Book Nook Cafe discussion
What did you read last month?
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What I read in June 2011
I finally got to read a bit this month. I feel like I was in a slump for a few months being so busy at work. Olive Kitteridge: I really enjoyed this book. It made me feel uncomfortable and I could not put it down. I loved it in every way.
The Three Musketeers Well I have always loved this one and I will say I still do. I enjoy this book and now I am attempting to read the entire series. Alot of fun.
The Alchemist: this book was on my to read list for about 2 years. I was dissappointed and really did not like it. I do not think I would recommend it to anyone.
I feel like I read something else too but I cannot figure it out for the life of me. Oh well. It was a good reading month.
Thanks for sharing your monthly reads with us, Elaine. I know how easy it is to forget what I read. That is why I keep a hardcover journal. I just list the date title author and my rating. It's also fun to look over the years to see what I've read. And believe me, there I times I am amazed to see that I've read a certain book that I have no memory of ! Elaine, I enjoyed Olive Kitteridge, too. You say it made you feel uncomfortable. I read it some time ago so I don't recall the plot very well. What was it that made you feel that way?
I felt like the story was about each persons worst moment of their life. I felt this feeling like I was spying on them during a poor choice or just a moment of sadness. And that particular thing is what made me love the book. TO feel as though I was peering into these terrible moments and feelings of sadness. From the sad piano player to the man who cheated on his wife after a long sexless marriage. I felt very in touch with these people. I really enjoyed the book and definetly want to read more by the author.Its always a nice surprise to read a book you didn't expect to be quite so good.
I really enjoyed Olive Kitteridge, too, although some of my GR friends didn't. I appreciate your thoughts on why you loved the book even though it made you uncomfortable, Elaine.I read The Alchemist and didn't care for it, either. In fact, I ended up skimming through much of it.
Alias, I like to read cozy mysteries now and then, but the last one I read was disappointing to me, too. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption has been on my TBR for too long because I'm pretty sure I'm really going to like it.
Elaine wrote: Its always a nice surprise to read a book you didn't expect to be quite so good. -------------
Thanks for explaining, Elaine. I, too, was surprised by Olive Kitteridge. For some reason I thought she would be the fun, light character. And the book would be a light read. I didn't expect a book so serious.
Susan wrote: Alias, I like to read cozy mysteries now and then, but the last one I read was disappointing to me, too. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption has been on my TBR for too long because I'm pretty sure I'm really going to like it. ---------------
The beginning can be a bit slow, but the book as a whole is very powerful.
Okay, so before everyone flips out, remember I was on vacation for half the month and at least half of these are YA reads, which means quick reads for the most part.
My Review I wrote a really brief review on this one, but it’s sunk into me a little more how much I liked this book, and would like to read it again when I’ve read a few more of the books that are offhandedly discussed throughout it. One of my new favorites.
My Review I think all of you already know how much I enjoyed this book. Looking forward A House by the Sea!
Pure YA romance about fallen angels. Group read. Yuck.
Another dystopia, but one I wasn’t as fond of, where they strip down ships for copper wiring and hope to find gold in the form of oil. 
My Review Really good book! I think you all read it for a group read before, but I thought it was great.
My Review An okay YA adventure. I don’t think I’ll read the rest of the series.
Girl’s a jinx, magic, romance. Meh.
Been trying to read more Diana Wynne Jones and enjoying it well enough. Funny and light.
Adults can no longer have children, so it’s teen pregnancy to the rescue! Having babies is a business for these teens, so they need good grades, extra sports and a pretty face. Interesting idea, the carry through wasn’t that great.
Fairies are real and matched against the genius son of a crime lord who’s interested in starting his own empire. Meh.
My Review A good book, but I don’t see what all the hype was about. I’ll probably eventually see the movie on Netflix or something.
My Review It was okay, another book that’s been getting a lot of hype from the YA community at large that I’ve been wanting to read. I was pretty disappointed. A lot of action that makes not a lot of sense without a payoff for something like five books. Ehh.
My Review Had this on my eReader, so thought I’d try it, but ehh even worse than before. I’m not going to keep reading the series. I’ll wait for Wikipedia to have the explanation of why all this is happening to the kids, though I think I’ve already got a decent guess.
My Review Great book; I really liked how both sides of the American and illegal Mexican situation were played evenly and the author didn’t try to come down hard on one side or the other.
My Review A light YA read and kind of fun, playing with a condemned prisoner who gets a reprieve by agreeing to be the taste tester for the king.
