As the Page Turns (the Book Thread)

[Japanfan]

Plagiarism is not all that clearcut. Avoiding plagiarism in academia requires a lot of nitpicky, exacting care and even there, you have plenty of gray areas.

One of my clients once took blocks of text from another person's work - as in several sentences in a row, word for word - and then got dinged for plagiarism.

He wanted me to help him fight the charge, but I didn't think I could because in my view he did indeed plagiarize.

And he was a PhD student. Don't know what he was thinking. Probably got expelled from university - I've not heard from him since.

 

[mjb52]

You are correct; the letter controversy is about copyright infringement. That's how Fair Use comes into it.

The main issue you should consider is whether the material has been used to develop a new creation or whether it has been directly copied into another work. For you to escape liability, copying must be transformative. In other words, fair use can only be imputed once you have transformed what you have taken.

That is Larson's argument--that her use of the letter was transformative.

This is why I think the more interesting case is the story where she had edited and changed the letter. For the Audible thing, where she pretty much copied it almost exactly, it seems hard to argue that her use of the letter was transformative (but I may be relying too much on the ordinary, everyday meaning of the word - sometimes these things are different in the context of the law), while for the version of the story that Dorland saw, it seems more ambiguous. And does it change things that it is connected to the Audible version, or is it taken on its own. I'd have to go back and look to see whether the lawsuit deals with only one or both of them.

We have a copyright lawyer doing a talk soon, so I'm definitely going to ask about this situation.

 

[oleada]

tes on a Silencing--I read Lacy Crawford's Early Decision, a satire that lampoons hothouse parents, and liked it. Well, this is a very different sort of book. Crawford details her sexual assault when she was a 15-year-old student at the elite St. Paul's School and the subsequent coverup on the part of the school. This is one of the most enraging books I have ever read. I can't even articulate how angry I was reading it and I still feel seething burning rage just thinking about it. It's not just what the school did to her; it's that they did the same things to so many others and got away with it for so long--and there's not a lot of evidence that things have changed.

I just finished this one and I was so enraged at one point I actually slammed the book down to take a breather.

 

[her grace]

I recently read Liane Moriarty's Apples Never Fall and thought it was great! Vintage Moriarty. Way better than Truly Madly Guilty or Nine Perfect Strangers. It's her usual mysterious-style plot--a woman is missing and the book is about finding out what happened. The missing woman was married with four adult children; there's challenging family dynamics, the police investigation, a mysterious guest, and tennis parent drama. Fun times.

I also enjoyed Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner, which is a memoir about coming to terms with the loss of her mother. This woman can write! Compelling descriptions of food, thoughtful engagement about her complicated relationship with her mom, and a focused look at being biracial in America and South Korea.

 

[puglover]

The new Jack Reacher book is now out "Better Off Dead". I believe this is the second in the series to be written or co-written by Lee Child's brother. I am only partially through but my impressions are: a more open Reacher who provides more insight into his feelings and reasonings, non-stop action, lots of violence with step by step details on how to gain victory in a 5 on 1 fight, should you find yourself ever needing to know this. All in all, great fun and if you like Reacher I think you would like this one.

 

[Prancer]

I just finished this one and I was so enraged at one point I actually slammed the book down to take a breather.

I took frequent light, funny romance novel breaks while reading that one or I would never have made it.

You have to wonder how some of the people justified their behavior to themselves.

 

[Prancer]

I just finished The End of October by Lawrence Wright. Wright is primarily a nonfiction writer, best known for The Looming Tower, a book about Osama bin Laden and 9/11 that I very much liked. This one is a novel, but it reads like a nonfiction book and it is chockful of facts about everyone's favorite topic--a global pandemic. The history and science are real; there are even a few real people who make an appearance here and there.

The book was published in 2019, so it predates C0VID, and it has been praised for prescience. I do see that, but fortunately for us, the v1rus in the book is hella worse than what we are dealing with. Bigger disease, bigger effect on the population. But still--there are some sections where you'd swear he must have had a crystal ball. It's kind of scary that we the people are so predictable in our responses.

I think this review from NPR pretty much nails it. As a novel, eh. As a book about pandemics, interesting.

