Horowitz mystery either, having figured out the first one early one. However, i kinda liked the writing, so didn't add it to my worst. As for Montgomery's book, i wasn't aware she wrote one for adults and will be adding that to my TBR.

Thank you both for sharing opinions!