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[hmaria1609]

Finishing up Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massie

Other books read:
Chicago by Dominic Pacyga--history about the city
By the King's Design by Christine Trent (historical fiction)
Brief Gaudy Hour by Margaret Campbell Barnes (historical fiction)

[llanfair]

I enjoyed Brief Gaudy Hour.  I've had a thing for Anne Boleyn's story since reading Murder Most Royal for the first of many times.

Madame Tussaud is a winner, folks.

[oldadjunct]

I am also engaged in reading some science fiction classics such as Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles and Frank Herbert's Dune.  I've never been a big fan of the genre, but I thought such reading might be a change of pace.

Finished Asimov, well worth reading.  I wish I could say the same for Dune.  A bit dense for my tastes.

Which Asimov?  I'm contemplating some Heinlein re-reading, but am still a ways into an orgy of Pratchett re-reads.

I can't speak for Mickey, but it would take little or nothing to get me back to The Foundation trilogy yet again.  Sorry you feel that way about Dune, Mickey.  I just really loved both the book and entire series as it scrolled out over the years.

Anyone else read  S. Greenblatt's Swerve?  I finished it today.  Think of it as a non-fiction The Name of the Rose.  The last line, which slyly punctures any claim that Jefferson founded a Christian nation, particularly tickles me.

[ab_grp]

I finished Room (Emma Donoghue) yesterday.  I can't say that I loved it as much as some of the reviewers, but I did get end up liking it a good bit more than I had initially thought I would.  It's an interesting story told from a different perspective (that of a five year old).

Now I've started reading I am Legend (Richard Matheson), though I'm only one chapter in at this point.

[dr_alcott]

I finished Room (Emma Donoghue) yesterday.  I can't say that I loved it as much as some of the reviewers, but I did get end up liking it a good bit more than I had initially thought I would.  It's an interesting story told from a different perspective (that of a five year old).

I didn't love it either, but I admired the way the author creates the boy's voice. I remember hearing quite a while ago that it would be made into a movie. I wonder if that's in the works . . .

I'm still plugging my way through Grossman's The Magicians.

[ab_grp]

I finished Room (Emma Donoghue) yesterday.  I can't say that I loved it as much as some of the reviewers, but I did get end up liking it a good bit more than I had initially thought I would.  It's an interesting story told from a different perspective (that of a five year old).

I didn't love it either, but I admired the way the author creates the boy's voice. I remember hearing quite a while ago that it would be made into a movie. I wonder if that's in the works . . .

I agree with you.  I had some trouble getting into it at first because of the style of narration, but the overall effect worked pretty well.  His perspective on what he was experiencing was pretty neat at times, too.

[voxprincipalis]

I'm still plugging my way through Grossman's The Magicians.

That one's still on my to-read list.

After Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close I decided to go back to the Hunger Games series for book 2, Catching Fire. So far what I think of it is that the author is really, really good about writing about people killing each other in the arena, but kind of crappy at writing about Large Important Socio-Political Concepts.

VP

[itried]

I just read Eric Klinenberg's Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone. It wasn't as engaging as I'd hoped; the whole book read like a long social science review paper. Although Klinenberg did include first-hand accounts from people who live alone, I would have liked deeper exploration of their emotional experiences of living alone; instead, he only scratched the surface. In short, the book wasn't deep enough psychologically to hold my interest.

Now I'm reading some cotton candy: Jodi Picoult. Everyone needs a little pink sugar sometimes. It's holding my interest.

I'm going to the library today to get Pam Houston's new book of short stories, Contents May Have Shifted. Yippee! I was dismayed last week to hear a radio book reviewer compare this new book of travel/love narratives to Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love; Pam Houston was writing about disastrous love affairs in remote places before Gilbert did her first downward dog. Cowboys are my Weakness and Sight Hound are two of my very favorite books.

[llanfair]

I finished Room (Emma Donoghue) yesterday.  I can't say that I loved it as much as some of the reviewers, but I did get end up liking it a good bit more than I had initially thought I would.  It's an interesting story told from a different perspective (that of a five year old).

I didn't love it either, but I admired the way the author creates the boy's voice. I remember hearing quite a while ago that it would be made into a movie. I wonder if that's in the works . . .

I agree with you.  I had some trouble getting into it at first because of the style of narration, but the overall effect worked pretty well.  His perspective on what he was experiencing was pretty neat at times, too.

+another.  It's all too close to so many terrible tales of abduction/sex slavery to really call it "enjoyable", but her writing is amazing.

[mickeymantle]

I would've responded earlier, but this semester has been "moider."  I read Asimov's short stories, but not any of his other oeuvre.  As for Dune, I may return to it one day.  Sometimes age and perspective can change one's mind. 

[oldadjunct]

I would've responded earlier, but this semester has been "moider."  I read Asimov's short stories, but not any of his other oeuvre.  As for Dune, I may return to it one day.  Sometimes age and perspective can change one's mind. 

Very true, and a reason I would not return to the Dune books, but I do have faith that Foundation would probably hold up after all these years.

[cms99]

I'm about a quarter of the way through Ayn Rand and The World She Created.  It was a gift from my MIL, and reading it reaffirms my beliefs that Rand was one of the most selfish people I've ever read about.

[tinyzombie]

I'm about a quarter of the way through Ayn Rand and The World She Created.  It was a gift from my MIL, and reading it reaffirms my beliefs that Rand was one of the most selfish people I've ever read about.

I had a mini heart attack, and then I read the last line of your post. (Heartily agreed.)

I'm well into McCullough's John Adams - I don't love it like I did The Bridge, but I am highly enjoying it. I might also fall in love in a few hundred pages - who knows?

I'm also in love with Nathan Englander, these days. I'm eagerly awaiting What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank, and in the meantime, I got a hold of For the Relief of Unbearable Urges, and I had trouble putting it down. I'm moving on to his The Ministry of Special Cases next.

[bibliothecula]

I finally read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (what can I say? I'm running behind on reading everything these days) and am now treating myself to the new Gail Carriger, Timeless. Fantasy + tea + goofiness. Then I really have to dig into a biography of a person tangential to another person whose work I'm studying.

Re: Dune--I re-read it recently, and enjoyed it more than I had as a teen. Herbert's interest in Arabic and Arab culture is more apparent to me, and the politics made more sense. I don't have much desire to keep reading in the series (particularly not the ones by Brian Herbert), but it was nice to go back for the one.

I started Byatt's The Children's Book but it had to go back to the library. I was about 100 pages in, and enjoying it, so I may pick up a paperback. I find her a terrible snob but then end up liking her writing to spite myself.

[onthefringe]

I started Byatt's The Children's Book but it had to go back to the library. I was about 100 pages in, and enjoying it, so I may pick up a paperback. I find her a terrible snob but then end up liking her writing to spite myself.

I picked the hardcover up for 4.98 at Barnes and Noble last week (probably cheaper than paperback if you get a chance). I'm about 2/3 through and enjoying it pretty well. But not as much as Possession, which I love dearly.