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Library Bookshelf

Started by Marilyne, March 29, 2016, 03:20:53 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

maryc

FlaJean,  I'm happy to hear that your cataract surgery is behind you and that you are able to be back reading again.   I had both eyes done late last year and that's that,  I hope!!
Marilyne,   You are right about the love letters.  Actually Al and I were never apart for any length of time but I do have one  letter he wrote me shortly after we met.    At the time we met he already had a reservation for a weeks vacation at  a popular beach resort in Canada so he did go.    It was very early in our courtship but he wrote this one letter.    Strange as it seems  that 70 years ago  he had the feeling that we were going to spend our life together.  Needless to say I have that letter tucked away with other treasures.  I should make a time capsule!! ;)
Mary C

Marilyne

Not much reading going on here this past week.  Lots of Fourth of July events to watch on TV, as well as movies pertaining to the holiday. I've been having some trouble with my eyes lately, so reading has been uncomfortable. I'll see my eye doc on the 24th. 

FlaJean - I had to return The House of Unexpected Sisters, before I had a chance to read it.  It was on a one week check-out, because of a long wait list.  I'm glad you read and enjoyed it.  I also had to return the Elizabeth Strout book, Anything is Possible, for the same reason.  I think you would like the novel that Maryc recommended,  The Wake Up, by Catherine Ryan Hyde.  AJ is reading it right now, and liking it!

Mary - I know you're so glad that you saved that first letter you received from Al.  I still have some of the early letters that I received from my Al, right after we first met, at the very end of our Freshman year in college.  At that time I went back home for the summer, which was about 400 miles from where he lived in San Jose.  So we wrote for three months, until school started again.  The other bunch of letters I saved, were written when he was drafted into the Army, shortly after we were married in l956.  He was stationed in Washington, and I was working in San Jose . . .  until I made enough money to join him.

MarsGal

I will be picking up The Joy Luck Club at the library tomorrow or Friday for the SeniorLearn book discussion. I never read it, but have seen the movie.

In the meantime, I finished a SciFi by Evan Currie that I forgot I had alread read. Now I am finally starting Jack Campbell's newest.

I am only at the start of Chapter 4 in Mike Duncan's The Storm Before the Storm which is an history of the late Roman Republic between 146BC and 78BC, taking it up to Sullas' death.

I've signed up again for Audible and now have the second of the "Bobverse" series to listen to as well as the next in the Vorkosagan series, Mirror Dance by Bujold which I have downloaded from the online library.

My "typing assistant" is back, but with less room to sit on the desktop because of my Latin book pile. Yes, I am doing Latin again, after a year's absence. I have enough trouble with Latin as it is.  ::)

Marilyne

MarsGal - I noticed that, The Joy Luck Club, was going to be discussed in Senior Learn.  I read it more than twenty years ago, when it was a best seller, and I also saw the movie.  I liked it, but not enough that I would want to read it again.  It was good, but I think that too much time has passed since it was written. Times have changed totally in San Francisco, and I think that much of the story would now be outdated.  However, the interactions between the mothers and daughters, would be timeless.  It was a good story.

I haven't picked up a book in at least a week, which is very unusual for me. Reason being, that I've been "studying" for my written drivers test, which I hope to take next week.  The test they give to seniors, is longer and more difficult than the regular renewal test that everyone else takes.  Also, my dry eye problem has escalated, and I've had a lot of blurriness.  I hope I pass the vision test!

MarsGal

I hear you with the dry eye blurriness. This is why I started up listening to audio books occasionally. Systane has come out with a new formulation, but I haven't tried it yet. The stuff is ex-pen-sive. And, I saw it only in 1/3 oz. bottles. Good luck with your drivers test. I am not sure what the rules are here in PA for oldsters, but if I retake it, I can get a little discount off my auto insurance. PA has it set up so that you can take it online now.

I had to take the Roman history book back to the library because here was another hold on it. I do have a hold on it in Ebook form so I can pick up where I left off later. I also have The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish and Cory Doctorow's Walkaway on hold. The nice thing about the FLP ebooks is that I can set the time I want to keep the book from one week to a month, in weekly increments. Really nice, if you have lots you are reading or it is a lengthy book. I have not started listening to Mirror Dance yet.

Marilyne

MarsGal - I thought about you last night while I was watching the HBO series, Westworld.  I wish you were also watching it, because then you could explain it to me! ???  Is it science fiction or something else??  Kind of a mix of alternate universe, dystopian, with some, "Ground Hog Day", thrown in to really confuse me.  The same scene repeated over and over, with different outcomes.  This was the first episode, in the series, and I'm not sure I'll stick with it.  AJ liked it, and will probably continue watching whether I do or not. 

