Readers and Reading discussion

I am reading The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University by Kevin Roose.

I am finding it very interesting and well-done, especially considering that the author was 19 when he went there and is only 22 now! He went to Liberty with an open mind and it shows in his book.

He was a protege/"slave" of AJ Jacobs's (The Know It All, etc)

http://www.ajjacobs.com/blog/2009/03/...

JoAnn: He was a protege/"slave" of AJ Jacobs's (The Know It All, etc)

http://www.ajjacobs.com/blog/2009/03/my-...
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JoAnn, I was listening to NPR last night and A. J. Jacobs was on. He has a new book out. I've added it to my TBR list.



The Guinea Pig Diaries: My Life as an Experiment

Description
For his first book, The Know-It-All, A. J. Jacobs read the entire Encyclopædia Britannica from cover to cover in a quest to learn everything in the world. In The Year of Living Biblically, he followed every single rule of the Bible -- from the Ten Commandments right on down to stoning adulterers.
Now comes a collection of his most hilarious and thought-provoking experiments yet. In his role as human guinea pig, Jacobs fearlessly takes on a series of life-altering challenges that provides readers with equal parts insight and humor. (And which drives A.J.'s patient wife, Julie, to the brink of insanity.)

Among the many adventures:

• He outsources his life. A.J. hires a team of people in Bangalore, India, to take care of everything in his life from answering his e-mails to arguing with his spouse.
• He spends a month practicing Radical Honesty -- a movement that encourages us to remove the filters between our brains and mouths. (To give you an idea of what happened, the name of the chapter is "I Think You're Fat.")
• He goes to the Academy Awards disguised as a movie star to understand the strange and warping effects of fame.
• He commits himself to ultimate rationality, using cutting-edge science to make the best decisions possible. It changes the way he makes choices big and small, from what to buy at the grocery store to how to talk to his kids. And his revelations will change how you make decisions, too.
• He attempts to follow George Washington's rules of life, uncovering surprising truths about leadership and politics in the twenty-first century. He also spends a lot of time bowing and doffing his hat.
• And then there's the month when he followed his wife's every whim -- foot massages, Kate Hudson movies, and all. Depending on your point of view, it's either the best or worst idea in the history of American marriage.

A mix of Bill Bryson, George Plimpton, and Malcolm Gladwell, A.J. explores the big issues of our time -- happiness, dating, morality, marriage -- by immersing himself in eye-opening situations. You'll be entertained by these stories -- some of which are new, some of which had their start in Esquire magazine. But you'll also learn to look at life in new ways.
The Guinea Pig Diaries is a book packed with both laughs and enlightenment -- and that's a promise we can make with Radical Honesty.

Alias Reader wrote: "JoAnn: He was a protege/"slave" of AJ Jacobs's (The Know It All, etc)

http://www.ajjacobs.com/blog/2009/03/my-...
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JoAnn, I was listening to NPR last night and A. J. Ja..."

That looks great! I can't wait to read it.

I'm currently readingNine Lives Death and Life in New Orleans. It's a collective biography of nine residents of New Orleans in an attempt to understand the history of culture of the city. The author goes in chronological order. This means that there are sections about each interviewee who has memories from a particular year. I actually like the way he organized it because I'm interested in the historical progression.

Shomeret wrote: "The author goes in chronological order. This means that there are sections about each interviewee who has memories from a particular year. I actually like the way he organized it because I'm interested in the historical progression. "

I always like chronological order, even in novels!

Going how far back -- the oldest lifetime of these living residents? Are you far enough along to have noticed any patterns or formed any thoughts about its particular nature?

Shomeret wrote: "I'm currently readingNine Lives Death and Life in New Orleans. It's a collective biography of nine residents of New Orleans in an attempt to understand the history of culture of the city. The author goes in chronological order. This means that there are sections about each interviewee who has memories from a particular year..."

I took a break from being in the evangelical college (Unlikely Disciple) and started The Girls from Ames which I am really enjoying. I have 6 high school friends coming to stay with me next month (we have a class reunion) and some of us are reading it so we can talk about it.

