leomhead/liz. before you have your fill of India-themed books try Bhowani Junction by John Masters. Set at the time of 'partition' and concerning the doomed relationship between an English army officer and a beautiful half-caste girl who's family is involved in running the railways (one of the main occupations of Anglo-Indians at that time) It is probably better known as a movie by George Cukor staring Ava Gardner, Stewart Granger . . . and a cast of thousands.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bhowani Junction

I have started reading "Inheritance," the fourth book in the Christopher Paolini series. I'm not sure I will continue, though. It's just not gripping me.

Congratulations Siobhan and Woodnymph on your published poems! I knew that in this forum of omnivorous readers, there would be others reading poetry, but didn't know I was treading among poets... (big grin).

Lemonhead,
I knew you read poetry since you mentioned it in your "bio" in the "Let's introduce ourselves" thread. Hearing B. Collins read his work should add another dimension to his poems. Tell us how it goes.

Woodnymph,
Mary Oliver is a favorite of mine too. One of her poems, When Death Comes, is actually the 1st poem in this book that I'm reading. I'm sure you are familiar with it. The last lines are sublime, IMHO.

Siobhan,
Thanks for that piece of advice ("to pretend that you wrote it"). I think I see how it can help.
Years ago, I read some poems by William Carlos Williams and liked them a lot, but haven't read any since. Later I read that he wrote down some of his poems on his prescription pad. Being a physician myself, that has stayed with me, and now and then, when I'm writing a prescription I remember that and think of him, seeing all those sick children and writing poems on the side. Or maybe it was the other way around.

To read poetry more often is one of my 2012 resolutions. One of the easiest to keep.

Woodnymph, thanks for mentioning that poem. I have copied it for my Quotes and Poems notebook.

Speaking of poetry, saw this article on the BBC website about the London 2012 Olympics: looking for poets from worldwide.

It's a lovely idea, and is the second time this week that I had read the word Parnassus (which was curious, I thought.)

Here is a link that might be useful: Worldwide poets sought for Olympics

Rosefolly - I did know that Wilhelm wrote a lot of science fiction. I haven't read any of it, as am not a fan of the sci fi/fantasy genre. I've now finished her Barbara Holloway series, so sad! Do you know anything about her Constance and Charlie books? I think they're L.A. detectives? If she employs the same powerful atmospherics with C&C, I might try them.

Am now reading Last Train to Memphis, Vol 1 of Peter Guralnick's biography of Elvis Presley. He is such a very fine writer, sensitive, compassionate and gentlemanly. His knowledge of the way that blues, soul, gospel, and country music fed into rock'n'roll is exhaustive and for me, fascinating. There are three more biographies waiting in my TBR pile - Beatrix Potter, Ayn Rand, and Margot Fonteyn. Haven't decided on which one is next.

Sable, if you don't like SF at all, you may not like the Constance and Charlie books. I've only read a few, and those some time ago, but I seem to remember that they straddle the genres of mystery and SF.

I'm busy reading the second Flavia de Luce novel, and also a non-fiction book about roses through history. I was enjoying it, but as the narrative approaches modern times suddenly my interest has expired. It may go back to the library three-quarters of the way complete. You can do that with nonfiction so much more easily that with a novel.

Rosefolly

I finished P.D. James' Death Comes to Pemberley and found it very clever and well-written, but flat as compared to Pride & Prejudice. I'm interested to see what my book group has to say about it next week. Has anyone here read it? If so, what did you think?

Rosefolly, I adore Flavia de Luce, and IMHO the books get even better as they go on.

sheriz - I did read "Death Comes to Pemberley," and although I enjoyed it, it left me feeling disappointed. It's been awhile since I read it, but I think I was bothered by the author's attempt at deciding what became of each character - particularly at the end of the book. I guess you just can't rewrite -- or expand on -- Austen.

rosefolly -- Your comment about it being easier to return a non-fiction than a fiction book reminded me of the way my DH feels about TV shows. He will continue to follow sit-coms and dramas that have become completely inane or boring (I often found them that way from the start!), because he feels like they are "family," and he doesn't want to desert them. This from a man who will rarely sit and watch what I consider a quality movie with me.