The reason we watched it, is because it's been nominated for a large number of Emmy Awards, so we figured it would be worthwhile.  Lots of well known actors in it, like Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, etc.

The Dry Eye problem is a driving me nuts.  Seems to have escalated this past month, so I may have to go on a prescription med when I see the eye doc in a few weeks.  Right now I'm using Systane Complete, or Refresh Plus . . . both outrageously expensive.

FlaJean

My doctor prescribed Restasis for dry eyes.  I stuck with it a couple of weeks until my eyes were so red and itchy, I gave up and went back to my otc Refresh Optive.  Evidently I was allergic to something in it.  Now I’m stuck with several containers of expensive medicine I can’t use.  I Use my Optive four or five (at least) times a day.  Sometimes I even use the drops when I get up during the night.  I also use two prescription medicines for my eyesâ€"Timolol for pressure and Lumigan for optic damage.

I just haven’t been reading many books, but I do read a lot of articles and enjoy playing games on my iPad.  I keep up with the Wash Post and follow some of their reporters on twitter.  I really enjoyed the movie “The Post”.  The acting was great as well as the story.

MarsGal

FlaJean, my best friend is allergic to the citric acid found in some eye products.

Marilyne, I've never watched it. I think I forgot about it and which net is was on when it first started. Yes, it is considered Science Fiction, but like so many other books/tv shows/movies there are sub-genres and crossovers it could fit into. Wikipedia has an explanation of it, but for some reason, I can't get the link to work when I paste it to here. From that explanation, I don't think I would care for it. 

MarsGal

Oh super. My hold on Cory Doctorow's Walkaway is ready. Now I am in the middle of a Jack Campbell SciFi, his newest, just started The Joy Luck Club for the discussion group starting on Monday, and Mirror Dance, which I still have not started listening to yet. Not only that, I've started back on Latin classes. Ginny has allowed me to join in the Summer Reading group which is doing Livy, which turns out to be very difficult.



Marilyne

MarsGal - How are you liking The Joy Luck Club?  I haven't looked in on the discussion yet, but I plan to this afternoon.  It might inspire me to get it and read it again.  I always get more out of a story, and like it better, on the second reading.

My reading has consisted of, The California Driver Handbook, for the past week. I have to take the written test at the DMV, and always feel like I must know and remember every little detail in the book! ::)  I'm also a little concerned about the eye test.  I see okay with my glasses, but with the Dry Eye problem, I never know when I'm going to get that blurriness.

Jean- That reminds me, my husband AJ, uses Restasis for his dry eye, and he also has the punctal plugs inserted in a couple of his tear ducts.  It makes me shudder to think about it, but they don't bother him at all.

He's now reading, The Red Sparrow, and really likes it.  He wants me to read it when he's finished, which I may do.  I remember a few years back, when a couple of members in this discussion were reading it and talking about it.

MarsGal

Yes, I was immediately taken by The Joy Luck Club. I am not very far into it yet.

I think this is the third book I've read that is focused on the immigrant (and family) experience in America. The other two were Jhumpa Lihiri, The Namesake and Khaled Hossani's A Thousand Splendid Sun's (sequel to The Kite Runner, which was primarily set in Afghanistan). Long ago, I also read two of Maxine Hong Kingston's books. She wrote mostly about issues of gender and ethnicity which must have included immigrant experience, but I don't remember.

Aside from that, I enjoy reading Chinese and Chinese/American writers, most of whom, so far, write/translate Science Fiction. These include Cixin Liu's (The Three Body Problem trilogy) and Ken Liu (writer/translator).  There are others whose names I don't recall.

The Three Body Problem trilogy may be coming to Amazon as a series:
https://www.tor.com/2018/03/28/amazon-may-pay-one-billion-to-adapt-cixin-liu-the-three-body-problem/

I am glad your Hubby likes The Red Sparrow. He will like all three in the series, I think.

Vanilla-Jackie

#1421
Marilyne...
...testing, testing, re, Database Error...I can see you managed to post in Follow that Name but you cant post in here...I cant post in Follow that Name but I can post in here...now if only we could do a swap... ???
" There is no present like the time "

Marilyne

#1422
Checking again to see if I can post a message here?

Go figure! :-\  I've been trying all morning, and it finally worked! 
Jackie, if you're looking in, be sure to try posting on the game board.

