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    • 4 people found this helpful

    Last Two for July 54 & 55

    Posted by Christine L, 4 years ago

    54. FIRST FAMILY by David Baldacci. Another in the Sean and Michelle series. Someone kidnapped the President's niece, and as a favour the First Lady asks Sean to help with the investigation. A few side trips into Michelle's background made it all the more interesting. This book was full of suspence, and I loved the fact that the "good guys" were not all good and the "bad guys" were not all bad.

    55. THE PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERENCE DANE by Katherine Howe. Well researched book based on the Salem witch trials. A grad student spends the summer cleaning out her grandmother's house, and discovers the name Deliverence tucked inside a key, hidden in a bible. This sends her on a quest to find the story behind the mysterious name. This book contains no new surprises or previously unknown enlightenment about the witch trials, but is a wonderful read none-the-less!

    • 1 person found this helpful

    I Knew I Forgot One

    Posted by Lisa Voss, 4 years ago

    #42 The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas. A man slaps a child at barbeque - the main problem is the child is not his. The story is written in sections from the point of view of 8 people who attended the barbeque. I did not like this book - I found most of the characters to be highly unlikeable, including the child who was slapped. While bad language in a book does not usually bother me I found this to be a little offensive - possibly because of the particular words used.

    • 1 person found this helpful

    37+

    Posted by Lisa Voss, 4 years ago

    37. What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn. Little Kate Meaney, child detective goes missing at the new mall in Birmingham. 20 years later she is spotted on the mall security camera. How is that possible? This book goes from 1984 to 2003 and back. The characters, while seemingly disconnected are actually connected in unexpected ways. While not a happy book, I thought this was wonderful. I found I could not put it down once I'd started and would highly recommend it. Kate is an unforgettable little girl.

    38. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. There are a lot of pages in this book but I found it to be a quick read. It sort of bogged down near the end going off on strange tangents but all in all I enjoyed it. The second book has now come out - I'm definitely adding it to my to be read pile.

    39. Goodbye Ms. Chips by Dorothy Cannell. I guess I wasn't in the mood for this one. I simply found it to be too light and fluffy. The parts that I should have laughed through I just thought 'oh, ha ha'. I do have another of her books to read which I will pick up sometime in the future.

    40. Twilight by Kathryn Mosby. This was recommended by a customer and I must say, I'm glad I read it. Its the story of Lavinia Gibbs who chooses the single life over a loveless marriage and moves to Paris just before WW II. I liked Lavinia and her tale. I thought the book to be very well written.

    41. Mrs. Kimble by Jennifer Haigh. This is the story of the 3 wives of Ken Kimble. Each woman is very different yet all fall for Ken Kimble although he also appears to be very different to each woman. The reader really does not get to know him very well which is probably good. I think he is rather dispicable (sp?) although I can see how these women could be sucked in by him. I liked this and would recommend it at well.

    #8- Beacon Street Girls #13- Green Algae and Bubblegum Wars

    Posted by Hannah, 4 years ago

    Green Algae and Bubblegum Wars by Annie Bryant

    This book of the Beacon Street Girls was very interesting. I really wanted to read the book after I saw the title "Green Algae and Bubblegum Wars" because with a unique and funny title like that, it sounds like it would be a great book! In this book, Avery (1 out of the 5 Beacon Street Girls) is trying to make her own gum for her school's science fair. It's a very interesting book and I totally recommend not just the book, but the whole series! The whole series is written by Annie Bryant.

    July Reads

    Posted by Bookworm, 4 years ago

    34) Don't Scream by Wendy Corsi Stub - Great suspense -. 4/5
    35) Witchling by Yasmine Galenorn - Not my kind of read - 2/5
    36) The Carter Street Hangman by Anne Perry - Really enjoyed 4/5
    37) Night Sins by Tami Hoag - Loved the suspense - 4/5
    38) Back to the Bedroom(audio book) by Janet Evanovich - Fun 3/5
    39) Still Summer by Jacquelyn Mitchard - Loved this book - 5/5
    40) Inubaka #1 by Yukna Sakuragi - Not my kind of book - 2/5
    41) Inubaka #2 by Unkna Sakurigi - Not my kind of book - 2/5
    42) The Beach House by Janet Green - Enjoyed - 3/5
    43) The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch - Powerful - 4/5
    44) The Condition by Jennifer Haigh - Dragged on and on - 3/5
    45) Unspeakable(audio book) by Sandrea Brown - Suspenseful - 4/5
    46) The Waterfall by Carla Negger - Loved the suspense - 4/5
    47) Where the Heart Leads (audio book) by Stephanie Laurens - Good historical romance - 4/5

  • #39 - People of the Book

    Posted by Kay, 4 years ago

    I have finally finished this book - I don't know how many times I picked it up and just did not end up finishing it. I had a very hard time getting into the book but about 1/3 of the way in I just could not put it down. This is not my first Geraldine Brooks book and I would definitely read her again. I particularly enjoyed reading the questions to the author section. I always find a book worthwhile if it leaves me wanting to find out more about the period and subject. This book is definitely a 4/5 for me.

  • July's reads...

    Posted by ChrisM, 4 years ago

    30. Testimony by Anita Shreve
    In less capable hands this book might have been a bit of a dog's breakfast- but I found it almost impossible to put down.

    31. The Woods by Harlan Coben
    The Woods was just too busy for me and, at the end of the day, the secrets buried in the woods just weren’t enough to hang 400 pages on.

    32. The Pearl by John Steinbeck
    I taught this book (which I'd never read) at summer school this year. I wouldn't have ever read it for pleasure.

    33. The Kindness of Strangers by Katrina Kittle
    Not everyone will be able to stomach this novel’s subject matter (child pornography), but if you think you can, it’s a fantastic book about a very serious topic.

    34. Dark Debts by Karen Hall
    There’s a lot going on in Dark Debts – murders and devils and exorcisms, but none of it’s scary - or maybe I’ve just been forever spoiled by the demon who possessed Regan in The Exorcist.

  • Best Beach Books...

    Posted by ChrisM, 4 years ago

    I don't know what constitutes a beach book in your eyes, but to me it's always a book I can read in fits and starts while scanning the sand for my kids. I read a lot of suspense thrillers/horror novels/fluffy books at the beach.

    NPR's audience voted on their list of the 100 best beach reads.
    It can be found here:
    www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106983620&ft=1&f=1008

    What's your idea of the perfect beach read? (Although I don't know about your part of the country- but we've had precious little beach weather here on the East coast!)

    • 1 person found this helpful

    19) Dream in Color

    Posted by Virtopia, 4 years ago

    I really enjoyed this book. It showcased Victoria, a woman who was not happy in her marriage and the daily dreams she was having about 2 fantasy men. I extremely enjoyed it as I often dream also and it helped to show what is possible from a simple dream.

    #7- Beacon Street Girls #9- Fashion Frenzy

    Posted by Hannah, 4 years ago

    Fashion Frenzy by Annie Bryant

    The Beacon Street Girls is an amazing series for girls 9+. The author is Annie Bryant. This book was about two of the girls that went to NYC and a lot of crazy things happen like in most of their books. But this book was a bit different because it was the first Beacon Street Girls book that wasn't set in Boston the whole time. It was also set in NYC. See, I love making book posts but it's real hard when you don't wanna give away what the book is about. So mostly why it's called "Fashion Frenzy" is because Katani and Maeve (2 out of 5 of the Beacon Street Girls) go to NYC to go see a fashion show and problems happen and blah blah blah :P. The other three Beacon Street Girls (Isabel, Avery and Charlotte) are on a school field trip to a museum and this guy ( I forget what his name is) keeps following Isabel, and the others try to make him stop. But the book is a great book and the series are AMAZING! I totally recommend not just this book, but the whole series!

  • #29 and #30 - My Final Two Books for July

    Posted by Wendy Middleton, 4 years ago

    #29 Still Alice by Lisa Genova

    I finished reading The Shadow of the Wind one afternoon and started Still Alice that same evening. The superior style of The Shadow of the Wind was obvious to me immediately, and I found the opening of Still Alice rather stilted and stereotypical. Lisa Genova holds a PhD in neuroscience from Harvard University and is associated with various groups working with Alzheimer's patients. The novel covers two years in the life of a 50-year-old Harvard cognitive psychology professor, who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. At first I was feeling rather smug thinking that this was a treatise on the disease thinly disguised as a novel. I also thought that the author made too much of the fact that Alice Howland was a professor at Harvard.

    However, as I read further I became caught up emotionally in the events that Alice experiences as her disease progresses, and Alice's memories and abilities regress. I read the novel very quickly as a result. At times it reminded me of Flowers for Algernon, the short story and novel, which was the basis for the film Charlie. Although Alice didn’t require the fictional operation that Charlie did to become a genius, her loss of ability seemed quite similar to his. As the novel progressed, I often found myself in tears (once in a Tim Horton’s), even in scenes that were not particularly tragic.

    As soon as I finished reading the novel, I passed it on to my older sister to read. I have been concerned about changes in her memory and behaviour for the past couple of years, but she constantly has excuses or denial about my worries. Alice in the early sections of this novel hit too close to home for my liking, and it will be very interesting to see whether my sister sees any resemblance.


    #30 What Was Lost by Catherine O’Flynn

    I am finally getting to my pile of Christmas gifts that I have not yet read. Frankie reviewed this novel a few weeks ago, and her enthusiasm caused me to move this book higher on my TBR pile. I too enjoyed this well written first novel, which has been nominated for several awards. It takes place in two time periods – 1984 and 2003 – and is set mostly in a huge shopping centre in Birmingham, England. Most of the characters are rather odd, and many seem stuck in jobs and relationships that they do not enjoy, but the mall seems to have the effect of preventing them from moving forward to a life that they really want.

    The disappearance of a lonely 10-year-old girl, who had loved to pretend to be a private detective in the mall when it was first opened, is the link that connects all of the main characters, yet it takes the entire novel for them to discover how their lives have been intertwined.

    Kate Meaney, the girl who disappears, is a particularly quirky, but appealing, character with her elaborate plans for her detective agency with her partner, Mickey, a toy monkey. She takes her surveillance work so seriously that it leads her to a tragic end.

    • 4 people found this helpful

    #43 -- Open Arms by Marina Endicott

    Posted by Joanna, 4 years ago

    Open Arms, the first novel of Marina Endicott, was first published in 2001and republished in 2009. Open Arms was a finalist for the Amazon- Books in Canada First Novel Award

    Endicott's second novel, Good to a Fault, was short listed for the Giller.in 2008.

    This is the story of Bess Smith and follows Bessie from Nova Scotia, where she lived with her Grandmother until she was 17, across Canada to Saskatoon, Galiano Island back to Saskatoon and Montreal. This is a story of a young woman's quest to belong, a quest for her mother.

    Bess's mother is a rock and roll singer in smoky bars in the middle of nowhere and her absent father is a poet. This will give you some idea of the assorted characters woven into Bess's story which includes her large extended family her father's other ex wives and her many half siblings.

    Endicott tell a story which sticks with the reader. Beautifully written.

    I feel that one sign of a good book is if you, the reader, can remember details of the story long after the book has been put away and for me Endicott's two books meet this criteria.

