I will wade cautiously into the fray... the only Bryson I've read is the Appalachian trail one, A Walk in the Woods?
At first I found it riotously funny but at the same time, was greatly irritated by his rather snotty and condescending generalizations of anyone and anything not up to his intellectual/educational standards. In fact, I thought he was both funny but mean and the mean bit was not humourous at all. What saved the book for me was reading a review comparing his style, especially the generalizations, to some of Mark Twain's sort of travel writing, perhaps somewhat satirical or exaggerated, to make a point. Since I am more of a Tom/Huck girl myself I can't explore the validity of that theory. What I did do was search around the web to read more about Bryson and his fellow hiker; my impression was that the friend was really a long time friend, was written about in a nasty way not appreciated and that some folks view Bryson as exploiting the friendship (in more than one book) and making money off of same while not doing anything for said buddy.

That said, I'd find it hard to believe that someone outside the US would read Bryson (if his other books are in the same vein) and think those gross generalizations are somehow, um, meant to be taken as literal gospel truth. I don't need to hike the AT to recognize that his characterizations of hikers are extreme; after all, would his book sell if he accurately, truthfully, journaled an unembellished account? A fat man and his fatter friend actually think they are going to hike the entire AT? Well, maybe real hikers would find it funny. And I suppose that takes us to the nature of non-fiction vs what may better be termed a memoir and I think I am rambling on now.

My bookclub was discussing whether or not to add Small Island to our reading list. The sole Brit in our club found the book upsetting and shameful but we are all looking forward to discussing it.

Meant to add, PAM, that I think that my club's classics, by your definition, are sort of classics "lite." Without reviewing our past year's lists which a member so kindly keeps and distributes (which includes our rejected books) Pride and Prejudice, The Good Earth and The Great Gatsby all engendered very lively discussion. I'm thinking that to read more daunting books may require a club with that intent and I envy you yours!

I've read a fair amount of Bill Bryson. And this discussion reminds me of a story; another famous humourist did an after-dinner speech, where he entertained the listeners with this very funny story about his journey to the event, and the various things that had gone wrong. Afterwards, he was asked by someone if the story he had told had really happened. He prevaricated a bit, but then in the end said "Well, all those things have happened to me, but perhaps not quite as I told them and not necessarily in that order..."

I think you have to read any humourous travel book with that in mind - from Three Men in a Boat to Travels with Charley through to Bill Bryson. He's exaggerating for effect. Of course, not all Americans are fat bible-bashers toting guns. But I bet in his travels, he met a few, and just exaggerated their worst traits.

Similarly with Notes from a Small Island, a book a treat with particular affection as a Brit. It's observation is spot on - I have met people exactly as he describes. There was a bit of an outcry, but it was trivial - things like the Associated Collective of Seaside Landladies (or something like that) who objected to Bill Bryson's description of a seaside landlady. Of course, not all landladies of seaside boarding houses are like the one he met. However, most people who have stayed in seaside boarding houses will recognize the type immediately, I'm afraid!

I know personally many people who have read Notes from a Small Island and every one of them thoroughly enjoyed it. Brits do - in general - have an ability to laugh at ourselves. I think we're rather proud of it, too.

Bookmom - my commiserations to your friend who found the book shaming, but he or she ought to relax a little - after all, Bryson was just laughing at general traits about some Brits - not specifically at him/her. (We need a general-purpose pronoun!)

No, no, no Martin--I am so sorry, I should have been more specific. It was Andrea Levy's Small Island to which I was referring. Mea culpa.

Our club has both Levy's Small Island and To Kill a Mockingbird on our list this year so the comparision of race relations between our two countries should be interesting.

Re Bryson. Martin has summed up very neatly the English attitude to his work. We regard him with considerable fondness and seem to have missed his 'meanness' or his 'less than truthfulness' and would probably need some help in identifying these lapses.
Not only has he picked up on our British institutions eg. the less than welcoming seaside landladies, but has sussed out the 'type' represented by the spokesman for the Brotherhood of Amalgamated Train Seat Fitters (North Western Branch) . . . and lived to tell the tale.
Like all good writers he has found the soft underbelly of our society and we laugh with him at ourselves.