Liked well enough, but I’ve read a lot of stories about immigrants coming to the US and this didn’t particularly stand out.
My Review An interesting story about the possible childhood of Merlin that retells creatively some of the stories surrounding him and comes up with answers for his adulthood. Very young, though.
My Review A really good YA dystopia. It had a lot of interesting aspects to it which I enjoyed discussing with my group. It centers around the fallout from a civil war about abortion rights.
My Review A fun YA book about Curse Workers and a son who is part of a worker family but doesn’t have any ability himself. I like how he deals with the criminal parts of him, like the con, but rises above.
My Review This book does a really clever thing that I didn’t figure out until around page 60, but sadly that’s the best part of the book.
Its's funny I went on vacation in May and I dont think I read more then ten pages...With that said, this is an impressive list.
I read three on the list and agree wholeheartedly with the assessment of Water for Elephants. I did like The Maze Runner though.Maree, could you please include the titles too?
Marialyce wrote: "Maree, could you please include the titles too?.."
Marialyce, if you let your cursor "hover" over the book cover, the title and author will appear.
JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "Marialyce wrote: "Maree, could you please include the titles too?.."
Marialyce, if you let your cursor "hover" over the book cover, the title and author will appear."
I know I can do that with my computer, but don't know how to do that with my ipad (which of course was what I was using when I read Maree's posts.)
I read a few good books this month and a few that were an "ok" read.The Book Thief 3 stars
I am glad that I had a second chance to read this book, I don't think I will revisit it again. I think I am happy I can say I read it, but again question why this is on so many people's top ten list. It was a fine journey but at the end there wasn't any ah ha's coming from my head. Perhaps again I butted up against a hype. In this case it just was not up to the anticipation one has when reading a book that has garnished so many amazing ratings.
The Handmaid's Tale 4 stars
I liked this book that I have wanted to read forever.... It involved me from the beginning in a world that bore comparisons to Orville' 1984 with a female point of view.
Lorna Doone 2 stars
While I liked the book, it is not one I could see myself revisiting. I was in fact a bit disappointed in it as the story seemed to go on and on in the middle and did not pick up until the calamitous ending. I was glad when I finished and at times found myself skimming which is a sign to me that the reading of this novel was wearing on me.
The Crystal Cave 3 stars
I have always liked things "Arthurian" and this book certainly was able to put the early advent of Merlin into view. The times of Merlin as a young boy moving into adulthood, discovering his abilities, and finding his father were interestingly done. The author was able to write about him in a way in which he seemed vey human and not so much the wizard we have come to know from legends. She humanized a character we have come to know as something perhaps not human.
The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II 5 stars
Just try to picture the most horrid, awful, brutal in humanity ever since you learned about the German Holocaust, and you will only touch the tip of the iceberg in discovering the events of Nanking. This book makes your blood run cold and your belief in humanity take a millions steps backwards. It is not a book to be read by the faint of heart, but one that gives you all the harrowing details of how people who think they are superior to all others take the lives of those they consider below pigs.
The Red Garden 4 stars
Like a breeze on the gentle air, Alice Hoffman's new novel transports the reader to the land of Blackwell where images of ghost, bears, collies, poetry, apple trees, and people blend into the scheme of living. In this beautifully written novel/collection of stories the thing that ties the characters together is the town. The characters' lives for good and bad revolve around lots of wilderness and imagery where the apparition (a young girl who drowned) haunts ann area of Eel Lake and seems to bring characters back to their centers.
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother 3 stars
While I agree that many Western families are too lenient, more of the "feel good" generation, I believe Mrs. Chu went overboard both in her approach to raising her girls as well as being realistic that part of her really was living vicariously through her daughters. Overwhelmed and overachieving seemed to be her mantra and forgiveness was not a part of her rhetoric.
Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea 5 stars
This is a look at the failures of communism and the way in which a people have been held back and not allowed to enter the 21st century. The reader feels ever so appalled at the conditions these people live under and does by the conclusion of the book, feel quite grateful to be living within a culture that allows free choice and the ability to feed oneself and make one's own decisions. Hopefully, some day the people of North Korea will be bake to live the life which they are entitled to, without fear and have the ability to feed themselves and enjoy a freedom of spirit.
Marialyce - loved your review of The Red Garden. I found it to be a lovely book.
i enjoyed reading your reviews marialyce. You had a nice reading month.The Book Thief is on my F2F book groups list.
I enjoyed the Tiger Mom book. Though I think some scenes let us know she doesn't take everything so literally and neither should the reader. I'm thinking of the dogs. She does have a sense of humor. The book is not a "How To" book. It's a memoir.