I also read Sun Storm by Asa Larson, which won a prize for best first crime novel in Sweden. The story takes place in northern Sweden, so there is a lot of snow and darkness and viewing of the Northern Lights. What interested me about this novel is that it is about the murder of a charismatic pastor in a revivalist church. Parts of the plot were like something out of a Southern gothic about snake handlers--not that the people in the book handle snakes, just that it's the same general kind of Christian religiosity. I wasn't expecting that in Sweden. I'm not a big fan of Scandinavian mysteries and was rather meh about this one until the end. My main objection was Sanna, the sister of the slain pastor, who is also friends with the main character--a tax attorney . Sanna drove me nuts throughout the book and made me want to stop reading. Even when the explanation for her spacy behavior finally comes out--eh. She's still annoying as all get out. But I have to hand it to the tax attorney; she comes through at the end.

 

[PrincessLeppard]

So I read 2034, which is speculative fiction about what might cause WWIII. Well, in this case, it's China and the US, with Russia (Putin is still prez) and Iran thrown in for good measure. There are four main characters and the story alternates between them; the most interesting plots are near the beginning. Once the actual war breaks out, it gets a bit tedious, and much of the action is described in flashbacks. So it'll say something like, "It was now a week since the fleet had been destroyed." The previous scene ended with a torpedo headed towards one of the ships. So. Wait. WHUT? Also, the president of the US is a woman (never named) who ran as independent because the country is so divided, which would be super interesting but she's a minor character at best.

Also, the end is really weird and I think some details got left out that would more clearly explain what happened. Or maybe the authors are just terrible writers. I dunno.

 

[genevieve]

Recent reads:

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie - recommended by so many! Loved the story telling, although the last quarter or so seemed just kind of there, plot-wise. Felt like the author didn't know how to resolve the fascinating premise she's set up and just made the most logical conclusion.

Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness - a graphic exploration written and drawn by Kristen Radtke. It's a beautiful book, and parts are so visceral, and then the book takes a curve into science and I didn't always agree with her conclusions.

When The Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain. I never read The Paris Wife, but picked this up as I was in the mood for a good old fashioned murder mystery. The main character makes a ton of snap conclusions about the inner lives and motivations perpetrators and victims based on very little evidence, which I found irritating, but overall I enjoyed this book. And there is a resolution at the end of something set up in the beginning that was slightly surprising and interesting.

Brat: An '80s Story - Andrew McCarthy's autobiography of his slice of fame as part of the Brat Pack. I read this because @Jenny recommended it! It didn't change my opinion of McCarthy as an actor but he's a good writer. I really liked that McCarthy starts out stating that he decided not to consult with any of his costars from that time and that the memories are his and others may have experienced things differently. It's not a dishy tell-all, it really is about how he became a very unlikely star.

I'm only 5 books away from my 2021 reading goal

 

[Jenny]

Glad you enjoyed it @genevieve - let me know if you read the travel memoir too!

Currently reading a book by J. Jefferson Farjeon. Haven't heard of him? Not surprised because he died decades ago and most of his extensive catalogue (close to 100 books!) is out of print. But they shouldn't be - he's from the so-called Golden Age of British Crime and is only just now being reprinted here and there. First I read Thirteen Guests - typical country house murder mystery, only spicier than the usual Christie in both characters and writing. Then I read Seven Dead - starts as a locked room mystery, then becomes a more epic quest to find out who the people in that room were. Bit far fetched, but a fun read. Now I'm into Uninvited Guests and really appreciating the variety of characters he creates, and the humour in his writing.

Only criticism is he's one of those writers who has men falling madly in love with women (girls really) they have just met and barely exchanged five words with. He was born in the 1800s so maybe it's a era thing, but yawn.

Another recent was Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. Wow, that was a book! It's newish, translated from the Swedish, and hard to describe. Premise is a bank robber accidentally taking a bunch of people hostage at an apartment viewing (or an open house as some of us would more likely call it), but there are so many twists and turns, jumping back and forth in time, a lot of rashamon, deep character study, touches on a lot of issues (notably suicide and evolving relationships) and along the way, some truly funny bits too. I'd recommend it, but not sure it's for everyone.

Also read The Guide by Peter Heller. I recall somewhere earlier in this thread when I was praising his previous book The River as one of the best books I've read in a long time, really stayed with me, that others were not a fan of this author. I couldn't wait for The Guide because it features some of the same characters and is a continuation (yay, more!) but it was very different than the first. Almost like his editors or whoever urged him to churn something out to capitalize on the success of The River, and make it more Jack Reacher. There was still some of the poetry of The River, but in the end, yup, it was a Reacher book. If you read it you'll know exactly what I mean. Not necessary to read The River first to follow The Guide, but it's a much better book.

