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Winter '08 Reading
- Thread starter NannyMin
- Start date
Before I say what I've been reading, let me post a shameless plug: Finn, the critically acclaimed novel that's been named one of the years best by The American Library Association, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, etc. etc., by none other than Jon Clinch (AKA Mr. Ski Diva) comes out in paperback on March 11. 'Nuf said.
Now that THAT'S out of the way:
Just finished Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones. Excellent book. Takes place on a small tropical island in the South Pacific where the children find escape via a white teacher's reading of Charles Dicken's Great Expectations. Simple, luminous writing, beautifully done.
Also recently read Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides, the story of Kit Carson and the annexation of New Mexico and California. Nonfiction. Very, very interesting.
Now that THAT'S out of the way:
Just finished Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones. Excellent book. Takes place on a small tropical island in the South Pacific where the children find escape via a white teacher's reading of Charles Dicken's Great Expectations. Simple, luminous writing, beautifully done.
Also recently read Blood and Thunder by Hampton Sides, the story of Kit Carson and the annexation of New Mexico and California. Nonfiction. Very, very interesting.
atlantiqueen
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Is it okay to admit that I am a shameless bibliophile? I read on average 5 books/week. Everything from Clive Cussler and Agatha Christie to John Milton and Jon Krakauer. Of particular interest for me recently has been "Horizontal Everest: Extreme Journeys On Ellesmere Island" by Canadian journalist-photographer Jerry Kobalenk.
I pretty much read ANYTHING I can get my hands on ...
alta_gal83
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm a total bookworm, so here's some of my favorites:
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen -- I couldn't put this book down.
Born Standing Up - Steve Martin (his memoir from pre-SNL days). Hilarious and his dry wit in his writing is fantastic! Also recommend Pure Drivel.
And, if you like humorous memoir stuff, Laurie Notaro is my favorite. She has several books: The Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Club, We Thought You'd Be Prettier, I Love Everybody and Other Atrocious Lies, Autobiography of a Fat Bride .... and she has a novel called There's a (Slight) Chance I Might Be Going to Hell.
Walking My Dog Jane by Ned Rozell. Awesome story of a guy who decides to spend his summer walking the entire length of the Trans-Alaskan pipeline with his dog in tow. Lots of interesting stuff in this book ...
Currently "reading" Steven Colbert's I am America! And So Can You! Very very funny.
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen -- I couldn't put this book down.
Born Standing Up - Steve Martin (his memoir from pre-SNL days). Hilarious and his dry wit in his writing is fantastic! Also recommend Pure Drivel.
And, if you like humorous memoir stuff, Laurie Notaro is my favorite. She has several books: The Idiot Girls' Action Adventure Club, We Thought You'd Be Prettier, I Love Everybody and Other Atrocious Lies, Autobiography of a Fat Bride .... and she has a novel called There's a (Slight) Chance I Might Be Going to Hell.
Walking My Dog Jane by Ned Rozell. Awesome story of a guy who decides to spend his summer walking the entire length of the Trans-Alaskan pipeline with his dog in tow. Lots of interesting stuff in this book ...
Currently "reading" Steven Colbert's I am America! And So Can You! Very very funny.
geargrrl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Well, I read lots, always have my nose into something but I haven't read anything good enough lately to recommend. So, I am ordering Finn from the library right now!
For a while, I was doing a "50 book challenge" with a friend of mine, but I couldn't keep up with it. I mean, I kept reading but I got behind in the entries.
https://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/book.asp
For a while, I was doing a "50 book challenge" with a friend of mine, but I couldn't keep up with it. I mean, I kept reading but I got behind in the entries.
https://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/book.asp
I am reading This is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession, by Daniel Levitin. I'm about 10 pages in and like it. 
Last month, I finished the following:
Babylon by Bus: Or, the true story of two friends who gave up their valuable franchise selling YANKEES SUCK T-shirts at Fenway to find meaning and adventure in Iraq, by Ray LeMoine
Very crummy writing, but good stories, in general.
The Late Bloomer's Revolution by Amy Cohen. It's a NY singleton's journey (mostly romantic) up to 40. My notes say that I was disappointed in the ending for not obvious reasons, which I couldn't reveal without spoiling the ending, but I can't for the life of me right now remember what those reasons were....doh. Other than that, though, I enjoyed the book.
Most recently read The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler. I've only seen Emma, so I have a feeling that the book would have been better if I were familiar with Jane Austen's works. Other than that, I didn't find the characters particularly well-developed.
PM me if you want to link to me on Goodreads.
Last month, I finished the following:
Babylon by Bus: Or, the true story of two friends who gave up their valuable franchise selling YANKEES SUCK T-shirts at Fenway to find meaning and adventure in Iraq, by Ray LeMoine
Very crummy writing, but good stories, in general.
