Book Geeks and Bookniks discussion

What is holding your interest this week?

I'm reading On Extinction: How We Became Estranged from Nature and The War of the Worlds at the moment. I also hope to make a start on What If I Had Never Tried It this week too.

I just started When Maidens Mourn. I've read a couple others in this series and have liked them. But my trip to the library this morning was not exciting. I came home with a stack of books that look like they have possibilities.

I'm only about 1/3 of the way through Inside Scientology: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion. I plan to be finished by the 28th, though, because that's when it's due at the library (no option to renew this one). I am enjoying it immensely. The author has done a spectacular job with her research, which was no doubt very difficult to conduct given how secretive this religion (probably cult) is.

Just finished The Heart and the Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL. Very inspirational... struck me as a book a high-school kid would really like, learn from, and be inspired by. I don't understand why they continue to make them read "the classics". At that level I think the goal should simply be to teach the enjoyment of reading. There are very few HS kids that are going to have the interest or the need (considering they can get all the answers to the test on the internet) to read The Scarlet Letter.

Dan, I couldn't agree with you more, but Ithink HS educ. Is starting to improve in the regard. Since 7th grade (on is an incoming Jr. The other and incoming Freshman) they've read The Outsiders, The Kite Runner, Enders Game, The Alchemist, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Of Mice and Men amongst others.My oldest also read Romeo and Juliet this year, but at least they mixed it up. He absolutely loved most of the others that I mentioned and even (as a freshman) said he thought Steinbeck was an awesome author:)

Completely agree with you too, Dan. I taught HS English for two years, and not only did the kids not like the classics, I did not enjoy teaching the classics. Some classics are very good, but there are many that are boring to an adult audience, never mind a young audience.

I'm reading Faithful another young adult read for the month. It started out a little cheesy but it's getting more interesting as I go along.

I also picked up Hot Six on CD for my trip up north & listened to it on the way home. I was sooo glad I had it when I got stuck on Hwy. 199 for over 2 hrs. due to an accident. It was already getting dark when we were stopped so trying to read an actual book would have been a pain. Plus it was such a fun book that it really made the wait bearable. But then I just had to pick Seven Up off of my shelf & read it after I got back. Those early books were just so funny! Now I'm trying to decide whether to start the next one or head for the library to pick-up my few holds that are in.

I just completed The Tea Rose. A nice, long, interesting read. Now I'm reading a light book (Stephanie Plum #13) before fully plunging into a more serious book - Atonement by Ian McEwin.

Deborah wrote: "I just completed The Tea Rose. A nice, long, interesting read. Now I'm reading a light book (Stephanie Plum #13) before fully plunging into a more serious book - Atonement by Ian McEwin."

Deborah, I read The Wild Rose, which I didn't realize was the third of the Rose trio. I really liked it. But Atonement is one of my all-time favorites.

I am reading Wizard and Glass by Stephen King - re-reading the whole series and slotting in the new Dark Tower novel in its proper place, Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith, The Passage by Justin Cronin again as I have The Twelve proof copy to review for Watertones sci fi group.

Just finished Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs this morning on my night shift - I loved it!