 

[made_in_canada]

Another recent was Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. Wow, that was a book! It's newish, translated from the Swedish, and hard to describe. Premise is a bank robber accidentally taking a bunch of people hostage at an apartment viewing (or an open house as some of us would more likely call it), but there are so many twists and turns, jumping back and forth in time, a lot of rashamon, deep character study, touches on a lot of issues (notably suicide and evolving relationships) and along the way, some truly funny bits too. I'd recommend it, but not sure it's for everyone.

Have you read any others by Backman? I really liked Beartown, But I haven't read any other books by him. I've almost bought Anxious People a few times

I've been reading Ami McKay lately. I read The Birth House years ago, and picked up The Virgin Cure and The Witches of New York this summer and finally got around to them. The Virgin Cure I tore through, The Witches of New York isn't grabbing me in quite the same way, the characters are interesting but it might just be witches and ghosts and the supernatural realm aren't really my thing. I also was hoping it would be more of a sequel than it is.

 

[clairecloutier]

@genevieve I had the same feeling on Americanah. It seemed to roll gently down a hill toward the end, instead of building up.

Personally I found the book to be interesting but implausible in some of the plot points. However, the content of the main character’s political blog posts did feel kind of prescient or at least very timely, considering when the book was written (2013 copyright) and events since then.

 

[Susan1]

When The Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain. I never read The Paris Wife, but picked this up as I was in the mood for a good old fashioned murder mystery. The main character makes a ton of snap conclusions about the inner lives and motivations perpetrators and victims based on very little evidence, which I found irritating, but overall I enjoyed this book. And there is a resolution at the end of something set up in the beginning that was slightly surprising and interesting.

I just read that book too. I was thinking the same thing about her "detecting". I was kind of hoping it would be a series about a detective looking for missing children, but so much of it was based on the author's actual experience, it might be hard to do more fictional stories.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

Amazon is offering me a $3 credit on a Kindle book. Has anyone read anything by Theresa Driscoll? They are offering I Am Watching You and I Will Make You Pay. Both seem very stalkerish and I'm trying to decide if they will be good.

 

[Buzz]

Author Wilbur Smith has past away. Way back when I read a book more than once a year, I loved his books. May he Rest In Peace.

Wilbur Smith: Popular Zambian-born author dies aged 88

The accountant-turned-novelist's 49 books have sold more than 140 million copies worldwide.

www.bbc.com

 

[canbelto]

I really loved the book "The Family Roe" which took a closer look at Norma McCorvey and the various characters involved in Roe v Wade.

 

[sk9tingfan]

T-9 (11/23/21) for the formal release of Diana Gabaldon's ninth book in the Outlander series. "Tell the Bees That I Am Gone" is currently #8 in Amazon.com's new releases roster and #15 overall(#13 overall for Barnes and Noble.com). The position on the best seller list as of the actual release date should be interesting.

 

[Wyliefan]

I need someone else who read The Lincoln Highway to explain to me, what was that ending? And why?

 

[Stefanie]

I need someone else who read The Lincoln Highway to explain to me, what was that ending? And why?

Oooh! I am even more intrigued…I just got this from the library to read after I finish Kristin Hannah’s Four Winds.

 

[Wyliefan]

Oooh! I am even more intrigued…I just got this from the library to read after I finish Kristin Hannah’s Four Winds.

Good -- please come back and talk to me when you're done! I've had a little time to let it all sink in, but I'm still longing to talk it over with someone.

 

[rfisher]

T-9 (11/23/21) for the formal release of Diana Gabaldon's ninth book in the Outlander series. "Tell the Bees That I Am Gone" is currently #8 in Amazon.com's new releases roster and #15 overall(#13 overall for Barnes and Noble.com). The position on the best seller list as of the actual release date should be interesting.

I have it. I didn't realize how much I'd skipped of the previous two books which bored me to death, but there's all these characters that I was supposed to know about. I'm not inclined to go back and read what I skipped. This one is just like the others in that she writes in vignettes with a very loose plot line. I foresee skipping again, but have only been mildly annoyed for Part one. I still maintain she should have stopped with Book 4, or even Book 3, but there was money to be made! If you're a big fan, you'll probably like it. I have issues with her on a personal level and find it difficult to not let them color my perception of her writing.