Even though we are a generation older than the women in the book, some truisms about women's friendships are ageless.

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote:

"I took a break from being in the evangelical college (Unlikely Disciple) .."

-------------------------

I picked Unlikely Disciple from the library. Though I am not sure when I will get to it as I have a bunch of reading obligations (book clubs) that all seem to be coming due at the same time. It does look like one that will interest me a lot. I just need to get off this darn computer and shut the TV and READ !

I'm currently reading and enjoying tremdously, Travels With Charley by Steinbeck.

I'm currently reading and enjoying tremdously, Travels With Charley by Steinbeck.

Alias, that's one of my favorite books! A friend gave a copy to me about 30 years ago saying, "This reminds me of you." I was so happy I had a positive reaction to the book! I've re-read it only once in the ensuing years and think it's time again. With your reaction, I'm sure it'll be a treat once more.

Lois

Lois, what a nice thing for your friend to say. I would be flattered beyond words if someone said that to me. It's a good & fun book to read. Well, actually, i listened to half of it on a road trip from Texas to Oregon immediately after 9/11. It took on a significance for me.

Upon my Oregon return, i ran for the book to complete it, as i just felt the need to touch it. :-) I'm glad you are liking it, Alias.

deborah

Oh, Travels With Charley is a favorite of mine. I think I just have a weakness for travel narratives. I think Steinbeck was ill with cancer when he set out on the odyssey - I heard Wm. Least Heat Moon (another regional and travel writer I like) say that he was inspired by Steinbeck's travels and writing.

Gosh I remember reading travels with Charley YEARS ago -- maybe when it first came out. That's one I shold put on my list to read again, since all I really remember is the 'flavor' of it.

Donna in Southern Maryland

I heard Wm. Least Heat Moon (another regional and travel writer I like) say that he was inspired by Steinbeck's travels and writing.

Sherry, I loved Blue Highways....I remember reading it in and wanting to pack up and just go.

Lois

Lois, moon was an artist in residence at Beloit College, and that's where I heard him speak. Later I listened to PrairyErth and liked that too, though not as much as Blue Highways. I think it's a book that speaks primarily to Midwesterners. I still look for how many calendars (if any) are hanging in cafes.

PrairyErth (A Deep Map) An Epic History of the Tallgrass Prairie Country

Blue Highways A Journey into America

I liked Blue Highways, too. Oddly, i took it to Europe for reading. Naturally i didn't like it as much as one might think. DH read it in the US & raved, so i reread sections & agreed. Silly choice.

deborah

Just read my non-fiction book for the year...well, unless i find another one as fascinating as this one. It is called In The Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White. He is a Mississippian who kited checks to make his payroll, got caught, and sent to the federal penitentiary for a year. The strange thing was that he was sent to Carville, Louisiana which was the last leprosarium in the US. 130 people with leprosy still lived there when he served his time. The feds only used it for a prison for 2 years and it is now a National Historic Landmark.

The things our Gov't did to the people with leprosy (Hanson's Disease) was downright horrible. I found his whole account of his year there pretty incredible.

I read a novel about about the leper colony in Hawaii by Alan Brennert Molokai

It was pretty grim, but interesting.

How did you find this book, Leslie? I had no idea there was still a leper "colony" in the 90s.

I am going to start reading ACCEPTANCE by David Marcus in a few minutes - if I can stay awake. I have had an exhausting week and "escaped" to my beach house today for a week of R and R - mostly rest!

This book fits in with my belief that in another life I was a college counselor. I read lots of books about college admissions.

I'm reading and enjoying Guinea Pig Diaries now - nice relief from all the "literature" I've been reading lately. Thank goodness so many different kinds of people write books. Something for every mood.

Bunny, please let us know your thoughts on Guinea Pig Diaries. I have it on my TBR list.

So far it's interesting and amusing.

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "This book fits in with my belief that in another life I was a college counselor. I read lots of books about college admissions. ..."

JoAnn, please let us know how you like (or not) Acceptance. The SIL i am visiting was a college counselor at UWashington until her illness. She misses it & the students very much.