I read my first Ann Perry mystery, "Twisted Root" and did not care for it. The ending was quite abrupt, not all threads of plot connected, and I felt the author just wanted to finish the long book and be done with it and move on.

Now, I've begun "Founding Mothers" by Cokie Roberts. She really makes reading American history lively and informative.

My favorite book of poetry by Mary Oliver is "Thirst." Luckily the poet is very prolific.

Rosefolly - Thanks for the heads-up about C&C. I'll check the reviews on amazon (if there are any). Her first Barbara Holloway novel dealt with chaos theory. Thinking about it, that book did veer towards sci-fi and was pretty good. It ended with the reader knowing that the children had caught whatever-it-was and that strange doings might be coming.

I also agree that one can usually walk away from non-fiction than from fiction. OTOH, I have been trying to read Willa Cather's Death Comes For The Archbishop for about 25 years now. Can't get past page 40, and it's such a slim book!

That's funny, sable. Why do you keep trying?

Woodnymph, you might like Anne Perry better if you read the first book in her series. She writes two: One is Charlotte and Thomas Pitt, and the other is Hester and William Monk. The one you read is about halfway through the Monk books. They do tend to feed off one another so that they make more sense if read in order.

Sable, I read once that Willa Cather writes beautiful books but forgets to tell a story, and that was my experience with her. (She is such a favorite of many that maybe that statement belongs on the Guilty Secret thread.)

I have just finished "Three-Day Town" by Margaret Maron. It features not one but two series characters! Deborah Knott and Sigrid Harald. I have been following Judge Knott from the first unforgettable short story but as I am not into police procedural mysteries, have never read a Harald one. I also tend to shy away from the "cast of thousands" type of book. I am glad to have a family tree included or I get lost! Are these books written by people with large families or teachers? I wonder sometimes! When I return this one to the library, I hope there is a requested book or two waiting. TV is terrible during the school holidays! I have read all my TBRs!

Rosefolly, what is the title of the book on the history of roses? As a fellow rosarian (one who is facing the sad decision to remove all my roses) I would be interested in reading the book.

Frances, the book is The Rose by Jennifer Potter. It might almost be described as the rose in history than the history of the rose. It is actually an informative book, and I seem to have recovered my interest in it. But I don't think that it would influence someone who was contemplating removing roses one way or the other. I'm sorry you're facing this situation. All your roses? Sounds dire.

Rosefolly

Carolyn, thanks for the tip re the Perry mysteries. I decided to give her another try and now have two more of the Monk and Hester series on my TBR stack/pile.

Sable, I've not read "Death Comes to the Archbishop" but I adore the writings of Willa Cather. "O Pioneers" is one of my favorites, as is "My Antonia."

Rosefolly, I'm removing my roses because of rose rosette disease and occasional visits from deer who manage to come often enough to remove the flower buds. I've been fighting this result for a couple of years but other flowering shrubs are looking good to me now. I'm interested in the book because I like history and roses.

Now that I've finished the excellent biography of Charles Dickens by Claire Tomalin I have the most difficult decision to make -- the new Harry Bosch book by Michael Connelly, a new C.J. Box book, or The House at Tyneford? I think Harry Bosch will win this time.

On audiobook I'm listening to the third Simon S. book by Susan Hill, Risk of Darkness. Thanks to everyone who mentioned these books and encouraged me to read them. So far, so good.

I've started Lev Grossman's The Magicians and I'm hooked. It's an odd (in a good way) Harry Potter / Narnia mash-up featuring very bright teenagers learning to focus their magical abilities at a mysterious boarding school in upstate New York. That said, it's not a knock-off of either series, and the plot twists and turns in unexpected ways. I'm having a hard time putting it down. I'm already tempted to pre-order the soon-to-be-out-in-paperback sequel, The Magician King.

Does anyone know---how many Simon Seraillier mysteries has Susan Hill written? I'm trying to figure our if I have read them all or not.

woodnymph, according to Fantastic Fiction, she has written six with a seventh to come out in October this year.