If your put your cursor over the book covers you will get the title and author.
Super month Maree ! I enjoy reading YA nonfiction and learn a great deal from these books.
June was a fairly productive reading month for me, given the rest of this year.Under Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad. This is about a student who likes his isolation but is pulled into a cabal, thanks to the thoughtless act of someone responsible for an assassination. It is full of cynicism about Russian & their attempts at changing rulers, although the bulk of the novel takes place in Switzerland.
Every Conrad novel (& novella) i've read has been good, as have the short stories ("Amy Foster", "Youth" and a few others). It amazing English was not his first language when he has such a command of it. In this novel he took the idea that westerners needed help understanding the Russian people who fought against their government.
Journal of a Solitude by May Sarton, read with a few others on this board. The way she tied nature into her work is a pleasure to read. This is the second of her journals i've read.
Two Plays, Crowns by Regina Taylor is based on a photo-essay book (Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats, which i read several years ago) about African American women & the hats they wear to church. Boston Marriage by David Mamet is set in the Victorian age and is about two women who love one another, despite having romances with others. It is a comedy with glimpses of Oscar Wilde.
The Last Founding Father by Harlow Giles Unger is about James Monroe's life. Because i was not very informed about this president, the book was informative. It is far from my favorite bio, however, as his prejudice (as is wont with biographers) was evident when i followed up on material about Monroe & his family.
Mrs. Stevens Hears the Mermaids Singing by May Sarton, which i read as a sort of accompaniment to the above mentioned journal. It is for this novel that Sarton is best known, as it is about an older woman who has written a book about a lesbian couple. This novel covers one day in the author's life, including an interview with two writers who've come to her home. I was taken with it from the beginning.
My Life in France by Julia Child with Alex Prud'Homme. Her enthusiasm for French food began her first day on French soil. This book follows her life but with intense focusing on their years in France itself. I know some others here had a problem with some of the presentation but i liked it all. And it was a real joy to learn how the book Mastering the Art of French Cooking developed with co-authors Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett. This book is set in the early '60s in Jackson, Mississippi. I liked the way the story was told, by two household workers who were African American and by a young white woman who was very attached to her own "help", who left under mysterious circumstances. However, the character which most intrigued me was the a Marilyn Monroe-like inept housekeeper who hired one of the above two workers. Her story was sweet and sad.
deborah, hoping these links work, as i wrote the entire post under the wrong thread!
Marialyce wrote: "Lorna Doone 2 stars
While I liked the book, it is not one I could see myself revisiting. I was in fact a bit disappointed in it as the story seemed to go on and on in the middle and did not pick up until the calamitous ending. I was glad when I finished and at times found myself skimming which is a sign to me that the reading of this novel was wearing on me. ..."
I know what you mean about the middle. However, i seem to have liked the book much better than you did. As i only read it last year, i'm surprised the length didn't color my final opinion of the novel but it didn't. For some reason i have a tad more patience when 19th century novels are long because i tend to learn about the way Lives Were Led in the process. Not always, though.
Thank you for sharing, Marialyce.
deb
link to my book: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...I thought I read more than I actually did this past month...
State of the Onion 3 stars
Not bad for a mystery, of which I am not all that fond. It was distracting and that was what I needed. Will try the next book in the series.
The Night the New Jesus Fell to Earth and Other Stories from Cliffside, North Carolina by Ron Rash 5 stars
Ron Rash is one of my favorite authors and his short stories are so well-written. I am very picky when it comes to this form of writing and would recommend his stories (and novels) wholeheartedly - except for . Serena Most of his books are real gems!
The Sound of Thunder by Wilbur Smith 4 stars
This was the second novel in the Courtney series - I would like to read all of them. I must admit that I skimmed over some of the material abut the Boer War in this book but still learned a lot. It was a large part of the book, which kind of disappointed me. But still, these books are better than most.
The Bee Eater: Michelle Rhee Takes on the Nation's Worst School District 5 stars for content, less for writing
It was difficult to rate this book because I initially felt that there were three elements I needed to assess:
1- the information in the book
2- the writing
3- Michelle Rhee
Then I realized that how I feel about Rhee should have nothing to do with my rating of this book. (But I totally approved of what she did and wanted to do. Her methods were sometimes not as polished as they could have been, but she was very sure of herself and what needed to be done just to make these schools marginal.)
