A Book is Like a Garden in Your Pocket

[rfisher]

Summer fun on my coming soon list:
June 21: New Sarah Booth (Southern Belle Mystery) by Caroline Haines and new Amish mystery by Linda Castillo
August: New Pendergast (Preston and Child series)

[IceAlisa]

Got Keith Richards' biography for hubby for Father's day. Hope he likes it.

[BigB08822]

I have plenty of books for this darned history summer class if anyone wants to borrow. Maybe you could read it and tell me what they are all about so I don't have to, haha. I have 6 weeks to read 5 books. I am NOT a reader.

[ChelleC]

I have plenty of books for this darned history summer class if anyone wants to borrow. Maybe you could read it and tell me what they are all about so I don't have to, haha. I have 6 weeks to read 5 books. I am NOT a reader.

What kind of history class?


Love the the thread title.

[Prancer]

Well, rfisher, I owe you one. The title reminded me that I have been caught completely unprepared for Poem in Your Pocket Day at work for three years in a row. And now I see that they have an app for that .

I'm finishing The Informationist; the last section is supposed to be one long wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee, so I am withholding judgment until then, but for now, I have mixed feelings.

Next up is Attachments, which was one of B&N's recommended books last month.

The new recommendations for summer reading are here: http://ebm.e.bn.com/c/tag/hAAAAAAB8G...s_guide_6.8.11

I ordered Robopocalypse for my husband, but I thought of PL first .

[BigB08822]

What kind of history class?


Love the the thread title.

Louisiana History. I have 4 books, not 5. In my I miscounted.

One is titled something like Louisiana: A History and should be sufficiently boring. One is quite short and is about some convent, at least it will be quick. Another is called Pistols and Politics, I think. The last is a thick book titled The Day Huey Long Was Shot. I find him interesting and it will be more modern so it wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't A) quite long and B) focused on one day??? I hope the title is misleading.

I am also reading A History of Psychiatry in another class but I find the subject interesting. The book is not written in a style that I can easily follow. The author likes to show off their use of fancy never before seen words and that bothers me.

[Artemis@BC]

I received and read "The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption" last night. I cried all the way through it. Gut wrenching, horrifying, and ultimately rewarding. It will haunt me. And I highly recommend it to everyone.

Sorry, just can't. No matter how "ultimately rewarding" it is, I just can't bear to read about animals suffering/in pain. It's bad enough when it's only a small part of a fiction (like in One Good Dog, or Playing for the Ashes), but as a major focus in a non-fiction ... uh uh, nope, can't do it. But I'm very glad to hear it is a happy ending!

I haven't had much reading time lately so I'm still working through Best Laid Plans. I think some readers may be turned off by all the parliamentary procedure stuff, but I was a parliamentary geek in my youth so it's a fun flashback for me. Plus it's very witty.

[Kasey]

I've been reading Johnny Weir's "Welcome to my world" while floating in the tub the last few weeks. I've always liked Johnny as a skater. The book.....is ok for a bathroom book

[rfisher]

What kind of history class?


Love the the thread title.

I have a wooden garden plaque with this saying. It's currently hanging from a tree branch over my chaise lounge.

[rfisher]

Louisiana History. I have 4 books, not 5. In my I miscounted.

One is titled something like Louisiana: A History and should be sufficiently boring. One is quite short and is about some convent, at least it will be quick. Another is called Pistols and Politics, I think. The last is a thick book titled The Day Huey Long Was Shot. I find him interesting and it will be more modern so it wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't A) quite long and B) focused on one day??? I hope the title is misleading.
.

I think all of those sound very interesting, especially the Pistols and Politics. I got a minor in history and absolutely love it.

[Japanfan]

Am slogging (Artemis@BC's highly accurate term) through Land of Painted Caves. This is like Shelters of Stone, except 3 times as boring. I read half of Part I and skipped the rest of it, along with Part II. Things have vaguely started to pick up in Part III... although so far the amazon.com reviews have been far more entertaining.

What a crappy end to a series that started off so well. I still love to reread Clan of the Cave Bear and Valley of Horses, when every character - even the ones that we didn't hear much about, like within the Mamutoi group - had their own personality. Now it's just let's-meet-all-these-random-people-from-the-Zelandoni! And more random people! MORE RANDOM PEOPLE! If you want people to care about your characters, don't invent 203948293048239 of them.

What number is this book in the series?

I enjoyed the first three or four but the last one I read didn't inspire me to continue. The couple (Ayla and __?) had returned to his community and there was little story - descriptions of pottery making went on for pages and pages. . .

[DarrellH]

I've almost finished The Art Of Driving In The Rain. I'm about to read the last chapter, but I just know that it is going to break my heart, and I can't deal with that right now.