I believe there are 5 Simon S. books, but I may be wrong.
I am not a big poetry reader and kind of get in moods where I like to read it but I always love Mary Oliver!
I just finished a thriller that I read in 24 hrs. You're Next by Gregg Hurwitz. I could not put it down. I also finished The Book of Madness and Cures by Regina O'Melveny- a first novel about a 16th century "Doctoressa"; coincidently apparently Ms. O'Melveny is known for her poetry?
I have started Before the Poison-Peter Robinson's first book not featuring his beloved detective. I haven't read much but I hope I will like it. I really want to like it but so far I think it is slow moving.

Sarah_canary - Sorry for the delay in getting back. We had a sick kitty and my mind deserted the GW. Anyway, Death Comes For The Archbishop is one of those books that a person "needs to" read, and when we lived in the Southwest and visited Santa Fe, I was very taken with Bishop Lamy's story, and the beautiful church there. And when there we bought a silkscreen entitled "Lamy, New Mexico", of the surrounding hills and vales in delicate colors, and it's over our fireplace. So the good bishop looks at me reproachfully every day. Have decided to once and for all read DCFTA as soon as I've finished my current read.

I know that trying and trying to get into a book happens to most readers. We could all list books we've never finished (in fact, that's probably been a thread here) Two terrific outcomes for me were Wallace Stegner's Angle of Repose. After many years of trying I finally did read it and what a rich reward! Another one was Nelson De Mille's The Charm School, which just sat there for 20 years, and then - a fantastic read that led me to his early books in a reading binge. Then, sadly, he lost his way and turned into a cruddy writer. But the earlier books are still there, as long as you know when to quit.

Carolyn - That is an interesting quote about Willa Cather, that she writes interesting books but forgets to tell a story. Perhaps that's what happens to certain strong writers-of-place.

sable- I feel like we had a thread about books we couldn't get into, but then did and loved them. If we didn't, we should have. I tried to read Mitchner's "Hawaii" on a plane ride and never got past the geology lesson. Then, years later, I did move past it and really enjoyed the rest of the novel. Same thing with "The Hobbit." It just did not grab me initially, but then years later, I zipped right through it and went on to the other Tolkien books.

Sometimes timing is everything.

I'm thinking about reading "Ready Player One." My daughter recommends it.

Sarah_canary, if you do read Ready Player One, please let us know what you think of it. The reviews I've read have intrigued me.

I finished The Magicians and have requested the sequel from the library. I thought the book was a thorny and more realistic riff on the Potter books, but at the same time it was quite original and had its own story to tell and points to make. Hard to explain, but I liked it a lot.

Today it's finally raining (we've been in near drought conditions all spring here), so I'm planning a nice, cozy, and long-overdue cull of the TBR pile.

we had our rain(we needed it) and woke up this a.m. to several inches of snow-ugh! The poor lilacs and other flowers and our crops. (Sorry, off topic)

My latest is "Willem's Field" by Melinda Haynes, and I am just loving it.

I've just finished The Archangel Project by C. S. Graham who also writes, as C. S. Harris, my beloved Sebastain St. Cyr books. This one is a CIA thriller and the first of three featuring the characters. I quite enjoyed it (and I usually don't read that type of book) and have requested the other two from the library.

I've been on a great reading jag for the past few weeks, I hope it lasts! I'm two-thirds through Lev Grossman's The Magician King and it is a very worthy sequel, no slacking on the author's part. His characters' adventures are original, though he keeps tossing in references to everything from Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings to DiscWorld and Dungeons and Dragons -- it totally suits my inner geek and I love it.

I've also started another Austen, Northanger Abbey, which I've never read. It's quite different from what I expected, almost blatantly sarcastic, which surprised me.

It seems as though I have not been reading much, but a big chunk of time was spent reading Brazilian Adventure by Peter Fleming, which, then, I realized would not get finished due to ILL deadlines. So no book title to report there although there was some serious readin' going on. I think if you liked the title, The Lost City of Z, you might like this (earlier) version.