    Both of Endicott's novels take place in Saskatoon which I also find interesting and wonder why she picked this Saskatchewan city. She has lived in BC, Alberta, Nova Scotia and Ontario but not Saskatchewan????

    I have enjoyed both of Endicott's books and look forward to reading more from this Canadian Author.

    I Highly Recommend this Novel

    4 1/2 ****

    30 to 33

    Posted by Amanda Augustine, 4 years ago

    30. From Dead to Worse - Charlaine Harris
    Another interesting book in the Stackhouse series. New found relatives, new vamp leader, and Eric and Sookie's bond grows stronger.

    31. The Coffin Dancer - Jeffery Deaver
    Second in the Rhyme series, Amelia and Lincoln are on the hunt of a hitman, they nickname The Coffin Dancer. This guy has never been seen and seems to give Lincoln a run for his money. There was a lot of airplane jargon, I could have done without, but what I wasn't expecting in the end....well he got me, great read.

    32. The Empty Chair - Jeffery Deaver
    Third in the Rhyme series, he hasn't let me down yet. In fact I feel that he is extremely good at leading you down one path, while the killer lies in wait, and you don't know what hit you until it happens. You'll never guess who the real killer is....

    33. The Stone Monkey - Jeffery Deaver
    Fourth in the Rhyme series, this book takes us through the underworld of Chinese human smuggling to the US. It amazes me that he can write a book and still surprise you at who the actual killer is. He got me again, 4 for 4.....

    • 1 person found this helpful

    Book 33: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

    Posted by Midnight Sunrise, 4 years ago

    5 stars, definitey recommend

    I was just rereading The Hunger Games because it's my favourite book. If you haven't read this yet, you should definitely give it a try. It has lots of adventure, suspence, romance, and a twisting tale that will grab you on till the end and keep you eager for more.

  • My July Reading - #24 - #28

    Posted by Wendy Middleton, 4 years ago

    I am pleased that my reading seems to have picked up this month, even though I have included the re-reading of two children’s novels and a play, which helped me to read more volumes.

    #24 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
    It has been more than forty years since I last read this novel, yet I found that I had remembered plot details well and had the same emotional reactions to major events as I did when I first read it. However, I found some sections rather preachy, especially in the first part, and wondered whether children today would find this book as interesting as my sister and I did.
    I read this novel in preparation for reading March (#26), which is based on this book. I was glad that I did because at times there were direct links to Alcott’s work in Geraldine Brooks’ novel.

    #25 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling
    I love this series, and this was my third reading of this novel. I read it right away when it was released in 2005, and then I re-read it to refresh my memory shortly before I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in 2007. This time I was reading it in preparation for the movie of The Half-Blood Prince. I was glad that I was up-to-date with the novel because much had been left out of the movie script, and other events were depicted that did not exist in the book. The movie series is very good, but nothing compares to reading the books themselves.

    #26 March by Geraldine Brooks
    I have already read Year of Wonders and The People of the Book by Brooks, so I was interested in reading this earlier novel, which had won her the Pulitzer Prize. Although it is good, I preferred the other two books, especially The People of the Book, which I found more interesting and emotionally gripping.
    This novel follows the father of the March sisters of Little Women as he journeys as a chaplain in the U.S. Civil War. The events are exactly the same as in Alcott’s novel, both when he is away and once he returns home, but the perspective is very different. At times Brooks used the exact phrases as had been used in Little Women. She has made the March family strong believers in the abolition of slavery, and they are surrounded by famous neighbours, such as the family of Henry Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Brown and other notable New Englanders of the time.
    This book is less about the girls and more about their parents’ marriage. It shows the misunderstandings that can exist even in a loving and supportive relationship.

    #27 Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov
    I read this play in preparation for seeing it at the Stratford Festival. In the past I have read and seen productions of other Chekhov plays, so I knew what to expect. I also knew of the story of the three sisters who long to return to Moscow, where they had spent their childhood. Although my reading of the play was clear, it really didn’t rise from the page in an interesting way, so I was looking forward to seeing the play performed in order to bring the story to life. Despite some excellent acting, which the Stratford Festival is known for, the play just seemed long and bleak, just as it had when I had read it. It made me wonder what kept people coming back to Chekhov. I decided that I preferred absurdist drama to demonstrate the futility of life, rather than the naturalistic style used by Chekhov. I think that it will be a long time before I read or see any of his works again.

    #28 The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
    I had heard a lot about this novel and was influenced by the promotion of Zafon’s newest novel The Angel’s Game in my decision to buy this book. It is a story of books and readers, which I tend to enjoy, and near the beginning I was reminded of If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino, which I have previously written about as one of my favourite novels. However, in this case the story remains constant, but Daniel Sempere spends nearly a decade of his life trying to solve the mystery of the author Julian Carax, who wrote the book The Shadow of the Wind, which Daniel reads when he is nearly eleven years old. He is helped in his search, but he also is told lies and given threats as he investigates the truth of what happened to the writer. He even discovers that someone is buying all the copies of Carax’s novels and burning them. As his search progresses, Daniel’s life begins to parallel the events that Carax was involved in just before he disappeared.
    This book was very readable, and I found myself wanting to read it when I wasn’t reading. It is the story about the relationship between readers and books, but it is also a thriller about the search for the truth.

  • #'s 40, 41, 42 --Three more by women authors

    Posted by Joanna, 4 years ago

    #40 - - - Advice for Italian Boys By Anne Giardini -- Giardini is the daughter of Carol Shields, a Lawyer and the CEO of a major Canadian company and this is her second novel.

    The Story of Nicolo Pavoni and his Italian family which includes his Nonna who has an Italian saying / advice for every happening.

    I enjoyed the story but felt a couple of times times that the long descriptions full of metaphors / cliches could have been shortened in order for the story to flow easier. Once near the beginning and then in the middle i felt bogged down BUT I finished and enjoyed the book.

    I will probably read Giardini's first book "The Sad Truth About Happiness".

    4 ****

    #41 -- S is for Silence by Sue Grafton -- I have always enjoyed this series and S is no exception. I've read almost all her books (I Think); I don't read them in a row but do enjoy having them spread out among my other reading -- a enjoyable lighter read.

    3 1/2 ***

    #42 --The Geometry of Sisters by Luanne Rice -- The story of Sisters and Families; a fast light summer read. I won't rush to read any others by this author but it was OK.

    2 1/2 **

    With a weeks vacation I thought I would get more reading in July but with 3 grandchildren (7, 2, 4mths) visiting I'm lucky i read as much as I did. But it was great having them all.

  • Books 21, 22 and 23.

    Posted by BookThia, 4 years ago

    I'm a wee bit behind pace to make 50 -- but I'll come pretty darned close!

    Book 21: The Hatbox Letters by Beth Powning. This was a lush and sensually vivid novel, for a story about grief. Kate is suddenly widowed at age 50 and must rediscover who she is, now that her future is not what she thought it would be. Through letters found in her grandparent's attic, Kate learns that grief is something people grow through. Slow paced, but lovely prose. Set in the Bay of Fundy area of New Brunswick.

    Book 22: Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha. Paddy Clarke is ten years old and is learning to cope with a world that isn't making sense any more. Doyle does an incredible job of describing a young boy's feelings and habits.

    Book 23: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. I LOVED this book. Evenly paced, but gripping, the story of Kathy, Ruth and Tommy reveals itself to be more than a love story or a coming-of-age story, although those elements are there. A revealing story that looks deeply at those things that make each of us human. The mystery of the truth behind these three young people challenges each of us to examine our own prejudices.

  • #38 - The Sugar Camp Quilt

    Posted by Kay, 4 years ago

    This book takes you back in time and you learn more about characters mentioned in previous books in the series. It explains how the sugar camp quilt aided in helping runaway slaves. It shows how a small town could be divided on the slavery issue and the cruelty, risks,and fear that was experienced by residents of the town depending on which side of the abolitionist movement they stood on. This series show quilts as more than just warm covers and particularly in this book. Well, the reading of this series has come to a halt until the next four books arrive in the mail.

    18) The Appeal

    Posted by Virtopia, 4 years ago

    I haven't read a Grisham book in a few years, but he used to be my favourite author back in the day. It took a few chapters to get use to the law terminology again and the ending didn't live up to my expectations, but it was enjoyable, nonetheless.

  • 27-36: Back From The Dead ... Finally!

    Posted by Marion Abbott, 4 years ago

    Yup, so my life took a hard left turn over the past few months and I'm horribly behind in my quest for 75; however, I miss reading your posts and comments so much I'm swallowing my pride and posting again, hoping to get back on track soon.

    27 - 31: P is For Peril, Q is For Quarry, R is For Ricochet, S is for Silence, T is For Trespass - all Sue Grafton
    I have reached my goal of reading this entire series. I found that Kinsey (the protagonist ...) got a little more jaded and sad toward the final book; I'm interested to see where Grafton takes her as she completes books for the remaining letters of the alphabet. I'm wondering about a major career change ... All in all, I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and I feel that Kinsey's attitudes have had a positive effect on my life.

    32. The 8th Confession - James Patterson
    The latest installment in the Women's Murder Club Series; a delightful piece of candy reading after Kinsey's sobering world. Some of Patterson's 'transparent' choices make me giggle but he's always entertaining.

    33. A Little Bit Wicked - Kristin Chenoweth
    Chenoweth is the actress that created the role of Galinda in the original production of Wicked; some of you may also know her from Pushing Daisies or The West Wing. This biography was a fast-paced series of snapshots of her life and career. Her narrative style took getting used to, but it was definitely a refreshing change due to her candor and unique sense of humour. Chenoweth is definitely one of the new 'all time great Broadway stars' - no question.

    34. Lifeguard - James Patterson
    Meh - fun but not his best work ... he got too caught up in his knowledge of the art world and ended up confusing his plot line.

    35. Step On A Crack - James Patterson
    A new lead character for Patterson; this one made me cry and I loved the resolution to the crisis storyline. We'll see where he takes Mike and his family next time 'round ...

    36. Water For Elephants - Sarah Gruen
    W O N D E R L F U L I particularly loved, loved, loved the historical depth of this one. Did I mention that it was W O N D E R F U L?

    Phew! It's good to be back. :)

  • #37 - The Master Quilter

    Posted by Kay, 4 years ago

    Just finished the 6th book in this series. I am astonished and pleasantly pleased that I have not lost interest in this series. This book is about the ups and downs of friendship, the everchanging lives of individuals and the glue (love) that binds true friends. I acknowledge that this series would not appeal to a lot of readers. The quilting theme appeals to me and I look forward to ordering one of the quilting books that provides the block patterns for blocks introduced and discussed in these books. I am about to start the next book in the series - unusual for me as I normally need a break when reading a series. This series cannot be defined as great works of literature but for me they provide a sense of a warm home coming. Okay, enough already !!!!

    • 2 people found this helpful

    Book 25- Barbarian Lynne Ewing

    Posted by Ligeia, 4 years ago

    I picked this book up a few hours ago and have already completed it. It's a quick read, and one that I picked up for a dollar at my chapters. I wasn't really expecting much from this book, but was pleasently surprised to find the beginning of a great series.
    It introduces the characters that are important but not to the point of over descriping things. Also has a captivating plot that makes me want to pick up the next one in this series.
    The sons of the dark series is NOT a vampire series, though many people thought it was. They are literaly that sons of the dark; they change into shadows. It's less about the mystic and more about how people like that can fit into a world like ours. I found it fascinating and suggest it for those who just want a quick read.