Bookmom, suggest to your 'Brit' friend that she should not feel ashamed of Small Island.
Levy is writing about events and prevailing attitudes of the time. That is how things were and we have moved on since then. We cannot whitewash out past attitudes to race or religious intolerance nor do I think it is correct that some writers try to put a modern face on historical events, as I read not long ago in a book set among the Victorian fishermen of Whitby, Yorkshire.
The author had her heroine say that she was unhappy with whale overfishing and thought her betrothed she get another job. This female was also pretty quick at getting her whale-bone corsets off when the young man sailed into port . . . at which point I gave up on the silly saga.
And as for the Pope apologising for the Crusades or the Queen, on her recent trip to Jamestown, being expected to say sorry for slavery; where would it end?
Must the Romans and Normans admit that invading England was a mistake? Or poor old Columbus' descendants, grovel for his discovery of the 'New World'.
Was this apologising fad thought up by lawyers maybe?

Vee, I note you how you typed 'Brit' and hope that my use of it is not perjorative unknowingly. Please let me know if it is and if so, I apologize profusely.

When my friend made her comments about Small Island, all the rest of us just laughed and pointed out she's in the USA now with its abysmal race relations history. Apologies and reparations are hot issues here certainly along with immigration issues.

I just got back from a "run" along our local hike/bike trail and passed some characters which seemed straight from Bryson's pen. Two young men on bicycles were riding along struggling with a burgundy suitcase the size of a steamer trunk, alternately trying to prop it on the bike, then pulling it along on its wheels behind them. One of men was riding what looked like a 'banana' bike belonging to his little sister, and as I passed them on foot with my dog, one called out "never take a suitcase camping." No tent,no sleeping bags, no racks on the bikes for gear, not even a water bottle. Maybe it was all packed in the American Tourister.

bookmom, I tend to think of the word 'Brit' to be on a par with an American being called a 'Yank' (generally a disparaging term) by someone from outside the USA.
Now I know people in the US don't mean to give offence by the word . . . and it has to be better than 'Limey', which we hardly hear now, or the Australian expression 'Pommy B*stard' which trips from the lips of our antipodean cousins.
Perhaps it is also because people from the United Kingdom, never think of themselves as British, but as English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish.
The same goes for the way we speak. Someone on, I think, the movie thread described a character from a film talking English with a 'British accent', but we know there is no such thing. A Russian, German, French, Italian, Northern Irish even an American accent . . . but never one from 'Britain'.;-)
But please just go on calling me/us whatever you like; it is much better than being ignored.

Someone on, I think, the movie thread described a character from a film talking English with a 'British accent', but we know there is no such thing. A Russian, German, French, Italian, Northern Irish even an American accent . . . but never one from 'Britain'.;-)I suspect you're using irony, Vee, but, as you probably know by now, irony is not always easy to pick up in writing -- particularly for Americans who don't practice irony as extensively. :-)

However, if no irony is intended: A 'British accent' is shorthand (shortspeak) for the identification of certain notable speech traits amongst the dialects of the British Isles. True, there is no one 'British accent'; but there are many, including the national dialects you've already mentioned and also, for example, Midlands, Scouse, Brum, Yorkshire, and the various London ones, such as that of Sarf Lundun. You know this already, Vee, but it always tickles me to hear Britons make the similar generalization of saying someone has an 'American accent'. Unless I just shrug off the generalization, I might query them further: Which 'American accent' does s/he have? Many, if not most, can't pinpoint the dialect (the proper distinction), but they do recognize that it's American. It's the same with Americans distinguishing the various dialects originating in the UK.

Um, I was talking about Notes from a small island by Bryson. Sorry for the confusion. I do think his earlier works were wonderful. I still remember getting hard stares by the folk sitting in the tube coz I was laughing so hard at Neither Here nor There.

Again, Vee, I did not intend to offend. My bookclub friend was born and lived in Wales for years, then lived and worked in London for years as an adult; she refers to "the U.K." I tend to think of both Yank and Brit as shorthand--perhaps not formally respectful but not negative, either.

I grew up in an area of Pennsylvania where we think that, unlike most denizens of the US, we have no accent. While living in Colorado and speaking on the telephone with a Wyoming rancher, he not only asked me if I was from PA but correctly guessed the region and proceeded to tell me I "couldn't cut that accent out with a knife." This while I was thinking that it took forever to conclude a converation with these Western folks, talking so slowly and deliberately.

Frieda, I agree it can be tough to pick up on someone else's irony or even sarcasm, especially on-line.

If I may add my thoughts about Bryson: I loved both 'Notes from a Small Island' and 'Notes from a Big Country'. I thought that Australians in general got off pretty lightly in 'Downunder' or 'A Sunburnt Country', with very little of the attitude Bryson brought to the other two books.

Aussies, like those from the UK, pride themselves on their ability to 'take the piss' or laugh at themselves, so I was a tiny bit disappointed that he wasn't harder on us.