So then read Hunger Games which was a really good read and had an impressive lead female character. (Much stronger and more capable than the twaddle that was Twilight's female lead. I would be much happier if I had a daughter who read HG more than Twilight. Yes, it's about kids killing kids, but not out of pleasure and has a good female role model.)

And then watched a DVD (through ILL) of a PBS American Experience on the Amish. (Somehow got into the Amish recently.) And now really enjoying a quite quirky and funny read which lots of you have talked about before: No Idle Hands, a social history of knitting in the US. This author has a good sense of humor which is quite slyly thrown in every now and then. Love it.

One point I noted just this AM when I was reading: George Washington had moved out of the White House and was up in New York being Pres (or perhaps it was post-Pres). Anyway, he writes letters back to his plantation at Mount Vernon, and this former Pres and country leader whittles about how two particular slaves, Lame Peter and Sarah, aren't being kept busy enough and should be knitting more. Quite a few letters mention this, and for some reason, this cracked me up as here is this national leader, with a country all around in some disarry, and he's going on about a couple of slaves not knitting enough stockings. Just seems very funny to me. :-)

Anyway, good book so far.

I've just finished rereading Olivia Manning's Fortunes of War--The Balkan Trilogy and The Levant Trilogy. I first read these novels many years ago and wanted to find out if I still liked them. I did.

Now I'm starting in on To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf.

Some people mentioned reading Holocaust material. I recently read In My Hands by Irene Gut Opdyke, an account by a Polish woman who very courageously helped Jews to hide or escape--a remarkable story and apparently true.

Here is a link that might be useful: Irene Gut Opdyke

JWT - You'll have to let me know how your reading of To the Lighthouse goes. I have only painful memories from reading it under duress during grad school, so I am curious is perhaps a reread isn't in order... :-)

And that Opdyke looks good as well. It's curious how some books get incredibly famous (like Ann Frank's diary) and some don't, even if both are about similar topics. I am not familiar with this author, but she looks v good... Thanks for bringing her name to the top of the pile.

Jwttrans - Have you seen the BBC miniseries of Olivia Manning's Fortunes of War? Stars Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh. I loved this unusual story of an unusual couple as they try to both report on the war and stay ahead of it. There were so many characters, with lives interwoven and unraveling, that we watched it twice. Ptobably I should buy it and then start reading the books. Thank you for the reminder!

Jwttrans, Manning's The Balkan Trilogy and The Levant Trilogy are two of my favorites that I've read several times. I really like the Pringles. Levant has one of the most enthralling sequences of the North African campaign that I think has ever been described, by a woman no less! I put the explanation point because the writer's facility seems to surprise a lot of readers because of her gender.

I also enjoyed the Thompson/Branagh adaptation of Fortunes of War.

Ha! I just noticed I used an exclamation mark in making my explanation above. I was not confused, but it could sure be interpreted that way. silly grin

Just finished 1491. It shares insights into the history of the Americas before Columbus. It states that the commonly held "truth" is that the peoples that lived here lived lightly on the land. This book shares archaeological evidence of why this could not have been so. It is a fascinating book but a bit slow. Heck, it is quite often a slow go but then he would toss out another fascinating tidbit and draw me right in again. It took a while to get through but I am very glad to have read it.

Also read The Man in the Rockefeller Suit. It was also non-fiction about a man who posed as a Rockefeller and when he kidnapped his own daughter, the truth started to come out. Not particularly well written, but interesting. It taught me not to be quite so nice to strangers!

I received The Gods of Gotham today, thank you. And I think I forgot to mention that Maddy Clare made it home as well. Thank you for taking such good care of them while they were "on tour". If I get anything else that I think is good, I will be happy to share.

PAM

PAM, The Man in the Rockefeller Suit sounds really interesting. I like true accounts when they're well done. I have a weakness for accounts of people who pull off successful deceptions but get caught.

sable_ca and friedag, I don't think I've seen the TV version of The Fortunes of War but oddly I was just thinking that Emma Thompson would be perfect as Harriet--which makes me wonder if maybe I have seen it, after all! If it happens around again, I'd definitely watch it, whether or not I've already watched it.