I've never given much thought to what i might have been in an earlier life, so i guess i was a toad. Eh?

deborah

madrano wrote: "JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "This book fits in with my belief that in another life I was a college counselor. I read lots of books about college admissions. ..."

JoAnn, please let us know how you like ..."

A toad, Deborah? I don't think so. If we must be something like that, let's be a bull frog anyway :)
I think in former lives I lived free as a bird, no spouses, no kids, and in this life I'm paying for it dearly. No other explanation could explain a life of such domesticity, which is so not me. The real me, I mean. My horoscopes actually said I was "doomed" to a happy marriage, which about sums it up I think. DH's horoscope said he'd be happy whoever he married, so that's made my life easier :)

Those bull frogs make quite a racket! Maybe you are right, Bunny! LOL!

I love that "doomed" to a happy marriage. Was this an early neo-feminist seer who told you this? ;-)

deborah

madrano wrote: "Those bull frogs make quite a racket! Maybe you are right, Bunny! LOL!

I love that "doomed" to a happy marriage. Was this an early neo-feminist seer who told you this? ;-)

deborah"

There's probably more women than I know who could agree with that assessment - I never thought of it as being normal description of a woman's lot in life before but perhaps it is.

I just finished reading, The Unchosen: The Hidden Lives Of Hasidic Rebels by Halla Winston. The book was a fascinating look at the Satmar sect in NYC. Usually, they shun all outside contact, so the book is a rare opportunity to get a glimpse into their lives. The author wrote this book for her doctoral dissertation in sociology.

The focus of the book is on a handful of people who have decided they would like to leave the sect and the many obstacles they face. One major hurdle to leaving is the fact the men in the sect stop their general education in the 4 grade and from that point on only study religion. I was surprised by this, as New York I thought had education requirements. I guess private religious schools are exempt. Many don't speak English which is another hindrance when looking for a job outside of the community. And if they don't follow the strict code of conduct and dress they will be ostracized from the community and their family. And their family could be punished. One major worry is bringing shame on the family may lead to a poor marriage match. They use a matchmaker for this. The prospective couple meet maybe 2 times for less than a few hours before the deal is set. They are not allowed to go to the movies, own a TV, read newspapers, magazines, or books that are secular. The Internet is discouraged. Even being seen in a public library can cause problems for the person. These are just some of the issues that the people profiled in the book have issues with.

The book is just under 200 pages. It's a quick read and one that I couldn't put down. I gave it 3 GR stars.

The only negative for me was that I am not really familiar with the Hasidic culture and would have liked for the author to provide a chapter that gave a broad overview of their beliefs and customs. If the book had that I would have given it 4 stars. The book does include a useful glossary of Yiddish terms.

http://www.amazon.com/Unchosen-Hidden...

Alias Reader wrote: "

I just finished reading, The Unchosen: The Hidden Lives Of Hasidic Rebels by Halla Winston. ."

This does sound fascinating...thanks for posting about it.

Years ago I read a novel about an Orthodox Jewish community set in Memphis. It was so interesting. Title is The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis. Five years later she published another book The Outside World, and I just found it in a remainder pile last week. It also takes place in an ultra Orthodox community, but this time in Brooklyn.

Thanks for the titles, JoAnn ! I heard of the first title, but didn't know what the book was about. I've added both titles to my TBR list.

The author of the book I read mentions a movie that made her curious about this topic. I see my library has a copy, so I am going to get it.

A Price Above Rubies ~ Boaz Yakin
Set in New York's bustling diamond and jewellery trade, this screenplay tells of the struggle of a young woman to take control of her life amid the stifling pressures of living in a Hassidic community

Amazon Product Description
This widely acclaimed motion picture features outstanding performances from Renee Zellweger (JERRY MAGUIRE, BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY) and Julianna Margulies (TV's ER, THE NEWTON BOYS). Sonia (Zellweger) is a young woman who always did just what was expected: she married the right man, moved to the right neighborhood, and had a beautiful baby. And yet, when she discovers an exciting world beyond her tightly knit community, it sparks a growing desire for independence that threatens the security of the perfect life she knows. See A PRICE ABOVE RUBIES for yourself, and learn why critics and audiences nationwide have praised this passionate movie gem!

http://www.amazon.com/Price-Above-Rub...