    Book 32: The Warrior Heir by Cinda Chima

    Posted by Midnight Sunrise, 4 years ago

    This book had its moments where it kept you turning the pages, but it was dry in the beginning and middle. The game was the part that kept you interested, and the Chima was able to wrap the ending up nicely. Overall, 3.5/5

  • Book 62 - Thursday's At Eight by Debbie Macomber

    Posted by Unknown User, 4 years ago

    -Message Deleted-

  • #25 - 29: (sorry, have been r-e-a-l-l-y busy, but still reading!)

    Posted by Shanie [Raksha], 4 years ago

    G-r-r-r-r-eat! 5 /5

    #25 - The Serpent's Tale - Ariana Franklin : 5/5
    A poisened mistress, an estranged royal wife + a powerful king & the threat of Civil War. Adelia Aguilar deals with this and much closer & deadly dangers. Actually this is a 5++. Sequels are not always as intriguing, but her work is definitely worth an uninterrupted read!

    #26 - Grave Goods - Ariana Franklin 5+/5
    The great pilgrimage site of Glastonbury has been put to the torch & this is only the beginning! It really irked me to have to lay this one down for such mundane things as "work" or "food"! These 3 books surpass my previous Medieval favourites - Cadfael! I really hope that there is a 4th one!

    #27 - Murder in Miniature - Margaret Grace (pen name of Camille Minichino) 1.5/5
    Definitely a " beach read" - easy to pick up (as well as lay down). Not as much murder & mayhem nor heavily into 'red herrings', but it is a nice easy read. Having just finished the 3 Franklin books, I guess that I was ready for something lighter...Not as engrossing as one by Earlene Fowler, Monica Ferris, or Laura Child, however (all part of the "Berkley Prime Crime Well-Crafted Mysteries). Have to admit that I had most of it figured out about halfway through it - on to the next in the series.

    #28 - Mayhem in Miniature - Margaret Grace
    Okay, this one gets 3/5 - managed to really hold my attention (even put aside the gardening!). Recommended as another holiday read, but also a good read. Aside: as a full-scale miniaturist, also picked up a couple ideas for some of my projects as well. This is a good one for the plane or train. NB: has written 8 other mysteries under her own name : Camille Minichino.

    #29 - Malice in Miniature - Margaret Grace
    Really enjoyed this one! Gave it 5/5 - Geraldine Porter is a Californian Ms. Marple - a thinker! I actually resented my 'forced' reading breaks. Great summer read - btw, if you are in the mood for some summer reading, highly recommend the following in this Berkley series: Earlene Fowler (Agatha Award winner), Monica Ferris (Cruel Yule was great), Laura Childs (see other reviews) & lastly Kate Kingsbury [owner of a posh Victorian/Edwardian hotel) - usually holiday themed. I am going to re-read the 1st one in the series at the end of August to see if I need to adjust my rating on "Murder". Enjoy - just starting on the 1st 3 in the Women's murder club (Patterson) now.

    • 3 people found this helpful

    Motherless Brooklyn #76

    Posted by Bookmason, 4 years ago

    Lionel Essrog is one of the best detectives in recent fiction. He doesn't have just one tic he has hundreds. Lionel suffers from Tourette's Syndrome, though it seems at times from the prose of Mr. Lethem that it is we who suffer from being in a calmer, blander world.

    An enjoyable mystery from start to finish, elevated by Lethem's ability to make the main character so strong that you immerse yourself and look forward to the next part of Lionel tic control quest.

    If you haven't read anything by Lethem this is a great place to start. It is probably his most normal narrative, but through Lionel the story has that different dimension that makes all of Lethem's stories exceptional.

  • June & July

    Posted by Denise Nielsen, 4 years ago

    Not reading much right now. Only 3 books over the last month or so:

    43. The Whitechapel Conspiracy by Anne Perry – Nothing beats a little murder, mystery and mayhem on warm summer evenings. Enjoying the historical aspects of this series too.

    44. The Eight by Katherine Neville – Rereading and enjoying, but not as much as the first time when it was fresh and original

    45. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – read it because my 7 year old read it, and wanted to talk about it, and I had to refresh my memory. Going to reread the others now, I enjoyed it so much.

    Trying to decide if (as an Austen fan) I should satiate my curiosity and read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies..? any thoughts?

  • 7 of 50

    Posted by Robert Augustine, 4 years ago

    New Moon - Stephenie Meyer

    All I have to say is WOW. I loved how the book shocked me in the first couple of chapters and left me hanging at the end. For me it was like a big cliffhanger which made me want to read the next book in the saga to see what happens next. I have never been so involved in book reading like this before. I hope that eclipse is even better, then the first two books. I found it to be a great read.

  • Book 24 Wicked

    Posted by Ligeia, 4 years ago

    The concept of evil, and looking at different perspectives is a great theme for a story. However, I felt that Maguire spent little time showing emotions behind his characters. It was as though Elphie had no emotion at all. It made it difficult to understand what her motives were. E ven when in her perspective she was so conflicted with herself it seemed that nothing made sense. Well when the narrator doesn't have a firm grasp of what is going on - neither does the reader.
    Many things were left vague to the point where you didn't know what was happening. It was left to the reader to decide if you just read something that happened or something that was just percieved to the character to have happened.
    There were parts of this book I loved, and would want to use as excerpts to a discussion on evil and perspective but I felt the majority of this book I had to force myself to get through.
    Currently I look at the son of the witch, and confessions of an ugly step sister- both borrowed from a friend who thought I would love the other perspective that Maguire offers. I wonder whether I should give this books a chance, or just give them back. Just like the book struggles to determine a definition of what is innocence and what is evil . I currently am conflicted of whether this book is terribly good or terribly bad.

  • Books 32 - 35

    Posted by Dusty, 4 years ago

    32) Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie 3 / 5 Fantasy. Third and final book in the series. Way better than the typical run-of-the-mill fantasy novel. The author doesn't take the easy way out, populating his book with relentlessly unlikeable characters and turning even victories into bitter endings.

    33) Excavation by James Rollins 3 / 5 Great light adventure romp. Can't remember who recommended Rollins to me, but THANK YOU all the same. This one is set on an archaeological ( did I spell that right? ) dig in the South American rainforest and features lost Incan cities, piles of gold, sinister monks, danger, intrigue..etc etc etc

    34) Dog On It by Spencer Quinn 4.5 / 5 Loved this book. Light-hearted detective fiction starring Bernie and his dog Chet--told entirely from the perspective of the dog. A must-read for dog lovers.

    35) The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon 4 / 5 A sort-of sequel to one of my favorite all-time books, Shadow of the Wind. In this book, a young writer obsessed with success wins himself a patron who may or may not be the devil himself. Though only superficially linked to his first book, Angel's Game shares the same mix of atmosphere, danger, romance, and tragedy. What I missed in this book though were all the amazing characters Zafon created for Shadow of the Wind. And I was annoyed a few times when he suddenly would impose his own voice onto the characters just so he could make a little speach. Despite my nitpicking though, its a highly enjoyable book

  • #36 - The Quilter's Legacy

    Posted by Kay, 4 years ago

    Another winner!!!

  • SLOW READING IN JULY 51 - 53

    Posted by Christine L, 4 years ago

    51. THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett. This is probably one of the best books I have read this year! I LOVED IT !! Jackson, Mississippi - 1962 - "hippies" were not yet heard of - Martin Luther King was just gaining speed - segregation was the norm and violence prevailed. Everyone employed "coloured" domestics. They were allowed to raise your chldren for you, but heaven forbid they should use your bathroom or put away your silver without it being counted first. Skeeter Phelan sees the obsurdity of all this, but feels defenseless to do anything about it until she uses her greatest weapon, her writing ability. She gains the trust and cooperation of a bakers dozen of "dometics" to tell their stories in a book she hopes to publish. This book is her book. It tells the story of "the help" and those who employ them. (I listened to the audio book and the readers were AMAZING ... adding so much to the experience of the story)

    52. THE LITTLE SLEEP by Paul Tremblay. Mark Genevic is a Private Investigator with a problem. He suffers from nacrolepsy. Falling asleep during an initial meeting with a client leaves him with a racy photograph, no recollection of the context of the case and a bunch of bad guys after him. This was a fun book.

    53. THE SIDEWALK ARTIST by Gina Buonaguro and Janice Kirk. A love story within a love story intertwined by some of Raphael's art and his personal angels. Novelist Tulia Rose is sent abroad by her boyfriend so they can "work out their relationship". Wandering Paris she meets a sidewalk artist calling himself Raphael. He leads her on an adventure discovering the paintings of his namesake Raphaello Sanzio, which leads her to writing her next book. We read her novel as she writes it and live her life as she is living it. A good book for fans of historical romance with a little art history thrown in for good measure. Note: collaborating authors are both Canadian.

  • Book 61 - Always Looking Up by Michael J Fox

    Posted by Unknown User, 4 years ago

    -Message Deleted-

  • End of June, start of July, 70-75

    Posted by Bookmason, 4 years ago

    Dog gone wonderful, read this and Dog Gone It, too best dog books I've ever read.

    The first three I'd recommend, not to everyone but to people who like the type of book they are. Can't recommend the 4th to anyone and the graphic novels are older Batman but very good.

    70 - I'll Sleep When I'm Dead by Crystal Zevon - Biography of singer Warren Zevon. This one is for fans of the singer, done in an interesting format, but has gaping holes in the narrative. If you are a fan or want to know about one of the great songwriters of the last 40 years give it a try. Not pretty, but a fascinating look at a talented and troubled individual. (4 for fans, 2.5 for general public)

    71 Hell at the Breech, Tom Franklin, Tom - Wonderful tale of post civil war Alabama , a little slow to start but very true to the time and just a great story about a feud and its aftermath. Additional short story “Christians” with some of the same characters included was very good as well. Quite a different tale from other novel I read by him last year (Smonk). Will be looking for more from Mr. Franklin in the future 4/5

    72 The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein - Not my typical type of book, but Enzo and his heartbreaking tale are wonderful. As a guy I loved the racing stuff, as a dog owner I loved the dog stuff and as an old softie I loved the rest. With Dog On It, this appears to be the year of the dog (in a good way) for me this year.

    73 Empress by Karen Miller – Fantasy novel that started better then it finished, I have all three in the series but may be awhile before I get to book 2. 2.5/5

    74 Batman: Haunted Knight Loeb & Sale GN Three good Halloween related Batman stories. Enjoyable reads all. Sets up the longer graphic novel collection - The Long Halloween (which I haven't read yet). 3.0

    75 Batman: Dark Victory Loeb & Sale GN Good retelling of how early Batman, relationships with some of his friends and enemies and the arrival of Robin (Dick Grayson). 3.5

    • Franklin writes the about the south as well as anyone since Faulkner in this tale of a feud gone wrong.

    • Written for fans of the singer. Not many punches pulled, but a bit to episodic to get a full feel for his life.

    #35 - The Runaway Quilt

    Posted by Kay, 4 years ago

    Yes, I am still hooked on this series. I am hoping to finish it off during my vacation - I believe that there are three more books to go. The story of the friendship of these women fills me with different emotions. They see each other through the good times and bad times. They welcome new friends and cherish the old friends. This particular book talks about quilting and its place in the US pre civil war. I found that quite interesting and look forward to researching a bit more about the underground railway.