It's strange how few people know about Olivia Manning.

lemonhead, I hate to say how many times I've tried to read Virginia Woolf but just couldn't manage. This time around I'm finding her tough going but I'm determined to keep at it. I've read a few of her letters but never anything else, and I really should be more interested in what she had to say.

While continuing to read the Dickens biography, I have also begun 1Q84, which seems as if it will be good as well as quite different.

Siobhan, you wrote on April 9 that you had sent The Yard by Alex Grecian courtesy of PAM on to me. I have not received that book, although I did get the round-robin one about strange things found in old books and sent it on today. Would someone please tell me the name of it--I forgot to write it down.

Finished The Magician King and liked it so much I rummaged around to find the author's website and was rewarded with the news he's writing a third book in the series -- hooray! Still a two year wait, though.

In the meantime, Tricked, the next book in the Iron Druid series by Kevin Hearne has arrived and I'm looking forward to starting it.

JWT -

Life is short (as you and I are both well aware), so why struggle with Woolf?... I think if it's not fun and you're doing other stuff instead of reading to avoid it (which you didn't say, but you might be), then put it in the donation pile, and get on to something more enjoyable.:-)

(I am still working on this concept for myself though. DH can usually tell when I am not enjoying what I am reading as then I join him and watch TV!)

Another one who has tried to read VA Woolf, but just could not get into her work. I agree life is too short to pursue a lack of interest in a futile manner. That is why I gave away my volumes of Charles Dickens.

Just dropping in to say that GEORGE GISSING (aka MY George) wrote a great bio of Charles Dickens entitled The Immortal Dickens. It was considered THE bio of the man for many years.

PAM

Here is a link that might be useful: The Immortal Dickens Etext (can be downloaded to Kindle)

This time around I'm finding Virginia Woolf more interesting. Maybe I tackled the wrong examples of her work before--I can't remember the titles though I think Mrs. Dalloway was one.

Now I'm reading 1Q84 in conjunction with the Dickens biography. Talk about contrast!

I do think that there is a right time/right place situation for a lot of books in terms of how much one likes them or not. Perhaps it's the right everything for you and Woolf right now?...

I have just spent quite a few mins writing quite a detailed post about a book that I have just finished, and now RP (or IE) has just eaten my post and there is nothing.

This is quite possibly one of the most frustrating things to happen.

So - suffice to say, it was a long, thoughtful and quietly brilliant piece of writing. Ha.

Nah, I just finished The Joy of Less by Francine Jay, a book about voluntary simplicity (i.e. getting rid of cr*p in your house). Not too much new info, but some good reminders and did get me to go through some books and empty my pen mug. :-)

Lots more of the review on my blog if you want to delve deeper, but no pressure. :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Just One More Page

Sheriz, I have just finished "Death comes to Pemberley". I don't normally read P&P inspired books but I thought I would try this one, not having much time to choose a library book and this one was handily displayed on the new books shelf! Such a respected author, too!
I thought I was going to enjoy it at first, with the tongue in cheek description of what the gossips thought about Lizzie's calculated pursuit of Darcy. As the book progressed, however, I got quite annoyed. Too much of the author's modern thoughts were creeping into it. Phrases that didn't seem right for the period and silly mistakes aggravated me. I finished it in a hurry to discover the mystery. No more Austen fan fiction, ever!
What did your group think?

Just finished a chapter of Patricia Meyer Spacks On Rereading that pertained to Austen's characters. For me, I had a lightbulb moment when she articulated that we use our past experiences and knowledge of real people to inform our understanding of literary characters (and the reverse applies).

Annpan, I agree with your assessment of Death Comes to Pemberley, somehow, it was just flat and (IMO) completely lacked that Austen sparkle of wit. My book group is meeting next week, I'll let you know what they think.

Oh, good grief! I just tried to recheck 1Q84 (925 pages) and the Charles Dickens bio (488 pages including the footnotes), both due Wednesday, and found that I cannot because both are on request by other people. Reading, reading, reading . . .