Alias, I am fairly sure I saw and liked this movie, A Price Above Rubies, years ago. But I may re-watch it.

JoAnn>>Years ago I read a novel about an Orthodox Jewish community set in Memphis.<<

Yeah, this was Orthodox not ultra-Orthodox, i.e., Chasidic, which makes a difference. The Chasids are very insular, as Alias' description of the book she read no doubt shows. But some Chasidic sects are more insular, and some less so. That film was very powerful.

I'm reading "Straight From the Horse's Mouth". And "Harvest for Hope".

I just discovered the discussion of The Unchosen by Halla Winston on this thread. I looked into this book and was surprised to learn that the Satmar are largely impoverished. I was under the impression that they were all in the diamond business. They are believed to be a wealthy community.

Shomeret, I was the one who posted about
Unchosen

I'm glad you read the book. I learned quite a bit and was very surprised to learn some things about the Bobov Sect in Brooklyn, NY. For example, the limited education for boys, no TV, no reading of secular books or magazines.

In the book one of the young men goes to Manhattan to the museum of TV and watches the old TV show The Goldbergs. The show is before my time, but one of my cable channels was rerunning the show. So I watched a few episodes. It's very dated but I found it interesting.

I've recommended the book to my F2F book group. I think it would provide a lot to discuss.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gold...
The Goldbergs is a comedy-drama broadcast from 1929 to 1946 on American radio. It was adapted into a 1948 play, Me and Molly, and later seen as a television situation comedy (1949–56).

http://www.ny.com/museums/MTR.html
The Museum of Television and Radio is dedicated to audio-visual artifacts with a collection of over 50,000 TV and radio shows. Pick your selection from the library and watch it at one of the many video consoles.

Having finished (and loved) On the Line last month, I was delighted to have Leslie send me a copy of Frank Stitt's Southern Table: Recipes and Gracious Traditions from Highlands Bar and Grill.

The book is so big and heavy that I have to put it on a pillow on my lap to read it, just like ON THE LINE.

I love books like this, about restaurants and their inner workings. Lots of narrative along with the recipes. Anyone have any books like this to recommend?

>>I love books like this, about restaurants and their inner workings. Lots of narrative along with the recipes. Anyone have any books like this to recommend? <<

I am not sure if this book has many recipes but I have had Heat: An Amateur's Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany on my TBR list since it came out. I need to actually read it sometime soon. I've also wanted to read one of his earlier works, Among the Thugs, about soccer hooliganism for years too.

Thanks, Sandi, I think I read that book...he worked with Mario Batali, right?

JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Thanks, Sandi, I think I read that book...he worked with Mario Batali, right?"

Yes, that is the one. Did you enjoy it?

Sandi wrote: "JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Thanks, Sandi, I think I read that book...he worked with Mario Batali, right?"

Yes, that is the one. Did you enjoy it?"

It was just okay, from what I remember. I think I did some skimming!

I am reading TWO of Anthony Bourdain's books at the same time, kind of...I got his new book from the library Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook and started reading it, then realized I probably should dip into Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly first, so I started that last night. He writes in a very "raw" way...no holds barred, for sure, and brutal honesty.

>>I am reading TWO of Anthony Bourdain's books at the same time, kind of...I got his new book from the library Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook and started reading it, then realized I probably should dip into Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly first, so I started that last night. He writes in a very "raw" way...no holds barred, for sure, and brutal honesty. <<


I'm a big fan of Anthony Bourdain. Have enjoyed his books and always try to catch his TV shows (can't wait for the Top Chef All-Stars since he will be the third judge). He wrote a couple of crime novels before he broke out with Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly and used to post over on the AOL Hardboiled board so I always tell people I "knew him" before he hit the big time.

Sandi wrote: ">>so I always tell people I "knew him" before he hit the big time. .."

hahaha....he is quite a character, isn't he?

I am excited for the All-Stars show, too. Hope Eric Ripert shows up. Love that guy too. He and Bordain eat off their knives!