  • #16 - Hold tight - Harland Coben

    Posted by Valerie Fitzpatrick, 4 years ago

    Fantastic. I just recently discovered this author and this is the second book by him that I have read. He is a really great mystery writer....pschycologial thriller type of read. Looking forward to his new book "Long Lost".

    • 1 person found this helpful

    #15 - The Duchess - Amanda Foreman

    Posted by Valerie Fitzpatrick, 4 years ago

    A good read...a bit detailed. I found the movie better. An interesting story.

  • Book 60 - Lucky Man - Michael J Fox (on audiobooks)

    Posted by Unknown User, 4 years ago

    -Message Deleted-

  • Book 59 - Sundays At Tiffany's by James Patterson

    Posted by Unknown User, 4 years ago

    -Message Deleted-

    Book 58 - Grand Finale by Janet Evanovich

    Posted by Unknown User, 4 years ago

    -Message Deleted-

  • #26- Choke by Chuck Palahniuk

    Posted by Christine, 4 years ago

    I feel like I have something stuck in my throat as I sit here wondering what can I say about this book. The first thing that comes to my mind is that one should not judge a book by its cover. I am a health professional worker and when I crossed this book at Chapters some while ago, I quickly walked passed it, for I thought "Nah! anatomy and health...I'll pass". Well, a coworker literally threw this book down my throat and ask that I read it. She warned me about it being really "different". It is. The author had me hooked from the "second" page because I slammed it closed after reading its first sentence: "If you are going to read this, don't bother". Hence, let us go back to its picture on the cover. The muscular anatomy of a man. mmmm!!! The main anatomy involved here is mostly the brain itself-oh yeah, there is a lot of sex in it too hence you now can imagine the other body parts. Chuck Palahniuk's writings use a limited vocabulary and short sentences to mimic the way that an average person telling a story would talk which I have to say annoyed me at times. I found the whole story a little disturbing but yet once in a while, I'll find myself immersed in these type of stories. It has made me less afraid of patient's in the psych ward for these stories help me in understanding what most of "normal" society label a "sick" or "ill" mind. I would give this book a 3.5/5

  • #6- Eggs by Jerry Spinelli

    Posted by Hannah, 4 years ago

    Eggs by Jerry Spinelli

    This book was an o-kay book. It caught my attention at the beginning, but then it kind of went down-words. I was surprised and the book was very strange. I heard Jerry Spinelli was a very interesting author and after reading this book, I had to agree. I would like to read a different book by him. I have no idea of I recommend it or not. It's unusual....ahaha :)

  • Betty's June list, only 3 (sigh)

    Posted by Betty in Smithers, 4 years ago

    The Gnostic Mystery

    Amid a crazy month of June I only managed 3 books (with the first part of July just as nuts, I'm finally getting June posted):

    Three very different books:
    38 The Gnostic Mystery by Randy Davila : historical political and religious combination of fact and fiction. Full review to come. I found it quite interesting and keeping in mind it is a novel still found it interesting historically.

    39 Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen - what can I say... Truly magical fantasy, and I love the apple tree! Reviewed on my profile or my blog: nightreader-bookblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/garden-spells-novel.html

    40 The Stone Gods by Jeanette Winterson - Circles in circles, which is the beginning and which is the end?
    What would we do if we found a new world? Is there any good answer to this question? Would any group come to agreement? Would the answer be based on greed? The question is asked via example in this quixotic, fascinating story of "Post-3 War"... Amazing and horrifyingly possible, this book is whimsical and highly imaginative sci-fi, history, eco-horror, and passion all rolled together in one great story. Full review on my profile and blog: nightreader-bookblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/stone-gods-by-jeanette-winterson.html

    • 1 person found this helpful

    The National Book Foundation

    Posted by ChrisM, 4 years ago

    To celebrate the 60th year of the National Book Awards, the National Book Foundation will present a book-a-day blog on the Fiction winners from 1950 to 2008.

    www.nationalbook.org/nba77fictionwinners.html

    I thought that was pretty cool. The blogging has begun- but we're only a few days behind.

  • Top Ten Book Web sites

    Posted by ChrisM, 4 years ago

    By Mike Peake

    Literature is thriving on the web. It’s not just for sale on mega-sites such as Amazon either, but being swapped, analysed and recommended by fellow bookworms. You can download page after page of free material, post your work online and — dare we say it — even catch the eye of a publisher.

    technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article6684717.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=1063742
    ...

    1 DailyLit.com

    Fancy a daily dose of literature? Just sign up, select a book (the emphasis is on out-of-copyright classics, and most are free), then set aside a few minutes a day to read the pages the site e-mails to you at whatever time you choose. The text is readable on a computer and most mobile devices.


    2 Shelfari.com

    Described as a “social network for people who love books”, this site consists of a lot of people cataloguing the books they have on their shelves then indulging in some lively literary banter. I'm in Shelfari . For a similar proposition, check out LibraryThing.com. I have one of those as well but don't use it anymore.


    3 RareBookRoom.org

    You’ll probably never get your hands on a first-edition Shakespeare, but this is the next-best thing: 400 priceless literary treasures scanned in ultra high-resolution, now yours to peruse online.


    4 FreeBookSpot.com

    A goldmine of downloadable textbooks, saved as PDFs, meaning that unlike most electronic book formats, the diagrams and illustrations are preserved. Most take less than 60 seconds to download over broadband.


    5 Authonomy.com

    Launched last year by HarperCollins, the publisher, this site allows aspiring authors to upload their novels and have them read — and judged — by fellow members. It has already identified some up-and-coming talent, and the best offerings are now being printed.


    6 Books.google.com

    Also known as Google Book Search, this is a gateway to all manner of free book and magazine content, much of it downloadable. The search function is particularly strong, and is able to pull up specific text buried in any of the umpteen-million pages the company has scanned to date.


    7 Blurb.com

    Got a book in you? Use Blurb’s free software to lay it out, then upload it, and the site will make it into a real paperback, with prices starting at around a fiver.


    8 BookCrossing.com

    BookCrossing is the practice of leaving a book you’ve read for someone else to pick up by following your online directions. Nearly 800,000 people in 130 countries are involved.


    9 LibriVox.org

    This is the home of free, downloadable audiobooks — mainly classics and read by volunteers. It may be the only way you get to hear Dickens read in a Liverpool accent.


    10 Goodreads.com

    Described as “the world’s largest reading room”, the site is home to an active and well-informed community of bookworms.


    ****
    Do you have a favourite book-related site (other than this one, of course!)

    Keeping on reading! 51 - 55

    Posted by Cathy, 4 years ago

    51. Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder -by Ann Rule
    Ann Rule never disappoints true crime readers. These true stories recount marriages gone terribly wrong.

    52. Metro Girl -by Janet Evanovich
    Light, funny - typical Evanovich.

    53. Katie.com -by Katherine Tarbox
    True story written by the victim of an internet pedophile in the early days of AOL. Her story is tame compared to what we hear about now, but it shows how even a less serious incident can have far reaching effects.

    54. Don’t be that Guy -by Colin Nissan and Sean Farrell
    An easy read from the humour section. Often funny, sometimes disturbing.

    55. The Birth House -by Ami McKay
    Canadian fiction set in World War 1, this book is about women’s issues and medicine, taking a slice of the life of a rural midwife; nicely written and well researched.

  • Book 57 - What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flyan

    Posted by Unknown User, 4 years ago

    -Message Deleted-

    • 2 people found this helpful

    Book 23- The Virgin's Lover by Phillipa Gregory

    Posted by Ligeia, 4 years ago

    The end of the Tudor series. Elizabeth is such a rich character to write about. Gregory's stories thus far have had their slow parts. This book had no part that wasn't necessary . It was filled with such passion and intrigue. Plus her ending was fabulous.
    Those who like Robert Dudley, or the idea of love maybe not being enough would like this book. It is not a romance , or a comedy, or a drama but encompasses all of these themes.

  • Book 31: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

    Posted by Midnight Sunrise, 4 years ago

    Pretty good. It was very confusing at the beginning, but it got exciting around the middle and the ending was a shocker.

  • 4th OCTET

    Posted by Booktasia, 4 years ago

    25. Matilda – Roald Dahl – 4/5 – Children

    Great book about children and how they cope with mean adults. Loved it

    26. Twits – Roald Dahl – 4/5 – Children

    The Twits are really strange people. However, they get what’s coming to them in the end.

    27. Double Act – Jacqueline Wilson – 4/5 – Youth

    The twins, that do everything together, are planning to go to the exclusive boarding school to get away from their new step-mother.

    28. Vicky Angel – Jacqueline Wilson – 4/5 – Youth

    The story of how Jade, copes with the death of her best friend Vicky. However, Vicky comes back as a ghost and then the fun begins. Jade has to learn now to deal with Vicky’s ghost.

    29. Wishes for You – Deborah Zemke – 5/5 – Child 2-5

    I thought this was a beautiful book both the story and illustrations. The kids love the flaps and the mystery of what comes next. A story about a parent’s love and wishes for their child.

    30. American Pie – Michael Lee West - 4/5 – Chick Lit

    Freddie, Eleanor and Jo-Nell McBroom are three very different Southern sisters. When marine biologist Freddie McBroom fled Tallulah, Tenn. (after an unfortunate incident involving a stolen heart and gallbladder that got her booted from med school), she swore she'd never return. But now her rowdy sister Jo-Nell, after drinking just a bit too much tequila at the Starlight Lounge, has been hit by the midnight train. Reluctantly, Freddie decides to return home, leaving her husband, Sam, and his blonde, bikini-wearing assistant at their research site in Baja California. Ridiculous disasters have stalked the family for a while now. Read the events afflicting the family and how they are handled.

    31. She Flew the Coop – Michael Lee West - 5/5 - Chick Lit

    Another winner from Michael Lee West. Many personalities are involved from the small town Anywhere, USA. Events both tragic and unsavoury are all abound in Limoge. The story is staged in the 1950’s where people know secrets. A great mix of wry humour and humanity and how people deal with events affecting their lives.


    32. Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White – 5/5 - Child +5

    This book was really great. How the runt piglet survives against all odds. The story shows how animals care and watch out for each other. It also talks about life events and how these events can be handled.

    Part of the BBC top 100 Books of All Time Apr 2003

  • #5- Anne of Green Gables

    Posted by Hannah, 4 years ago

    Anne of Green Gables

    Last night, I finished Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery and it was amazing! But, at the end, I wanted to cry, but I didn't! Hehe
    Anyways, the book is really good and the book has ups and downs like, there are very emotional parts in the book, and many surprises and then there is very happy and exciting parts in the book. I guess, you could say most books are like that, but this one had a lot.
    But besides that the book was great. I love reading classics. They're beautiful stories to read.

    #34 - The Cross-Country Quilter

    Posted by Kay, 4 years ago

    This is the third book in the series and I enjoyed it as much as the first two. It is hard to put my finger on my love for these stories but I know that in reading them I feel like I have met old, cherished friends. What better therapy in a busy world then a circle of friends and the craft that brought them together. Can't wait to start the fourth - very unusual for me to read a series one book right after the other. I am ordering the Return to Elm Creek and can't wait to see the patterns and begin quilting again.