The Late Bloomer's Revolution by Amy Cohen. It's a NY singleton's journey (mostly romantic) up to 40. My notes say that I was disappointed in the ending for not obvious reasons, which I couldn't reveal without spoiling the ending, but I can't for the life of me right now remember what those reasons were....doh. Other than that, though, I enjoyed the book.
Most recently read The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler. I've only seen Emma, so I have a feeling that the book would have been better if I were familiar with Jane Austen's works. Other than that, I didn't find the characters particularly well-developed.
PM me if you want to link to me on Goodreads.
greekpeakskier
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
am halfway through "what is the what," by dave eggers and really like it. and am halfway through "reading lolita in tehran" azar nafsi and despise it for all the reasons i like "what is the what." "what is the what" keeps shifting me back and forth between two worlds. reading lolita in tehran, in contrast felt like western cultural propoganda.
just finished "a million little pieces" by james frey (my secretary left it for me to read) and i thought it was single worse piece of crap i have ever read in my entire life. also just finished a wonderful, subtle novel from the thirties called, "the squire." by the woman who wrote national velvet, enid bagnold.
we just saw the movie atonement and i found it way too belaboured (one more shot of dappled sunlight coming through trees and i was going to pack the main character away in jail myself), but it reminded me of how much i really, really liked the novel.
just finished "a million little pieces" by james frey (my secretary left it for me to read) and i thought it was single worse piece of crap i have ever read in my entire life. also just finished a wonderful, subtle novel from the thirties called, "the squire." by the woman who wrote national velvet, enid bagnold.
we just saw the movie atonement and i found it way too belaboured (one more shot of dappled sunlight coming through trees and i was going to pack the main character away in jail myself), but it reminded me of how much i really, really liked the novel.
So aside from the fact that Finn sounds fabulous! I have finished Lone Survivor...a true acct. of a navy seal in Iraq. Very interesting about the training those guys go through and a soldiers perspective on rules of engagement and the media's portrayal of war.
I also finished Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by Ron Wood. Great book about Room to Read a major literacy/education campaign that is touching the lives of kids in places like Nepal, India and Cambodia.
I am currently reading Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales. It tries to explain why some people live and others don't when faced with a survival type situation.
I also finished Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by Ron Wood. Great book about Room to Read a major literacy/education campaign that is touching the lives of kids in places like Nepal, India and Cambodia.
I am currently reading Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales. It tries to explain why some people live and others don't when faced with a survival type situation.
geargrrl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
this is probably waaay too lowbrow for you gals, but it's a hilarious website. I know you all ready trashy books at least once in a while, right? 
Fun book blog...
Smart B*****s, Trashy Books
Fun book blog...
Smart B*****s, Trashy Books
Puh-leaze. I've a low threshold....a few years ago, I sat down and read all the Sweet Valley High books over the course of a week, and last week, I put (auto)biographies of Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash and Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx onto my list of books to read. Hee hee.
MaineSkiLady
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Big biography/autobiography fan here. I'm about to start the Eric Clapton autobio - no idea how good (or bad) it is (yet). Also wanting to read the Steve Martin book -- on my list.
IntheClouds
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Finally got to books I wouldn't read in school. Death comes to the Archbishop - Willa Cather . Loved it. But now I've moved on to Stephanie Plum & her latest crazy Jersey girl bounty hunter book in soft back. Needed some light hearted laughs this week.
I'm bringing FINN to Solitude 'cause I would love to have it inscribed & autographed. hint hint , never subtle though.
Okay, some of my favorites after I got over the initial shock, are Andrew Greely books. I know I'm a country girl, but never did I ever expect to check out a book from the library written by a Catholic priest, start into the mystery, then find myself reading a steamy sex scene. Jaw dropping I tell ya ! But I do love his mysterys.
I'm bringing FINN to Solitude 'cause I would love to have it inscribed & autographed. hint hint , never subtle though.
Okay, some of my favorites after I got over the initial shock, are Andrew Greely books. I know I'm a country girl, but never did I ever expect to check out a book from the library written by a Catholic priest, start into the mystery, then find myself reading a steamy sex scene. Jaw dropping I tell ya ! But I do love his mysterys.
Now you need to read Ken Follett's World Without End. It is a sequel to Pillars of the Earth - set 100 years or so later. Great book!
SkiNurse
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
For over a year now, have been reading The Intellectual Devotional There are several different types of these devotionals @ Costco. The "blurbs" on the front of the book state "365 daily devtionals from the seven fields of knowlege" and "Revive you mind, complete your educations & roam condfidently with the cultured class":ROTF: But, it is very interesting. Every night before bead, I read ~ 3 paragraphs on what the authors consider the 7 fields: history, literature, visual arts,science, music, philosphy, religion.
The book I'm re-reding is Into The Wild
And I have about 7 other waiting to be read!
The book I'm re-reding is Into The Wild
And I have about 7 other waiting to be read!