Going on to #2 - the information in this book was astounding and shocking and depressing and, I fear, very very true and real. There can be no doubt that if the DC schools had sunk so low, it was the fault of the administrators and teachers - not the kids. If I had the power Rhee was given, I would have been hard-pressed to keep more than a few of those people in their jobs. Disgraceful. And how can a union DEFEND those teachers? How can they not think about the students and put them first? What a screwed-up entity!
#3 The writing.......I found so many grammatical errors in this book, and some terribly constructed sentences. It was VERY distracting, to say the least. I found at least 20 instances where an article (a, an, or the) had been left out and a lot of poor punctuation. So I arbitrarily decided to not use the writing to determine my rating.
But I would call this a very "qualified" 5 stars!
My reads for June were:
- An ok book about Formula 1 racing in the 60's. Lots of good photos.
- A mystery that takes place locally. I liked it up until the surprise twist at the end. I thought it detracted from the book rather than adding to it.
- WW2 from a German flier's point of view. Good, but not great.
- The British plot to have a body with false papers recovered by the Nazis to deceive them about the invasion of Sicily. Very detailed and interesting.
- A fun and fanciful story of family in the fictional town of Boomtown, named after it's fireworks factory. By the author "Nowen N Particular" - got to love it! 
- The wonderful story of Dexter and Emma every July 15th spanning the years 1988 to 2007. My favorite book so far this year!!!
JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "link to my book: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...I thought I read more than I actually did this past month...
State of the Onion 3 stars
Not bad for a m..."
Madrano wrote: "June was a fairly productive reading month for me, given the rest of this year.
Under Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad. This is about a student who likes his isolation but is pulled into a cabal, tha..."
I so enjoyed The Help,
JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "link to my book: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...I thought I read more than I actually did this past month...
State of the Onion 3 stars
Not bad for a m..."
I found The Bee Eater: Michelle Rhee Takes on the Nation's Worst School District both fascinating and a sign of the times. Michele Rhee is the type of educator that we need in the troubled schools in our country. I did get the feeling though that she was doomed to failure.
Madrano wrote: "June was a fairly productive reading month for me, given the rest of this year..."--------------
Looks like you're out of your reading slump.
JoAnn/QuAppelle wrote: "link to my book: http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/...I thought I read more than I actually did this past month...
================
A nice reading month indeed, JoAnn.
John wrote: "My reads for June were:WW2 from a German flier's point of view. Good, but not great.
==============
That sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing, John.
In June 2011 I read 2 books in slovakian language.1. "Kanada bez javorového cukru - Canada without maple sugar" by Eva Sporinová.
This book was written Slovakian woman which together with her husband and two children in age 16 years old and 12 years old in 2002 emigrated from Slovakia to Canada to Calgary and draws on her personal experiences. The author describes her new life in a new foreign country and what surprised her, especially she had a cultural shock in Canada for example she saw many things differently and she little be compared between Slovakia and Canada.
She also added stories about people who have decided to start a new life in a new country, to read what you had to overcome, what surprised them, and causing a culture shock, but also making them richer. This book is full of realities, which sees only fellow countryman, and information from everyday life and provide fun ideas to ponder.
At the moment author of this book working in big financial company as an Executive Assistant, and she currently teaching a second language Russian at Mount Royal University. Her husband working in the hospital as a doctor, her daughter at the moment study at the University in Canada, but her son after one year who’s spent in Canada he returned to came back to live to Slovakia and he’s now finishing his University. In Slovakia this author was a high school teacher in English and Russian language for 13 years and then worked for 8 years for a European bank in various positions and her husband was in Slovakia a doctor.
This book was very interesting for reading and may be in the future I’ll be read this book again.
2. "The Shifting Fog" by Kate Morton.
This is a story of Grace Bradley, who was a maid at Riverton Manor during the 1920s. For years Grace has hidden a terrible secret.
Maree wrote: "Okay, so before everyone flips out, remember I was on vacation for half the month and at least half of these are YA reads, which means quick reads for the most part.[bookcover:Among Others|870618..."
The Namesake, was released several years ago. At that time, I think it was a bit of a trendsetter. I remember it being good. I think now there is a glut of these books on the market.
Maria wrote: "In June 2011 I read 2 books in slovakian language.1. "Kanada bez javorového cukru - Canada without maple sugar" by Eva Sporinová.
This book was written Slovakian woman which together with her hus..."
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That sounds like an interesting read.
Read some books in June that were kind of on the light side for me. It was what I needed.The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time Mark Haddon Our monthly read. I enjoyed this book more than I expected. And I think our discussion went well.