  • 56 - People of the Book

    Posted by Unknown User, 4 years ago

    -Message Deleted-

  • Books 11 to 19

    Posted by Susan Nojonen, 4 years ago

    Yes I have been reading, but have not seemed to have the time to post. So here goes (it is a good thing I keep a book diary)
    11. The Chardonnay Charade by Ellen Crosby. I really don't understand why I stayed with book. At times there seemed to be to much going on and other times it dragged
    12. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I loves this book and hated the ending' (nothing more to say and yet lots to say)
    13. Three to get Deadly by Janet Evanovich( audio) Nice and fluffy. However now I have to Read the next four in the series (bought them on sale)
    14. A Fine Place for Death by Ann Granger. This was quite good and moved along nicely
    15. Leaving Ireland by Ann Moore This is the second in the series. reading anything about the Irish famine times makes me angry and sad. It also sends my back to searching my personal history.
    16. Knitting Bones by Monica Ferris This I read while I was In South Carolina on holiday. A little different for her but perfect for the beach.
    17. The Collectors by David Baldacci ( audio)
    18. Stone Cold by David Baldacci ( audio) Totally hooked on this series I have the next one waiting.
    19 . Defend and Betray by Anne Perry. This author handles very delicatesubjects in the Victorian age very well, Monk is a fabulous charactor

  • No Way, No How, Not Ever?

    Posted by Nicchic, 4 years ago

    I saw this question on GoodReads and thought it would be a great question for our group.

    I would never read any of Anne Rice's vampire novels...my brother was obsessed with them while we growing up and would talk about them all the time and I got tired of hearing about "how awesome they were". I never got into the whole vampire thing...I'm sure a lot of people would call me crazy but give me straight thrillers, true crime or gory murder mysteries any day...

    Who or what is your No Way, No How, Not Ever?

    • 1 person found this helpful

    Books # 10 & 11

    Posted by Brittney Thiessen, 4 years ago

    The two newest books that I have finally gotten the chance to read are: Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris and Really Unusual Bad Boys by MaryJanice Davidson. I really enjoyed both of them, but I did enjoy the newest Sookie book better. Really Unusual Bad Boys is a novel that is split into three parts, although each has the same characters except for a new woman being added each part. It takes place in another world called the Sandlands with three shapeshifting princes, with each falling in love with a woman from this world but each woman is from a different time, past, present, and future. And Dead and Gone takes place more around Sookie, her new-found family and the publicity of the shapeshifters, and a war that once again has Sookie stuck in the middle of it.

    Book 55 - T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton

    Posted by Unknown User, 4 years ago

    -Message Deleted-

  • #33 - Round Robin

    Posted by Kay, 4 years ago

    This is the second book in the Elmcreek Quilters series. I don't know how to express how much I like this series - it is like going home to visit a cherished friend and together making new memories - it is a warm, comfortable feeling of appreciation for your friendship (boy does that sound sappy). This book follows the lives of the members of the newly formed Elmcreek Quilters group. It starts two years from where the story finished in the first book. A couple of new members are introduced. The story is a simple one - great to curl up with this book. The description of the quilt making allows your imagination to take over so you can visualize the quilt. It also shows the stories that a quilt may tell. I have already started the next book in the series. I do enjoy series but very seldom will I read them one right after another. This is not the case with this series and I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the series..

    • 1 person found this helpful

    Book 30: Hunger by Michael Grant

    Posted by Midnight Sunrise, 4 years ago

    Sooooo goooooodddd!!!
    I love this book. Sam and his friends' adventures continue in this breathtaking sequel to Gone.
    Food is running scarce, and there has been talk about cannibalism. Now the Darkness is starting to seep into the kids' minds, and it has a deadly plan slowly forming.
    Better than the first book! A must read!!

    #4 Breaking Dawn

    Posted by Hannah, 4 years ago

    So, I finally got to finish Breaking Dawn today. It's took about 2 months to read it since it didn't really catch my interest at first. I was surprised when there was no battle in the book and was a bit disappointed because it just makes you want to read more i find, but still the book was really good like the rest of the books. I do recommend reading the Twilight series because they're are full of action and surprises that some people would never imagine, (me!), and they are just great books.

  • 33 to 36

    Posted by Lisa Voss, 4 years ago

    I thought I'd be a little further along with the number of books I've read but I seem to be on the same pace as last year which is fine. I've enjoyed these last ones so hopefully I'm on a roll...

    33. Darling Jim - Christian Moerk. 3 women are found dead in their house under very mysterious circumstances that may never be known. Then Niall, a mailman, discovers a diary written by one of the women in the post office's dead letter bin. The diary tells a love story and draws Niall into the world of the women and Darling Jim. This is a dark tale of love and obsession. I liked it and would definitely recommend it.

    34. Raven Black - Ann Cleeves. This is the first of a quartet of mysterious set in the Shetlands with Jimmy Perez as the main character. In this one a young teenage girl is found murdered in a field and all clues point to the possibly mentally challenged man living near by. I'm not going to add anything more about the story except to say I liked this very much. The setting is great and the characters are well developed and likeable.

    35. White Nights - Ann Cleves. This is the second of the quartet. This time an Englishman shows up in town for an art exhibition claiming not to know who he is. Shortly after he is found dead. Was it murder or suicide. Then a local musician turns up dead and Jimmy Perez is convinced it someone from his town. I liked this too and would recommend it.

    36. Red Bones by Ann Cleeves. I don't have to say its the 3rd! I'm disappointed that now I'll have to wait for the last one. This time one of Jimmy's colleagues' relatives is killed in an unfortunate accident after bones are found on her property by an archeologist. Jimmy unearths old family rivalries and secrets along with a murderer. Again - good mystery. I think I'll pick up some other Ann Cleeves books while waiting for the final in the quartet.

    • 4 people found this helpful

    #21 In the Company of the Courtesan, Sarah Dunant

    Posted by Eileen, 4 years ago

    Colourful historical fiction

    Historical fiction set in 16th century Venice. After their comfortable Roman home is sacked by invading German protestants, courtesan Fiammetta and her dwarf servant / business partner Bucino must build a new life in Venice.

    Bucino the dwarf is a great character - cynical and smart with an observer's eye for all the details of life in the city. When he finally falls in love himself he starts an unlucky and tragic chain of events.

    A nice way to learn more about sixteenth century Italy with a perspective of a less privileged class which had to survive by their wits and their courage.

    • 2 people found this helpful

    next 3

    Posted by Virginia, 4 years ago

    i'm starting a trilogy, so i thought it'd be a good idea to post these 3 before i get into that;P

    56/115 the Harp of the Grey Rose by Charles de Lint
    this guy is a master! Really, i don't think he has a bad book:P another brilliant but easy to read book:)

    57/115 Voice of Crow by Jeri Smith-Ready
    a good middle of a trilogy. i really like the development of the characters in this one, and the various ways they deal with their problems. i like the blurring of the lines between enemy and ally. now i just have to wait for the next one to come into the library:P (oddly, the library had this classified as christian fiction. i asked them about it and they just took the sticker off:P i don't think their categorist [i think i made a word?] read it:P)

    58/115 Gaits of Heaven by Susan Conant
    i read one by her in February on a plane and didn't think it was bad, but this i did not enjoy. i find her narrative style very disruptive, and i find her dog info unnecessary. Some is good, but this got redundant *and* superfluous. i won't bother with her work again.

    new group

    Posted by Virginia, 4 years ago

    hi guys, i hope this is ok. I jsut started a group for fans of Charles de Lint, so if you're interested, please join. It's called Fans of Charles de Lint (creative, i know):)

  • Meta List is for meta nerds I think!

    Posted by Charity, 4 years ago

    2. 1984
    6. Invisible Man
    10. Divine Comedy
    16. Gone with the Wind
    19. Catch 22
    23. Brave New World
    37. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
    47. Paradise Lost
    49. Hamlet
    50. King Lear
    51. Othello
    67. As I Lay Dying
    74. Charlotte's Web
    75. Heart of Darkness
    76. Night
    84. His Dark Materials

    Wow, only 16? I feel like Divine Comedy and His Dark Materials should have counted for 3 each. I didn't count Lord of the Rings because I only read one of those. And thank heavens for the inclusion of the younger reader titles!

    Oh, and Chris, I completely agree with your vampire theory. Twilight has brought about a new wave of vampire fans but Buffy did the same thing more than 10 years earlier, and better too. Incidentally, I'm currently watching the whole series on DVD. In fact, I am watching Innocence right now!

  • #34, 35 and 36

    Posted by Charity, 4 years ago

    #34 is for Z
    The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
    This is one of those books that I had intended to read for such a long time and I only now got around to it. Very good! Narrated by Death, it is a tale of World War 2 unlike many others. If you enjoyed Boy in the Striped Pyjamas you should pick up this title.

    #35 is for D
    The Mystery of Grace by Charles de Lint
    Firstly, I should state that names that have de or von such as "de Lint" or "de Cervantes" or "von Trapp" are listed under the first word. So de Lint, is a D author. I have wanted to read something by de Lint for a while now, and especially after reading some of the positive reviews here on this site. I chose this title simply because I got lost in all of titles that seemed interconnected and based in the same town. I felt sure that this book would not leave me wondering if I was missing something. I also related to the main character Grace as she is covered in tattoos and she often finds herself dealing with people judging her based on her skin. An interesting look at what happens to us after we die, and an ending that will just leave you scratching your head in wonder.

    #36 is for F
    The Fire Gospel by Michel Faber
    When an egotistical archeologist stumbles across a collection of scrolls from the time of Jesus he has dreams of fame and fortune as he brings this gift to the masses. What he is unprepared for is the reaction of the masses to a gospel that provides more questions than answers about the Christian faith. This is part of the myth series and seems to be loosely based on the myth of Prometheus bringing fire to humans and the consequences he faces.

    An alphabetical update! Here are the letters I have read so far.
    A C D E F K X Y Z which is 9 out of 26, just slightly short of one third of the way there!

  • Books 18, 19 and 20

    Posted by BookThia, 4 years ago

    18. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. What's not to love? Romance, politics, murder, war, religion, architecture, family dynamics -- this book has it all. I loved every minute of its 800-plus pages.

    19. Vanished by Mary McGarry Morris. This was given to me by a friend. I don't want to spoil it for other readers -- it is not a happy book. And the ending ... gah. I wish it ended one chapter earlier. Those chapters that make you rethink the entire novel that has gone before through different eyes. A clever literary ploy -- but not one I enjoy very often. And I'm not sure it worked here...

    20. The Other Side of the Story by Marian Keyes. Because after those two books I needed something light and fun. This was my first Keyes novel, but I will read more. She manages to be light while still having some substance. I like that.

  • Book 29: Vacations from Hell by 5 Different Authors

    Posted by Midnight Sunrise, 4 years ago

    These are short stories written by Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Claudia Gray, Maureen Johnson and Sarah Mlynowski.
    They were pretty well written, and my favourite is The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson because it was the most believable.