Marilyne

My daughter wrote a short comment/review, on the Goodreads website yesterday, about the book, "The Couple Next Door", by Shari Lapena.  She liked it a lot, and is anxious for me to read it.  It's a suspenseful thriller type of story, which I don't care for at all . . . however, I'll read it because she wants me to.

Before I do, I'll finish two books that I started this week.  One I mentioned before, "Manhattan Beach", by Jennifer Egan.  It's a historical novel that takes place in NYC,in the 1930's and '40's.  That's one of my favorite time periods for stories . . . the Depression Era, and World War II.  The other book was recommended on the book website, Off The Shelf . . . "The Last Ballad", by Wiley Cash.

Vanilla-Jackie

Marilyne...
...I am back home too but...I rather like it here so plan on visiting again... :)
" There is no present like the time "

Marilyne

Jackie - You're always welcome here in the Bookshelf, or in any of the folders in Leisure Activities!  I'm wondering why we had such a hard time yesterday, posting messages throughout the various folders?  It seems to be resolved now, so I hope it stays that way!

MarsGal - I saw your message in Bait & Tackle, about Barb's post in SL.  I checked it out, found it interesting, and decided to respond here in the Bookshelf.  I plan to get "The Adult in the Room", ASAP!  Sounds fascinating and enlightening!

MarsGal

#1426
Marilyne, I just read a sample on Amazon from The Adults in the Room... The guy is sure a powerful writer. It is on my list too.

I noticed that quite a few of the reviewers thought he was on some kind of ego trip even though most of them liked the book.

Vanilla-Jackie

Just had Lien de Jong and Bart van Es on our tv morning programme, with Lien telling her true story...re, our soon to be televised docu - programme, there is also a book now available on her story...( The Cut Out Girl, ) a Story of War and Family, Lost and Found.... I think this will be, a not to be missed programme..Links...


https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/bart-van-es/the-cut-out-girl/


https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-7352-2224-3
" There is no present like the time "

Vanilla-Jackie

" There is no present like the time "

Marilyne

Jackie - Thanks for the recommendation!  The Cut-Out Girl, sounds like my kind of book.  As I've said many times in this discussion, my favorite stories take place before, during, and right after the War.   This sounds like a good one, and I plan on checking my library later today.  Lien de Jong, certainly does look good in that interview, considering she must be in her mid to late 80's?

MarsGal

Good (still wet) morning.

Well, I have given up on The Joy Luck Club, not because I didn't care for reading it, but because with other things needing done, I got too far behind in the book discussion. It and the Roman history book that I didn't even get a chance to read went back to the library yesterday. Because The Fate of Rome was in such small print, and was printed on good heavy paper,  I deemed it too difficult to try to hold up over the constant occupation of my lap by one or another of the cats. I really struggled with buying the print or the Ebook version. Finally, I opted for the Ebook version because they did a good, clear job of rendering all the illustrations, charts, photos and tables. Besides, I have pretty much run out of bookshelf space for my ancient history books.

I finished Storm Before the Storm, the other Roman history book I had. I did learn about the Jugurthan War which I didn't know anything about except for the name. Otherwise, most of the book was reviewing info I already knew something about. The one thing that struck me, though, is that the book was more sympathetic to the - what we would term - liberal cause, while portraying the aristocratic classes more as the bad guys. This view is not one that I have not been used to given that most of what I have read was from supporters of the Republic and status quo whereas the others were more likely to have been portrayed in a less favorable light.

Now, I am listening to two Audiobooks. One is Falling Free which is considered a prequel, setting 200 years prior, to the Vorkosigan SciFi series. The other is Circe by Madeline Miller. https://www.npr.org/2018/04/11/599831473/circe-gives-the-witch-of-the-odyssey-a-new-life
 

Marilyne

MarsGal - I'll take a look at The Joy Luck Club discussion on SL, and see whats being said about the book.  I read it about fifteen years ago, and remember that
I liked it, but not enough to read it again.  Sometimes a story just doesn't grab me, for whatever reason, and I usually just put it aside, and go on to something else. There are too many books that I want to read, that I can't see spending time on one that I'm not enjoying much.

My favorites are almost always, character driven books . . . not so much plot driven.  If I can't relate fairly quickly to any of the main characters, then the story is usually not interesting to me - even if it has a good plot. 

Marilyne

My daughter-in-law gave me an interesting sounding book yesterday, called Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee.  It was a National Book Award Finalist, and has been on the NYT Bestseller list for some time.  That said, I would very much like to read it, but I'm afraid the print is way too small and light, and the book is too thick for me to handle.  There are 485 pages, and with the soft cover, I cannot open it for reading, the way I can with a hard cover book. 