[rfisher]

What number is this book in the series?

I enjoyed the first three or four but the last one I read didn't inspire me to continue. The couple (Ayla and __?) had returned to his community and there was little story - descriptions of pottery making went on for pages and pages. . .

This was number 6 and is the last one. It's a cut and paste remix of the other 5 books probably written by Jean Auel's son (since she's like 90 or so). No plot. Just endless "oh, look. There's a cave. It must be sacred to the Mother. Let's go inside and paint the walls." For every freaking cave site in France.

And you couldn't have read pottery making descriptions as they didn't make pottery at that time. Most of the *Venus* (described in the 3rd book) were carved from ivory. There are endless discussions on fllint knapping. His name is Jondalar and their daughter is Jonayla. The big reveal in this book apart from the cave paintings is everyone begins to believe Ayla's wild theory that children come from having Pleasures with a man and not from random spirits. Men can be male mothers or as the term comes to be: fathers.

[KatieC]

I have plenty of books for this darned history summer class if anyone wants to borrow. Maybe you could read it and tell me what they are all about so I don't have to, haha. I have 6 weeks to read 5 books. I am NOT a reader.

I did that once, for my sister in high school. I read the book, told her about it, she wrote the paper and got an "A". Three years later, I rewrote some of her paper on the same book, submitted it, and got a "B". Miserable teacher.

Am currently reading Long Lost, by David Morrell. Last week I discovered Stuart Woods, and his Stone Barrington novels. They are a treat - a nice, light, entertaining read.

[modern_muslimah]

I'm trying to get through Mary Barton. I've been sledging through it for months. I stop and then I start reading it again. In the meantime, I picked up The Communist Manifesto from the library. I had no idea that it was so thin. I have to admit some parts were a bit dense but most of it was accessible (which also surprised me).

So I have some other books (more modern) from both the library and on my nook but I'm not sure which one to read yet.

I was thinking I need something a bit light. Has anyone read Phillipa Ashley? Her novel, Mr. December, was a free e-book and I have it. Is it worth a read or should I pick something else?

[Nomad]

I'm trying to get through Mary Barton. I've been sledging through it for months. I stop and then I start reading it again...

I think the novels which followed Mary Barton were better.

I've been on a real "crime spree" this week, buying noir novels by Chandler, Hammett, Goodis, Thompson, and Highsmith. I might go for the Jim Thompson next - the blurb on the back cover decribes him as "Willa Cather steeped in rot-gut and armed with a .45."

[Prancer]

I was thinking I need something a bit light. Has anyone read Phillipa Ashley? Her novel, Mr. December, was a free e-book and I have it. Is it worth a read or should I pick something else?

I downloaded it but it's so far down my reading list that I might never get to it unless someone posts a rave. The customer 'net reviews are pretty good.

Do you have a Nook? If so, you NEED this thread: http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/...OT/td-p/713884

There are new posts every day and some of the books listed are free for a very limited time (the best ones are usually free for only a day or two), so be sure to look frequently.

And you should check out Kristy Haining's B&N page: http://my.barnesandnoble.com/Best-No...g/el/16550169/

Apologies if you already have the links.

[Japanfan]

And you couldn't have read pottery making descriptions as they didn't make pottery at that time. Most of the *Venus* (described in the 3rd book) were carved from ivory. There are endless discussions on fllint knapping.

I remember the flint knapping. But there was also a lot of detail about the making of eating utensils or pots I think. Perhaps baskets too?

At any rate, it really wasn't very interesting.

[Buzz]

We should have numbered the reading threads. It would be nice to know what edition of it this is. LOL Probably something like #50! We do seem to read a lot around here. Me not as much as I used to but I am still seduced by the promise of a good story every now and then.

[modern_muslimah]

I think the novels which followed Mary Barton were better.

The only other Gaskell novel I've read so far is North and South and I definitely prefer it thus far to Mary Barton. Although I have to say that the love triangle between Mary, Jem and Carson is starting to heat things up just a bit.

I downloaded it but it's so far down my reading list that I might never get to it unless someone posts a rave. The customer 'net reviews are pretty good.

Do you have a Nook? If so, you NEED this thread: http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/...OT/td-p/713884

There are new posts every day and some of the books listed are free for a very limited time (the best ones are usually free for only a day or two), so be sure to look frequently.

And you should check out Kristy Haining's B&N page: http://my.barnesandnoble.com/Best-No...g/el/16550169/

Apologies if you already have the links.

Thanks for the links! I just went to the first one. I'm always on the lookout for freebies. I hoard them on my nook so I never run out of something to read.