    • 2 people found this helpful

    Book 22 The Queen's Fool PhillipaGregory

    Posted by Ligeia, 4 years ago

    Unlike her previous books dealing with the Tudors, this book is from the perspective of a Jewish girl with the sight named Hannah Verde aka Hannah Green. I like that Phillipa's writting remained historically accurate, even though a royal holy fool named Hannah Verde never existed. This character allowed for insight on the life of Edward, Mary and Elizabeth Tudor.
    I found it harder to read then the previous ones. It seemed that the cruelty and corruption just leaked through every pages- there was very few moments in the book where I felt joy for my characters. This is accurate to the time but can be difficult.
    Also, I am a large fan of supernatural books. That being said I found it hard to accept that Queen Mary, known for killing heretics would employ and intrust someone who has visions- and predicted the future (and NEVER a happy one).
    There is one more book in this series, as they are running out of Tudor women.

    • 1 person found this helpful

    #32 - The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini

    Posted by Kay, 4 years ago

    I picked up this book this morning and have not been able to put it down. I will be buying the next book in the series tomorrow. I used to belong to a quilting bee and this book brought so many memories back and reminded me how much I loved quilting. I am sure that anybody who quilts and belongs to a bee or guild has experienced some of the feelings that this book so aptly describes. I love the introduction that shows all the squares used in the sampler quilt. I do believe that the main character, Sarah seemed to pick up technique very quickly but it is only a 200 page book. I laughed reading about the snack table - it is so true - I remember all the home baked treats and the drink , treat and some great conversations before the quilting started. Thoroughly enjoyed this book!!!!

  • END OF JUNE 47 - 50

    Posted by Christine L, 4 years ago

    Well, it seems many of us slowed down on the book consumption with the warm weather, so I respectfully add myself to that list. My books for the last half of June.

    47. THE CHARLEMAGNE PERSUIT by Steve Berry. I usually like Berry's books and conspiracy theories, but found that by the end of this book I didn't care what happened anymore. It almost tries to hard to include too much, so even good old Cotton Malone couldn't save it for me. As hard as it tried, I had to try harder to get to the last page.

    48. LIFE STUDIES by Susan Vreeland. I like Vreeland books because I like art. She always takes an artist or a painting and writes a work of fiction around it, including lots of art history. This one was a little different in that she wrote short stories about various artists from the perspective of another person in their lives, sometimes a family member and sometimes just a friend of employee. Having the artist be the minor character was unique and I enjoyed all the stories.

    49. THE FOREST LOVER by Sue Miller. This was a wonderful book. The story told by one of the characters, the youngest child of a divorced couple living in the Nappa Valley. As we listen in to her conversation with her therapist when she is an adult, she comments on the divorce of her parents, her mother's remarriage and subsequent widowhood, her affair with an older family friend and the redemption of having family around you. I enjoyed being along for her ride.

    50. LIVES OF THE ARTISTS: MASTERPIECES, MESSES AND WHAT THE NEIGHBOURS THOUGHT by Kathleen Krull. I almost hesitate to use this as my 50th book, but I did read it, so ... its a YA book about famous artists. I picked it up because I wanted to see how someone explains artists ranging from the Rennaisance through the Modernists to a young fan. It was a good introduction to artists for a young person, and the author did not gloss over some of the more tawdry aspects of some of the artists. Good effort.

  • My Ranking on Newsweek's Meta-List

    Posted by Wendy Middleton, 4 years ago

    Thanks again, Chris, for finding yet another list of the top books ever. As always there is a bias here that skews the list. Since Newsweek is an American publication, there are some rather obscure American titles, which may be present as much for political correctness reasons as anything else.

    I devised a scoring list for myself where I gave myself a full mark for books I had read entirely, and a half mark for works I had read part of (even though I have read only one-twelfth of Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past, I must confess.) I ended up with a score of 53.5/100.

    What I found odd was the bunching of certain types of books. The first twenty-five were mostly novels and great epics, and I scored 20/25 on that section. The next section began with a lot of histories and philosophical works and I only began noting books again when it reached some novels at the end. Most of the third quarter were novels again, and I had read many. The fourth quarter had a lot of books considered American classics, yet I had read few of those.

    Of this list the 48 books I have read entirely are:

    1. War and Peace
    2. Nineteen Eighty-Four
    4. Lolita
    5. The Sound and the Fury
    7. To the Lighthouse
    9. Pride and Prejudice
    13. Middlemarch
    14. Things Fall Apart
    15. The Catcher in the Rye
    16. Gone with the Wind
    17. One Hundred Years of Solitude
    18. The Great Gatsby
    19. Catch-22
    20. Beloved
    21. The Grapes of Wrath
    22. Midnight's Children
    23. Brave New World
    24. Mrs. Dalloway
    35. Lord of the Rings
    36. Winnie-the-Pooh
    37. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
    38. A Passage to India
    40. To Kill a Mockingbird
    42. A Clockwork Orange
    43. Light in August
    45. The Wide Sargasso Sea
    48. Anna Karenina
    49. Hamlet
    50. King Lear
    51. Othello
    54. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
    56. Frankenstein
    57. The Song of Solomon
    58. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
    60. Slaughterhouse Five
    61. Animal Farm
    62. Lord of the Flies
    67. As I Lay Dying
    70. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
    71. Sons and Lovers
    74. Charlotte's Web
    75. Heart of Darkness
    76. Night
    84. His Dark Materials
    90. Brideshead Revisited
    93. Lord Jim
    96. The Wind in the Willows
    99. The Color Purple

    In addition I have read parts of Ulysses, The Iliad and The Odyssey, The Canterbury Tales, The Bible, Madame Bovary, Paradise Lost, Shakespeare's Sonnets, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Remembrance of Things Past and Freud's Interpretation of Dreams.

    John Kenneth Galbraith is the closest to being a Canadian author on the list. Where are Margaret Atwood, Alice Munro, Robertson Davies and Mordecai Richler? How can the works of William Shakespeare be ranked 49, 50 and 51? Why is The Wide Sargasso Sea at 45 when Jane Eyre, on which it is based, not represented at all?

    I think that the purpose of lists like these are not to measure how individual readers rate, but to provide fodder for debate.

  • Vampire Fiction

    Posted by ChrisM, 4 years ago

    Salon. com has posted an interesting article about vampire-fiction...
    www.salon.com/books/feature/2009/06/23/vampire_fiction/index.html

    I'd like to posit that Buffy the Vampire Slayer renewed interest in the genre when it debuted back in '92...the show, I'm talking about- not the dreadful movie version. For the last decade and a half, then, vampire fic has flown off the shelves- even stuff as trite (sorry those of you who are fans!) as Twilight.

    I am a fan of vampire fiction and have been all my life...an interest my mother cultivated back when I was a preteen and she used to take us to all those Christopher Lee horror films which, as I recall, they showed in the church basement.

    I know vampire stuff doesn't appeal to everyone...but if you do read it, I'd love to hear about some of your favourite books in the genre.

    And on that note...I promise not to clog up your inboxes anymore today.

    Happy Canada Day!

    How the list was compiled...

    Posted by ChrisM, 4 years ago

    A Note on Methodology
    How We Compiled NEWSWEEK's Top 100 Books: The Meta-List

    We began by selecting 10 separate lists of best books that we thought represented an eclectic mix of readers' tastes, not just a narrow Great Books of the Western World canon. To be considered, the list had to be of books that were either originally written in English or books that had been translated into English. The lists we selected range from the highly erudite (the St. John's College reading list) to the much more accessible (Oprah's Book Club and Wikipedia's list of the bestselling books of all time). Some of the lists only featured novels, while others included a mix of fiction and nonfiction. Some contained only 20th-century works, while others reached all the way back to the beginnings of Western civilization. Our goal was to take into consideration a range of factors—including a book's impact on history, intellectual contribution to our culture, modern relevance, and enduring popularity. It was meant not to be a comprehensive list of the best books ever, but rather a reflection of the passions and judgments of smart readers and critics of our time.

    The complete list of 10 previously published lists that we drew upon includes The Telegraph’s 110 best books/The Perfect Library, The Guardian’s top 100 books, Oprah’s Book Club, the St. John’s College reading list, Wikipedia’s list of all-time bestsellers, the New York Public Library’s books of the century, the Radcliffe Publishing Course’s list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century, The Modern Library’s 100 best novels and 100 best works of nonfiction, Time’s 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present, and NEWSWEEK’s own list of current top 50 choices, which is being published this week.

    Once all the lists were selected and the titles entered into a database, we devised a weighting system so that each individual title would be scored equally, no matter whether it came from a long list or a short list, a list of only fiction or a mix of genres, or whether the list included only books written in the 20th century or titles that went back much further in time. The weighting adjusted for these individual differences between lists. In the final result, the book with the highest combined score is ranked No. 1 on our list, the second is ranked No. 2, and so on down the list. In the case of ties—of which there were many—we broke the tie by awarding the higher ranking to the book returning the greater number of Google results, when a search was done by author and title.

    In our meta-ranking, we note which books were recommended on which list or lists. If you click through to the individual lists, you'll see where each book falls on that respective list (although some of the book lists from which we drew were not ranked in order and some were, which we took into consideration in assigning each book a rank).

    Peter W. Bernstein, Annalyn Swan (ASAP Media)
    Statistical Analysis: Courtney Kennedy
    Research: Emmelyn Stevens

    ASAP Media, founded in 2003 by longtime editors Peter W. Bernstein and Annalyn Swan, specializes in creating books and magazine special issues. The company has also worked extensively on internet development.

    Time for another list, part 5

    Posted by ChrisM, 4 years ago

    80. An American Tragedy (F) The classic depiction of the harsh realities of American life, the dark side of the American Dream, and one man's doomed pursuit of...
    Theodore Dreiser 1925 Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    81. The Day of the Locust (F) "Somehow or other I seem to have slipped in between all the 'schools,' " observed Nathanael West the year before his untimely death...
    Nathanael West 1939 NYPL, Modern Library, Time

    82. Tropic of Cancer (F) Banned in America for almost thirty years because of its explicit sexual content, this companion volume to Miller's Tropic of...
    Henry Miller 1934 Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    83. The Maltese Falcon (F) Sam Spade, a slightly shop-worn private eye with his own solitary code of ethics, stars in Hammett's detective fiction, a novel...
    Dashiell Hammett 1930 The Telegraph, Radcliffe, Modern Library

    84. His Dark Materials (F) Published in 40 countries, Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy ' The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber...
    Philip Pullman 1995 The Telegraph, Wikipedia

    85. Death Comes for the Archbishop (F) Willa Cather's best known novel; a narrative that recounts a life lived simply in the silence of the southwestern desert.
    Willa Cather 1927 Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    86. The Interpretation of Dreams (NF) Freud's Revolutionary Theory: This ground-breaking work, which Freud considered his most valuable, forever changed the way we...
    Sigmund Freud 1900 The Telegraph, NYPL

    87. The Education of Henry Adams (NF) A scion of the famous Adams family of American statesmen, historian Henry Adams was more drawn to scholarship than to politics. His...
    Henry Adams 1918 NYPL, Modern Library

    88. Quotations from Chairman Mao (NF) Comrade Mao Tse-tung is the greatest Marxist-Leninist of our era. He has inherited, defended and developed Marxism-Leninism with...
    Mao Zedong 1964 Wikipedia, NYPL

    89. The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature (NF) After completing his monumental work, The Principles of Psychology, William James turned his attention to serious consideration of...
    William James 1902 NYPL, Modern Library