It makes me feel bad, that the new books are being printed this way - ( small, light print and thin cover.) I guess the younger generation only reads from Kindles, iPads, etc., so in a few years they will probably stop publishing regular books, as we know them.  I have a Kindle, but I prefer reading from a book.  This may come out in a large print book, at some time in the future, and if so, I'll read it then.

Mars Gal - the book you recommended, Adults in the Room, by Yanis Varoufakis, is waiting fo me to pick up at the library, so I'll start reading it within the next couple of days.

I also have A Visit From the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan, waiting for me, so I'll have enough to choose from over the weekend.

JeanneP

Marilyne.
I have that problem now. My library are not getting books in LP. I have ordered I couple I want to read in small print but like you say. So small and can hardly read the print.. I do have Ipad and 2 readers with lots of books on now but I still rather hold book in my hand. I will check my library and see if they have Pachinko. Does sound interesting. Not buying full price books any more.
JeanneP

JeanneP

No. they just have it in small print with 4 people waiting. Also can download it to one of my readers.  I will just get the hand one and see what it looks like. I would think it is a soft back one.
JeanneP

MarsGal

Let me know how you like Adults in the Room, Marilyne. I won't get to it for quite a while yet.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Circe audiobook enough to consider listening to it again in the future. The reader had a rather smooth, seductive voice that was very relaxing. I had a little trouble staying awake.

I just finished (couldn't put it down) The Night Market by Jonathan Moore. It is a detective/crime thriller set in a near future dystopian San Francisco. Very well written, I took to the characters right away.
It contains some surprising and unexpected twists, and the ending was unexpected. After I read it, I found out that is the third of a very loosely connected series. The other two are also set within the SFPD, but it looks like with different characters.

Two more of my book holds came in. I picked up two yesterday: Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold (a Vorkosagan sage book) and a SciFi short story anthology, Infinite Stars, which includes some stories from some of my favorite authors including Bujold, Jack Campbell, Orson Scot Card, Elizabeth Moon, and Ann McCaffery. This morning I downloaded Preston and Childs, Cabinet of Curiosities which is the third of their creepy Pendergast series (remember Relic?) I still have two ebooks on hold.



Marilyne

I have a stack of books sitting here, and I can tell that I won't get to most of them before they're due.  Right now I'm engrossed in an excellent novel, called A Visit From the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan.  It won the Puitzer Prize for fiction, in 2011.  I'm very impressed with this unusual story, and plan to read other books by Egan, when I finish.

That's a problem I have, when I check out too many books from the library at one time.  If the first one I read really grabs me, then I want to read more by that particular author, and the others just sit and gather dust, until they finally have to be returned. ::)

MaryTX

Marilyne, I do the same thing.  I always have a "books on reserve list" at the library going plus the ones I have already checked out.  Several on the reserve list seem to come at the same time.  I try to read the ones that can't be renewed first, then the others sit and some go back unread.  I can't drive right now so am dependent upon the kids to make the library runs.  They are doing my other errands also so I try to limit the library runs.

Mary 

Click for Arlington, TexasForecast

Tomereader1

"Several on the reserve list seem to come at the same time."  I have this same problem, i.e.  I have nine (9) books that were on my reserve list, they came in
two and three at a time over just the last week.   I have been doing a lot of reading about coping with grief, have finished and sent back three, and still have the nine
unrelated stack!  Two are economics related, two more are grief/recovery related,
three are reads for my two f2f book groups; and I can't recall the other two.  And...I was right in the middle of a Kindle book, but I can always put that one off. Our library system has this fairly new "perk" of automatically renewing your books, unless the book is being requested by someone else.  So I think I've a good lot of time left on all.  Maybe one of the mysteries is on the current list, and will have to be finished and sent back.  Hey, feast or famine, right?  LOL

Tomereader1

And Hey, there's Redbud.  Haven't seen that name on here for too long!

Oh, and BTW,Marilyne.  Last night I watched "The Darkest Hour", starring Gary Oldman.  Wow, what an actor!  This was the film about Churchill being elected Prime Minister, and all the circuitous doings in the House of Commons, while the Germans were taking country after country, and Churchill was afraid that his "island" was next.  If one could be said to "chew the scenery" in the old show biz vernacular, Oldman did just that...but I felt I was actually watching Churchill.  A terrific movie, especially for us WWII buffs.