I just finished The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx. Didn't see what all the hoopla was about. Author won a Pulitzer for it. ( ?? ) Currently on my nightstand: Manners and Correct Form in the Middle East, my old college Biology text book, How to Raise Confident Girls. My husband keeps putting The Volcano Lover by Susan Sonntag on my side of the bed. He thinks I'll love it. BTW, I have two famous next door neighbors...at least I think they are famous...One is a well known author. I think, he is. Well, we all love 'em.
You have to tell us who they are, PamO! We can always google for them and appear knowledgeable.
Finished A Round-Heeled Woman, which was fine, not especially mind-blowing, not cold Drom, but has a detachment which I like. Must have Aquarius prominent!
Travelling by plane I find I can't concentrate on a book so I watched the movies The Russia House, Shrek 2 (which my kids loved but it sent me to sleep immediately) and The Day After Tomorrow. Now have to read the Economist since I have to catch up with HK and China politics to discuss with my friends here!
I just finished "Happy Birthday, Turk!" by Jakob Arjouni, a noir detective fiction English translation from the German (No Exit Press). Liked it, will try to pick up what ever else he has written, which are, apparently, "More Beer" and "One Man, One Murder". I think they are more of the Kemal Kayankaya series; the protagonist is a Turkish immigrant/private detective in Frankfurt. Nice way with words..
Sounds really interesting, Osso. Have you come across The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency which has become very popular in Britain, set in Botswana? Always assuming you like detective fiction set in weird places!
I've got two of the Ladies Detective Agency books, but haven't had more than a cursory glance yet. McCall Smith, is that the author? Scottish medic I believe. I'll give one a go soon.
I have got two guide books to Provence out of the library (that's a local public lending library, for the non-Brits here) but all I seem to have time to read at the moment are the daily paper and my Spectator magazine. Then I fall asleep, books untouched.
I just finished Grisham's The Street Lawyer. Getting set to begin Darwin's Radio. Forget the author.
Hi Clary, My next door neighbor is Daniel Quinn. I hope he does not know/mind I'm telling this. Mr. Quinn wrote a pretty famous book called Ishmael. He followed up Ishmael with Story of B. He's actully written several books. I have to tell you that I have not read any of his books...although I have most of them! I know that is bad...I will read them soon. His wife and I are close friends, and Daniel is a great guy/neighbor. He's very quiet, but when he says something...stand back. It's gonna be profound and over my head! My other neighbor is a TV court judge. The Texas Hammer. LOL. He's just like he is on TV. Daniel's wife, the judges wife, and I are running our homeowners association currently.
Just finished
Hey Nostradamus! by Douglas Coupland.
It was an interesting book to say the least. The book is written from four different characters' perspectives, who witness similar events. Deals with a Columbine-like high-school shooting, religion, and relationships. I really enjoyed the book.
Has anyone else read it?
No, Jer, but I tend to like same event from different viewpoints type books... anyone ever read Children of Sanchez by Oscar Lewis?
I have just read a great booK:
The Glory and the Dream: A Narrative History of America, 1932-1972
Great, object, fair, and magnificent.
I'm reading Johny Got His Gun, a classic by Dalton Trumbo. I am also reading Simulacra and Simulationby Jean Baudillard.
I read Johnny Got His Gun a long time ago, but remember it as being powerful.
Oh, Johnny Got His Gun! I once read that with a class & nearly all of us cried. Me too!
Right now I'm totally engrossed in Tim Winton's Cloudstreet. I LOVE it! Anyone else from Oz (or anywhere else, for that matter) read it? However, I'm cheating: listening to it on CD, while reading A Fine Balance the rest of the time. Too many books/too little time!
msolga....I am enthralled with "A House for Mr.
Biswas".....a book about as long as "A Fine Balance".
In fact, I wonder whether Mistry was influenced
at all by Vaipaul....
Yes, too many books, too little time and for me,
too little QUIET time.....especially for this book, because I don't want to miss a sentence of it!
Sounds good, shepaints! Do tell us about it when you've finished!
How are you finding A Fine Balance olga ?
A Fine Balance...that was a great book - I wanna know what you think too MsOlga!
Hmmm, I never finished A Fine Balance for some reason. I'm going to get it back out.
I keep finding this question and have new answers each time - I am now reading "Eat the Rich" (O'Rourke) and "Great Expectations" by Dickens.
Great Expectations... I know I liked it, but it was long ago and far away that I read it. Anyone know why I liked it??