    90. Brideshead Revisited (F) Evelyn Waugh's best-loved novel and the basis for the PBS television production, Brideshead Revisited, the epic story of a great...
    Evelyn Waugh 1945 Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    91. Silent Spring (NF) First published by Houghton Mifflin in 1962, Silent Spring alerted a large audience to the environmental and human dangers of...
    Rachel Carson 1962 NYPL, Modern Library

    92. The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money (NF) Keynes profoundly influenced the New Deal and created the basis for classic economic theory. 'I can think of no single book that...
    John Maynard Keynes 1936 NYPL, Modern Library

    93. Lord Jim (F) A bold young English sailor has despised himself ever since an impulsive moment of cowardice. Jim moves East to Patusan, where...
    Joseph Conrad 1900 NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library

    94. Goodbye to All That (NF) In this autobiography, first published in 1929, poet Robert Graves traces the monumental and universal loss of innocence that...
    Robert Graves 1929 The Telegraph, Modern Library

    95. The Affluent Society (NF) Galbraith's classic on the "economics of abundance" is, in the words of the New York Times, "a compelling challenge to conventional...
    John Kenneth Galbraith 1958 NYPL, Modern Library

    96. The Wind in the Willows (F) This is the much-loved classic tales of Ratty, Mole, Badger and Toad. When Mole goes boating with Ratty instead of doing his...
    Kenneth Grahame 1908 The Telegraph, Wikipedia, Radcliffe

    97. The Autobiography of Malcolm X (NF) If there was any one man who articulated the anger, the struggle, and the beliefs of African Americans in the 1960s, that man was...
    Alex Haley and Malcolm X 1965 NYPL, Modern Library

    98. Eminent Victorians (NF) An unparalleled manifesto for the modern biographer, Strachey's razor-sharp essays about 4 prominent Victorians brought him...
    Lytton Strachey 1918 The Telegraph, Modern Library

    99. The Color Purple (F) Celie is a poor black woman whose letters tell the story of 20 years of her life, beginning at age 14 when she is being abused and...
    Alice Walker 1982 NYPL, Radcliffe

    100. The Second World War (The Gathering Storm; Their Finest Hour; The Grand Alliance; The Hinge of Fate; (NF) Churchill's six-volume history of World War II -- the definitive work, remarkable both for its sweep and for its sense of personal...
    Winston Churchill 1948 NYPL, Modern Library

    Time for another list, part 4

    Posted by ChrisM, 4 years ago

    61. Animal Farm (F) Mr. Jones, of the Manor Farm, had locked the henhouses for the night, but was too drunk to remember to shut the pop-holes. With the...
    George Orwell 1945 Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    62. Lord of the Flies (F) The story that never grows old... Lord of the Flies remains as provocative today as when it was first published in 1954,...
    William Golding 1954 Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    63. In Cold Blood (NF) On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts...
    Truman Capote 1965 NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library

    64. The Golden Notebook (F) Anna is a writer, author of one very successful novel, who now keeps four notebooks. In one, with a black cover, she reviews the...
    Doris Lessing 1962 The Guardian, NYPL, Time

    65. Remembrance of Things Past (F) Marcel Proust (1871-1922) spent the last fourteen years of his life writing A la recherche du temps perdu. It is an intimate epic,...
    Marcel Proust 1913 The Telegraph, The Guardian, NYPL

    66. The Big Sleep (F) When a dying millionaire hires Philip Marlowe to handle the blackmailer of one of his two troublesome daughters, Marlowe finds...
    Raymond Chandler 1939 The Telegraph, NYPL, Time

    67. As I Lay Dying (F) One of William Faulkner's finest novels, As I Lay Dying was originally published in 1930, and remains a captivating and...
    William Faulkner 1930 Oprah's Book Club, Radcliffe, Modern Library

    68. The Sun Also Rises (F) The quintessential novel of the Lost Generation, The Sun Also Rises is one of Ernest Hemingway's masterpieces and a classic example...
    Ernest Hemingway 1926 Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    69. I, Claudius (F) Considered an idiot because of his physical infirmities, Claudius survived the intrigues and poisonings of the reigns of Augustus,...
    Robert Graves 1934 The Telegraph, Modern Library, Time

    70. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (F) With the publication of her first novel, THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER, Carson McCullers, all of twenty-three, became a literary ...
    Carson McCullers 1940 Oprah's Book Club, Modern Library, Time

    71. Sons and Lovers (F) Sons and Lovers is a highly autobiographical and compelling portrayal of childhood, adolescence, and the price of family bonds....
    D. H. Lawrence 1913 The Guardian, Radcliffe, Modern Library

    72. All the King's Men (F) Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, this classic book is generally regarded as the finest novel ever written on american politics. It...
    Robert Penn Warren 1946 Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    73. Go Tell It on the Mountain (F) James Baldwin's portrayal of black people in Harlem caught up in a dramatic struggle, and of a society confronting inevitable change.
    James Baldwin 1953 Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    74. Charlotte's Web (F) Beloved by generations, Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little are two of the most cherished stories of all time. Now, for the first...
    E. B. White 1952 Wikipedia, NYPL, Radcliffe

    75. Heart of Darkness (F) A masterpiece of twentieth-century writing, Heart of Darkness (1902) exposes the tenuous fabric that holds "civilization" together...
    Joseph Conrad 1902 St. John's Reading List, Radcliffe, Modern Library

    76. Night (NF) Night is Elie Wiesel's masterpiece, a candid, horrific, and deeply poignant autobiographical account of his survival as a teenager...
    Elie Wiesel 1958 Oprah's Book Club, Wikipedia, NYPL

    77. Rabbit, Run (F) Harry Angstrom was a star basketball player in high school and that was the best time of his life. Now in his mid-20s, his work is...
    John Updike 1960 The Telegraph, Radcliffe, Time

    78. The Age of Innocence (F) Wharton's Pulitzer Prize-winning classic novel of passion and desire. The beautiful Countess Ellen Olenska, fleeing her brutish...
    Edith Wharton 1920 NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library

    79. Portnoy's Complaint (F) Portnoy's Complaint n. [after Alexander Portnoy (1933- )] A disorder in which strongly-felt ethical and altruistic impulses are...
    Philip Roth 1969 NYPL, Modern Library, Time

    Time for another list, part 3

    Posted by ChrisM, 4 years ago

    40. To Kill a Mockingbird (F) Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice in the deep South -- and the heroism of one man in the face...
    Harper Lee 1960 Wikipedia, NYPL, Radcliffe, Time

    41. The Holy Bible. Revised Standard Version. The beloved and timeless King James Version is made available in an affordable edition for Sunday schools, Bible clubs, church...
    NA St. John's Reading List, Wikipedia, NYPL

    42. A Clockwork Orange (F) Anthony Burgess's modern classic of youthful violence and social redemption, reissued to include the controversial last chapter not...
    Anthony Burgess 1962 NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    43. Light in August (F) Joe Christmas does not know whether he is black or white. Faulkner makes of Joe's tragedy a powerful indictment of racism; at the...
    William Faulkner 1932 Oprah's Book Club, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    44. The Souls of Black Folk (NF) In this founding work in the literature of black protest, first published in 1903, W.E.B. Du Bois (1868'1963) eloquently affirms...
    W. E. B. Du Bois 1903 St. John's Reading List, NYPL, Modern Library

    45. Wide Sargasso Sea (F) A sensual and protected young woman, Antoinette Cosway grows up in the lush natural world of the Caribbean. She is sold into...
    Jean Rhys 1966 NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    46. Madame Bovary (F) Set amid the stifling atmosphere of nineteenth-century bourgeois France, Madame Bovary is at once an unsparing depiction of a...
    Gustave Flaubert 1857 The Telegraph, The Guardian

    47. Paradise Lost (F) Paradise Lost is the great epic poem of the English language, a tale of immense drama and excitement, of rebellion and treachery,...
    John Milton 1667 The Telegraph, St. John's Reading List

    48. Anna Karenina (F) Anna Karenina tells of the doomed love affair between the sensuous and rebellious Anna and the dashing officer, Count Vronsky....
    Leo Tolstoy 1877 The Guardian, Oprah's Book Club

    49. Hamlet (F) One of the greatest plays of all time, the compelling tragedy of the tormented young prince of Denmark continues to capture the...
    William Shakespeare 1603 The Guardian, St. John's Reading List

    50. King Lear (F) A king foolishly divides his kingdom between his scheming two oldest daughters and estranges himself from the daughter who loves...
    William Shakespeare 1608 The Guardian, St. John's Reading List

    51. Othello (F) One of the most powerful dramas ever written for the stage, Othello is a story of revenge, illusion, passion, mistrust, jealousy,...
    William Shakespeare 1622 The Guardian, St. John's Reading List

    52. Sonnets (F) Shakespeare's sonnets, the greatest of Elizabethan sonnet sequences, were first published in an unauthorized version in 1609....
    William Shakespeare 1609 The Telegraph, St. John's Reading List

    53. Leaves of Grass (F) I celebrate myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. I loafe and invite...
    Walt Whitman 1855 Newsweek, The Guardian

    54. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (F) The adventures of a boy and a runaway slave as they travel down the Mississippi River on a raft.
    Mark Twain 1885 Newsweek, The Guardian

    55. Kim (F) A white youth in India, becomes friends with an old ascetic priest, the lama. The boy juggles Imperialist life with his spiritual...
    Rudyard Kipling 1901 Newsweek, NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library

    56. Frankenstein (F) Victor Frankenstein is consumed by his desire to discover the secrets of life. After several years of research, Victor feverishly...
    Mary Shelley 1818 Newsweek, The Telegraph

    57. Song of Solomon (F) Milkman Dead was born shortly after a neighborhood eccentric hurled himself off a rooftop in a vain attempt at flight. For the rest...
    Toni Morrison 1977 Oprah's Book Club, NYPL, Radcliffe

    58. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (F) Boisterous, ribald, and ultimately shattering, Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the seminal novel of the 1960s that...
    Ken Kesey 1962 NYPL, Radcliffe, Time

    59. For Whom the Bell Tolls (F) In 1937 Ernest Hemingway traveled to Spain to cover the civil war there for the North American Newspaper Alliance. Three years...
    Ernest Hemingway 1940 The Telegraph, NYPL, Radcliffe

    60. Slaughterhouse-Five (F) Launched in November, Dell's Kurt Vonnegut reissue program continues with one of the world's great anti-war books. Centering on the...
    Kurt Vonnegut 1969 Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    Time for another list part 2...