Journal of a Solitude May Sarton A buddy read on our board. I really loved it and have now started A House by the Sea.
The Front Porch Prophet Raymond L. Atkins One of those light reads that I mentioned. An easy relaxing read.
Life's a Beach Claire Cook A cute story about a family and their interactions. Nothing too meaningful.
O: A Presidential Novel by Anonymous
I can't imagine anyone enjoying this who isn't already deeply immersed in government and politics. It is very accurate as to what goes on and the most fun is trying to figure out who it is that could have written it. I think it is too close to current to have any relevancy past next year.
The Weird Sisters Eleanor Brown Yes, they are. Weird that is. I enjoyed this book and while it wasn't as light as the others that I indicated it was an easy read.
Bobbie57 wrote: "Read some books in June that were kind of on the light side for me. It was what I needed.Life's a Beach Claire Cook A cute story about a family and their interactions. Nothing too meaningful. "
I am reading her new book, The Best Staged Plans and like you, it is what I need!
Alias Reader wrote: "Looks like you're out of your reading slump."Such a relief! And it seemed to happen in a snap. Hurrah! I'm now going back to make links to the books i mentioned in my post, which did not "copy & paste" with the rest of the post. I'm just going to put in the titles, not the authors.
deborah
Deb, when you want to go back to and old post of yours and have the links transfer, just hit edit.Then copy and paste what comes up in the box. This will transfer all the HTML code and links.
Books I read in June:Making Toast: A Family Story Liked this very much. We discussed it at our local book group, very interesting. It's the poignant story of the author's family's life following the unexpected death of his 38-year-old daughter. They were all fortunate in that he and his wife were willing and able to go to D.C. from Long Island, NY, and take care of their three young grandchildren.
Mind Prey This was the 7th in the "Prey" series, out in 1996. A criminally insane young man has kidnapped his former therapist and her two young daughters. Not for the faint of heart.
Stoner I have only heard of this book on these boards, and finally found it on my shelf to read (I had looked a few weeks ago and couldn't find it, but it was right where I had thought it was. Must not have been the right time then.) Excellent, beautifully-written novel about a young man who went to the university to study agriculture, to help back on the family farm, but then fell in love with English literature and stayed to be a teacher.
Crooked Man The first Tubby Dubonnet mystery, set in New Orleans. Quick read, entertaining; I've read a couple of others in the series.
Tabloid City Love Pete Hamill. This novel covers 24 hours in a New York City day, from the perspective of several characters, including a newspaper editor, a reporter, a disabled vet, an anti-terrorism policeman, a successful artist who is losing his eyesight, and others. You get the real feel of the city. "If you see something, say something."
Borkmann's Point An interesting, rather cerebral murder mystery set somewhere in Scandinavia. My first book by this writer, but I hope to read more; he has written quite a few, but not all have been translated.
Carolyn (in SC) C234D wrote: "Books I read in June:Tabloid City Love Pete Hamill. This novel covers 24 hours in a New York City day, from the perspective of several characters, including a newspaper editor, a reporter, a disabled vet, an anti-terrorism policeman, a successful artist who is losing his eyesight, and others. You get the real feel of the city. "If you see something, say something."
--------------
This sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing your monthly reads with us, Carolyn.
I keep meaning to read a Pete Hamill book, but it always seems to get pushed down the list. I'm told that if one can only read one of his books it should be:
A Drinking Life: A Memoir~~Pete Hamill
I received an email that Pete Hamill is receiving the Dewitt Clinton award for excellence on Sept. 15th.
"Pete Hamill is an American journalist, novelist, essayist, editor, educator and native Brooklynite. With over 50 years of experience in the newspaper business, Hamill served as editor of the New York Post and editor in chief of the New York Daily News and has written for the Village Voice and New York Newsday. He is the author of 21 books, including the novel Tabloid City, which was published this year. Hamill has written fondly and frequently about Green-Wood and has deÂscribed it as "one of the great urban glades, a spot with lush foliage, and sudden hills." Hamill has also said, "When they cart me out to Green-Wood, it'll just say 'Newspaperman' on that piece of stone that says who the hell the former guy is that's lying under it."
Carolyn (in SC) C234D wrote: "Books I read in June:STONER..."
Wonderful wonderful book. Wish there were more like it. Just brilliant.
Alias Reader wrote: "A Drinking Life: A Memoir~~Pete Hamill
I received an email that Pete Hamill is receiving the Dewitt Clinton award for excellence on Sept. 15th.