 

[MsZem]

I still maintain she should have stopped with Book 4, or even Book 3, but there was money to be made! If you're a big fan, you'll probably like it.

She should have stopped at 3. The last one that had anything resembling narrative structure was 6, and by book 8 Claire and Jamie were the least interesting characters. It's saying something that I would look forward to Bree's chapters.

I'm not going to read this one (which I've read online most resembles The Fiery Cross ) but I looked at spoilers to find out whether I'd guessed correctly about the character who was mauled by a bear (I did). Also I was curious what was in Bree's bag and how Jenny would react to Roger. That's not enough to read 900 meandering pages, though.

 

[rfisher]

She should have stopped at 3. The last one that had anything resembling narrative structure was 6, and by book 8 Claire and Jamie were the least interesting characters. It's saying something that I would look forward to Bree's chapters.

I'm not going to read this one (which I've read online most resembles The Fiery Cross ) but I looked at spoilers to find out whether I'd guessed correctly about the character who was mauled by a bear (I did). Also I was curious what was in Bree's bag and how Jenny would react to Roger. That's not enough to read 900 meandering pages, though.

I'm doing a chapter here and there, but it's mostly a rehash of the previous books with hindsight musings on people and events.

 

[AxelAnnie]

The new Jack Reacher book is now out "Better Off Dead". I believe this is the second in the series to be written or co-written by Lee Child's brother. I am only partially through but my impressions are: a more open Reacher who provides more insight into his feelings and reasonings, non-stop action, lots of violence with step by step details on how to gain victory in a 5 on 1 fight, should you find yourself ever needing to know this. All in all, great fun and if you like Reacher I think you would like this one.

I have read all of the Reacher books, and this one I couldn't finish. It did not feel like a Ken Follet book.

 

[Bunny Hop]

She should have stopped at 3. The last one that had anything resembling narrative structure was 6, and by book 8 Claire and Jamie were the least interesting characters. It's saying something that I would look forward to Bree's chapters.

Oh dear. That does not sound promising. I'm not a fan of Bree at all.

I'm not going to read this one (which I've read online most resembles The Fiery Cross )

That's the one I've just started, with the aim of trying to finish it before the next season of the TV adaptation starts in March. I might make it.

The switching between first person and third person in her writing irritates me. I'm probably being unreasonable but I just feel like if she wanted to look at different people's points of view it should all be in the third person. It probably wouldn't bother me as much if it was a bit more evenly spread out, but it's mostly first person from Claire's POV with a little bit of someone else whenever she needs to write about something where Claire isn't present. But there are other ways that could be written.

 

[MsZem]

Oh dear. That does not sound promising. I'm not a fan of Bree at all.

That's the one I've just started, with the aim of trying to finish it before the next season of the TV adaptation starts in March. I might make it.

The switching between first person and third person in her writing irritates me. I'm probably being unreasonable but I just feel like if she wanted to look at different people's points of view it should all be in the third person. It probably wouldn't bother me as much if it was a bit more evenly spread out, but it's mostly first person from Claire's POV with a little bit of someone else whenever she needs to write about something where Claire isn't present. But there are other ways that could be written.

If you can survive book 5 you'll probably manage the rest of them

In the more recent books, Claire's POV isn't as prominent as it was earlier. There are multiple POV characters, though everyone else is still in third person.

 

[mattiecat13]

I used to enjoy the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell but the characters became so unlikeable and the plots so weird I stopped reading them.

 

[puglover]

I used to enjoy the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell but the characters became so unlikeable and the plots so weird I stopped reading them.

I see she has a new book of this series coming out at the end of December called "Autopsy". I stopped reading Patricia Cornwell as well.

 

[Bunny Hop]

I stopped reading the Kathy Reichs 'Bones' books because Temperance Brennan started to annoy me, but she annoyed me in a different way to the TV character (which caused me to stop watching the series as well).

 

[rfisher]

Regarding Gabaldon's latest opus.....don't waste your money. If you plan to read it. Get it from the library. You won't ever do a second read. She's really run out of things to say, yet ends this on another cliff hanger.