    Posted by ChrisM, 4 years ago

    20. Beloved (F) Staring unflinchingly into the abyss of slavery, this spellbinding novel transforms history into a story as powerful as Exodus and...
    Toni Morrison 1987 The Telegraph, The Guardian, Radcliffe, Time

    21. The Grapes of Wrath (F) Forced from their home, the Joad family is lured to California to find work; instead they find disillusionment, exploitation, and...
    John Steinbeck 1939 NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    22. Midnight's Children (F) Winner of the Booker of Bookers Saleem Sinai is born at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the very moment of India's...
    Salman Rushdie 1981 Newsweek, The Guardian, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    23. Brave New World (F) Aldous Huxley's tour de force, Brave New World is a darkly satiric vision of a "utopian" future—where humans are genetically...
    Aldous Huxley 1932 The Telegraph, NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library

    24. Mrs. Dalloway (F) This brilliant novel explores the hidden springs of thought and action in one day of a woman's life. Direct and vivid in her...
    Virginia Woolf 1925 The Guardian, St. John's Reading List, Radcliffe, Time

    25. Native Son (F) Right from the start, Bigger Thomas had been headed for jail. It could have been for assault or petty larceny; by chance, it was...
    Richard Wright 1940 NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    26. Democracy in America (NF) In the mid-1800s, a French political scientist named Alexis de Tocqueville came to the United States to appraise the meaning and...
    Alexis de Tocqueville 1835 The Telegraph, St. John's Reading List

    27. On the Origin of Species (NF) In The Origin of Species (1859) Darwin challenged many of the most deeply-held beliefs of the Western world. Arguing for a...
    Charles Darwin 1859 The Telegraph, St. John's Reading List

    28. The Histories (NF) A Greek historian, Herodotus (c.485-425 BC) left his native town of Halicarnassus, a Greek colony, to travel extensively. He...
    Herodotus 440 B.C. The Telegraph, St. John's Reading List

    29. The Social Contract (NF) The perfect books for the true book lover, Penguin's Great Ideas series features twelve more groundbreaking works by some of...
    Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1762 The Telegraph, St. John's Reading List

    30. Das Kapital (NF) One of the most notorious works of modern times, as well as one of the most influential, "Capital" is an incisive critique of...
    Karl Marx 1867 The Telegraph, St. John's Reading List

    31. The Prince (NF) A new edition of the highly exalted and infamous discourse containing observations and instructions on the significance of a rise...
    Niccolo Machiavelli 1532 The Telegraph, St. John's Reading List

    32. Confessions (NF) When Saint Augustine wrote his Confessions he was facing, and responding to, a growing spread of asceticism in the Roman world.
    St. Augustine 4th century The Telegraph, St. John's Reading List

    33. Leviathan (NF) The Leviathan is the vast unity of the State. But how are unity, peace and security to be attained' Hobbes' answer is sovereignty,...
    Thomas Hobbes 1651 The Telegraph, St. John's Reading List

    34. The History of the Peloponnesian War (NF) Written four hundred years before the birth of Christ, this detailed contemporary account of the struggle between Athens and Sparta...
    Thucydides 431 B.C. The Telegraph, St. John's Reading List

    35. The Lord of the Rings (F) One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind themIn ancient times the...
    J. R. R. Tolkien 1954 The Telegraph, Wikipedia, Radcliffe, Time

    36. Winnie-the-Pooh (F) Edward Bear acquires a new name, Winnie-the-Pooh, and a new life with the inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Woods.
    A. A. Milne 1926 The Telegraph, Wikipedia, NYPL, Radcliffe

    37. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (F) They open a door and enter a world.
    C. S. Lewis 1950 The Telegraph, Wikipedia, NYPL, Time

    38. A Passage to India (F) When Adela and her elderly companion Mrs Moore arrive in the Indian town of Chandrapore, they quickly feel trapped by its insular...
    E. M. Forster 1924 NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    39. On the Road (F) First published in 1957, this novel epitomized to the world the Beat philosophy. It chronicles a spontaneous and wandering life...
    Jack Kerouac 1957 NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    Yes, it's time for another list! part 1

    Posted by ChrisM, 4 years ago

    Newsweek Gives Us Their 100 Greatest Books


    Declaring the best book ever written is tricky business. Who's to say what the best is? We went one step further: we crunched the numbers from 10 top books lists (Modern Library, the New York Public Library, St. John's College reading list, Oprah's, and more) to come up with The Top 100 Books of All Time. It's a list of lists — a meta-list. Let the debate begin.
    ...

    Rank Title Author Year Recommended By

    1. War and Peace (F) War and Peace broadly focuses on Napoleon's invasion of Russia in 1812 and follows three of the most well-known characters in...
    Leo Tolstoy 1869 The Telegraph, The Guardian, St. John's Reading List, Wikipedia

    2. 1984 (F) George Orwell's prophetic, nightmarish vision of "Negative Utopia" is timelier than ever-and its warnings more powerful.
    George Orwell 1949 The Telegraph, The Guardian, NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library

    3. Ulysses (F) Written over a seven-year period, from 1914 to 1921, this book has survived bowdlerization, legal action and controversy. The novel...
    James Joyce 1922 The Telegraph, The Guardian, NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library

    4. Lolita (F) The hilarious and tragic story of Humbert Humbert, a middle-aged Russian man who feels passion only for young the "nymphet" Dolores...
    Vladimir Nabokov 1955 The Guardian, NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    5. The Sound and the Fury (F) First published in 1929, Faulkner created his "heart's darling," the beautiful and tragic Caddy Compson, whose story Faulkner told...
    William Faulkner 1929 The Guardian, Oprah's Book Club, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    6. Invisible Man (F) Invisible Man is a milestone in American literature, a book that has continued to engage readers since its appearance in 1952. A...
    Ralph Ellison 1952 The Guardian, NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    7. To the Lighthouse (F) A landmark of modern fiction, Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse explores the subjective reality of everyday life in the Hebrides...
    Virginia Woolf 1927 The Guardian, NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    8. The Illiad and The Odyssey (F) Gripping listeners and readers for more than 2,700 years, The Iliad is the story of the Trojan War and the rage of Achilles....
    Homer 8th century B.C. The Telegraph, The Guardian, St. John's Reading List

    9. Pride and Prejudice (F) Few have failed to be charmed by the witty and independent spirit of Elizabeth Bennet. Her early determination to dislike Mr. Darcy...
    Jane Austen 1813 The Telegraph, The Guardian, St. John's Reading List

    10. Divine Comedy (F) Dante Alighieri's poetic masterpiece, The Divine Comedy, is a moving human drama, an unforgettable visionary journey through the...
    Dante Alighieri 1321 The Telegraph, The Guardian, St. John's Reading List

    11. Canterbury Tales (F) With their astonishing diversity of tone and subject matter, The Canterbury Tales have become one of the touchstones of medieval...
    Geoffrey Chaucer 15th century The Telegraph, The Guardian, St. John's Reading List

    12. Gulliver's Travels (F) The voyages of an Englishman carry him to such strange places as Lilliput, where people are six inches tall; Brobdingnag, a land of...
    Jonathan Swift 1726 The Telegraph, The Guardian, St. John's Reading List

    13. Middlemarch (F) It was George Eliot's ambition to create a world and portray a whole community--tradespeople, middle classes, country gentry--in...
    George Eliot 1874 The Telegraph, The Guardian, St. John's Reading List

    14. Things Fall Apart (F) Chinua Achebe's tragic novel of pre-colonial Igbo society was a major literary and cultural event when it was published in 1958....
    Chinua Achebe 1958 Newsweek, The Guardian, Wikipedia, NYPL, Radcliffe, Time

    15. The Catcher in the Rye (F) Holden, knowing he is to be expelled from school, decides to leave early. He spends three days in New York City and tells the story...
    J. D. Salinger 1951 Wikipedia, NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    16. Gone with the Wind (F) Margaret Mitchell's epic novel of love and war won the Pulitzer Prize and went on to give rise to two authorized sequels and one of...
    Margaret Mitchell 1936 The Telegraph, Wikipedia, NYPL, Radcliffe, Time

    17. One Hundred Years of Solitude (F) One Hundred Years of Solitude tells the story of the rise and fall, birth and death of the mythical town of Macondo through the...
    Gabriel Garcia Marquez 1967 The Telegraph, The Guardian, Oprah's Book Club, Wikipedia, NYPL

    18. The Great Gatsby (F) A portrait of the Jazz Age in all of its decadence and excess,Gatsby captured the spirit of the author's generation and earned...
    F. Scott Fitzgerald 1925 NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    19. Catch-22 (F) Catch-22 is like no other novel. It is one of the funniest books ever written, a keystone work in American literature, and even...
    Joseph Heller 1961 Wikipedia, NYPL, Radcliffe, Modern Library, Time

    • 5 people found this helpful

    June Reads...

    Posted by ChrisM, 4 years ago

    26. Envy by Kathryn Harrison
    There are elements of Envy which revisit some of the themes Harrison has used before in her work: sex used as power, grief, incest. It’s one of the reasons why I like her work so much- she’s practically fearless. Still, I didn’t love this book.

    27. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
    There was just too much ‘dog talk’ – sits and stays and day-to-day kennel business that wasn’t of interest to me and, in some ways, diluted the book’s larger themes of revenge and love.

    28. Body of a Girl by Leah Stewart
    As the book chugs along I felt less and less sympathetic and more and more annoyed with the heroine.

    29. Standing Still by Kelly Simmons
    One night someone breaks into her house and Claire finds him about to make off with one of her daughters. “Take me,” she tells the man. “Take me instead.” This was a book I couldn’t wait to get to at the end of the day…and one I was sorry to finish even as I was racing to the end.

    Not a stellar reading month...but The Story of Edgar Sawtelle was l-o-n-g!

  • #19 Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill

    Posted by Mary Ellen Anaka, 4 years ago

    Aminata Diallo, an eleven year old child, is taken from her village in Africa. She is chained with others, that were also taken from their homes. She is sold into slavery and after months at sea, arrives in America. She is put to work in an Indigo Plantation. Aminata had been taught midwifery by her mother. She practiced these skills in South Carolina. She also learns how to read, write and how to speak English and other languages. Chekura, another slave that came across the ocean with her becomes her husband. She has a child with him. This child is sold by her master and she is sold again. She does not know what happened to her child or her husband for a very long while. Aminata, helps the British with the historic Book of Negroes. She signs up 3000 Black Loyalists to freedom in Nova Scotia Canada. Her husband has found her again, he leaves for Nova Scotia before her. She is also pregnant again.
    Things don't work out for the Loyalists in Nova Scotia. Her second child is taken by a British couple that she has befriended.
    You will have to read this book to find out what happens next. It is a very well written book. Although it is fiction some of the events are true.
    Aminata is a strong female character. I give this book a 5/5

    • 2 people found this helpful

    #18 Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

    Posted by Mary Ellen Anaka, 4 years ago

    I loved this book, just as much as I loved her other book, The Winter Sea. Mariana is the 1st novel written by Canadian author, Susanna Kearsley. Julia Beckett has been admiring Greywethers, a sixteenth century farmhouse, since she was a child. There was something that drew her there--something powerful. She starts to find out more about the house's history and past occupents. It is here she suspects that she led a different life, 300 years ago, that of Mariana. This is a lovely story, with a mystical edge to it---as the story unfolds there are twists and turns, with a surprise at the end. Mariana will be re-issued in the fall of 2009. I was fortunate to have met Susanna Kearsley recently, as she did a book signing at our store. She gave the staff a copy of Mariana, so this was how I was able to read it now. She also writes mystery/thriller under the name of Emma Cole. Wonderfully written, by one of our own.

  • #17 Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup

    Posted by Mary Ellen Anaka, 4 years ago

    Wonderful book. I enjoyed everything about this book. It was difficult to put it down. It is extremely well written and I enjoyed the way the story unfolded. there was a plasible explanation to why he was able to answer the questions, once you hear his story. I highly recommend this book.
    I give it a 5/5

> Read more posts from: June 2009 or August 2009

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