I think I have this somewhere on my TR also...one of the many lists...
I have read so many Pete Hamill books that I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite. Thank you for pointing out that there is a new one. While I have a long list of TBR Pete Hamill tends to get pushed up the line.I am so pleased that he is receiving an award.
Come on folks, lets hear what you read in June. It's a nice easy way for all you lurkers to participate.
Remember this is a give and take situation. We need your participation to make this board succeed !
Caleb's Crossing is about the first Native American to attend Harvard, and the daughter of a Calvinist minister growing up on Martha's Vineyard. An excellent book.Please Look After Mom is about the family of an elderly South Korean woman lost in the subway. It's told from the point of view of several family members, and I learned a lot about Korean life. It's a best seller in Korea.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is a chilling dystopian story, well-written.
Ape House is Sara Gruen's newest book. It's about bonobos who are taught to communicate with humans.
The Postmistress is about the London blitz, and also about the residents of a small town on Cape Cod who face ethical and personal decisions. It occurs just prior to USA involvement in World War II. Interesting book.
The Wedding Officer: A Novel of Culinary Seduction is a light, humorous read about Italy during World War II. A British officer falls for a beautiful Italian woman who is a very sensous cook.
Annie Dunne is a book about Ireland. Although it is beautifully written, the story is very slow-moving.
Loved The Handmaid's Tale--I should go back for a reread sometime.
I loved The Handmaid's Tale as well. I am glad Caleb's Crossing is a good one too!I was not too crazy about Ape House though.
Marialyce wrote: "I was not too crazy about Ape House though."I did not like it either, and I had sooooo looked forward to it. I stopped reading after @ 100 pages. I really tried!
Connie wrote: Caleb's Crossing is about the first Native American to attend Harvard, and the daughter of a Calvinist minister growing up on Martha's Vineyard. An excellent book.
Please Look After Mom is about the family of an elderly South Korean woman lost in the subway. It's told from the point of view of several family members, and I learned a lot about Korean life. It's a best seller in Korea.
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These look very interesting. I hadn't heard of them before. Thanks for sharing !
Oh dear -- an elderly South Korean woman lost in the subway. That makes me want to cry.
Alias Reader wrote: "Deb, when you want to go back to and old post of yours and have the links transfer, just hit edit.Then copy and paste what comes up in the box. This will transfer all the HTML code and links."
Much easier! Thanks.
The Appointment: A Novel3 stars
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
3 stars
Fahrenheit 451
5 stars
Cranford
3 stars
Sorry, I am feeling too lazy right now to write descriptions for those who prefer not to have to click on the links (and I am one of those people!)
Julie, I first read Fahrenheit 451 as an adult. I think I underlined half the book. Like you, I gave it 5 stars.
Alias Reader wrote: "Julie, I first read Fahrenheit 451 as an adult. I think I underlined half the book. Like you, I gave it 5 stars."This was the first time I read it and I flew through it!
Book Nook Cafe
Books mentioned in this topic
The Book of Medicines (other topics)Sweeping Up Glass (other topics)
Sweeping Up Glass (other topics)
Here's Looking at Euclid: A Surprising Excursion Through the Astonishing World of Math (other topics)
The Case of the Missing Servant (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Linda Hogan (other topics)Carolyn Wall (other topics)
Alex Bellos (other topics)
Tarquin Hall (other topics)
May Sarton (other topics)
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Journal of a Solitude~May Sarton
Nonfiction
Rate 3
This was a Book Buddy Read. The book is a quiet reflection on life. I enjoy Sarton's prose. We are starting to read The House by the Sea: A Journal if you would like to join us.
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption~Laura Hillenbrand
nonfiction
Rate 4
This very powerful book takes place during the Vietnam war. Parts of it are not for the faint of heart. It's the story of unbelievable courage. I found the story very inspiring. If you read this book you won't soon be forgetting the name Louie Zamperini.
The Ghost and Mrs. McClure~Alice Kimberly
fiction
rate 2 minus
This book is in the "cozy mystery" genre. This is the third book I've read in this genre and they all seem very much alike. The plots are a little too unbelievable for me.
Father Abraham: Lincoln and His Sons~Harold Holzer
non fiction
Rate 4
This is a well done Young Adult bio by a noted Lincoln scholar. The book contained some very interesting photos. The writing is very good. Even though I knew most of the story, I still found it incredibly moving and interesting.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet~~Jamie Ford
Fiction
This is BNC's July Group read. My F2F book club read it and they liked it quite a bit.