I agree with Martin - Bryson deals with 'types' and I think all intelligent readers will know it doesn't apply to everyone, although we all recognise the personality he describes.

And with accents, I live with the fact that not only do most people think there is only one Aussie accent, most can't tell it from the Kiwi accent, and some can't pick it from a Seth Efrican either *VBG*

(I do admit, however, that the Aussie accent is more homogenous than either the US or the UK).

Kath, it's quite difficult for people over here to tell the difference between Aus and NZ, although to me an NZ accent sounds much more 'Aus' than 'Aus' . . .if this makes sense.

Bookmon, you didn't offend me and no, Frieda, I wasn't being ironic. I hope I am not so crass as to be rude to someone who is apologising to me. I was just trying to make the point that Britain is made up of four different countries, in the same way as North America is made up of the US, Canada, Mexico etc.

As a point of interest are people from the US able to tell a Canadian accent or which of the provinces a speaker comes from and do Canadians get fed up with being thought of as from the US?
And do people from the US call themselves Yanks?
Kath, I should think a Seth Efrican accent is difficult for US ears to pick up, as is probably the chichi accent of the Anglo-Indian community (those of mixed race) although I imagine that it is gradually dying out.

Disclaimer: None of the above contains any traces of irony and I never do sarcasm; I find it unfunny and usually rude and causes me an allergic reaction.

Vee, the easiest way to pick Aussie from NZ is with the vowel 'i'.
The much loved fast food items in NZ come out as sounding to us like 'fush & chups'.
The number after five is 'sex', albeit with a bit of 'u' in it.
And what we call an Esky (brand name for a large hard container to keep food cold on a picnic or outing) is there a chilly bin, which sounds like 'chully bun'.
This of course is a topic of much merriment and teasing between ANZACS.

Here in Australia, the main differences are again in vowel pronunciation. The eastern states use hard vowels in words like photograph and castle: here and in WA we say 'photogr-arf' and 'cars-l'. But I have noticed quite a lot that Victorians say 'e' for 'a' (to my ear). It began when our local football team had a coach called Malcolm, and it sounded like they were calling him 'Melcolm'. I have paid attention since then and have found it true for many words with 'a' in them.

Vee, my apologies for not correctly construing your intent, or lack of intent, re irony. I often see irony as tongue-in-cheek and humorous. In my family we use it either sarcastically or affectionately. An instance of the latter: my sons will say when I ask them if they like a dish I've made for dinner, "Mom, this is no good, no good at all," meaning they really, really like it. Of course I know they are being ironic, but an outsider might take them literally. I've been known to reply to guests who see all my books and exclaim, "You must like to read a lot!": Nah, I don't like to read at all. Some will pause confusedly before they get the joke.

I can distinguish some Canadian accents, or at least recognize that they are Canadian.

Americans don't usually refer to themselves as Yanks but if they hail from northern states or New England, they might call themselves Yankees. Damn Yankees can be used as an epithet or with affection.

I meant to add, Vee, that Pommy B*stard is not used as much here as it used to be. The term 'Pom' on its own is, but it is meant affectionately, although before the recent Ashes Series we were told not to use it. To me, Pom is the same as Aussie, merely an abbreviation and not derogatory in any way.

I've only heard Yank used collectively in conversations, as in "you Yanks..." from both UK friends/acquaintances as well as one friend who grew up in New Zealand.

Yankee is another story. To my husband's southern family, I am most certainly one, as in "you are real nice for a Yankee," a sincere compliment from Meemaw. As posted, it can be neutral or negative.

>I thought that Australians in general got off pretty lightly in 'Downunder' or 'A Sunburnt Country', with very little of the attitude...Aussies, like those from the UK, pride themselves on their ability to 'take the piss' or laugh at themselves, so I was a tiny bit disappointed that he wasn't harder on us.

LOL! I really liked that book (tho I could have done with less of his friend's antics). I enjoy reading about the region, but I've never felt the need to go visit until reading this one. I'd love to follow his trail.

Inbetween books right now. We are getting ready to go on a trip on Thurs so I am trying to decide what books to take. Should I take the new Hosseni, tho its in hardback and hard to lug around? Several of my Pratchetts since his humor never gets old for me? Or something entirely new in paperback? Mmmm (and of course I can't bring too many because I know bookstore visits are in the plans!)

Just finished reading "Dissolution" by CJ Sansom, which was mentioned by veer on another thread. Good historical fiction/mystery set in the time of the Reformation in England. Sansom's second novel in the series, "Dark Fire", won the 2005 Ellis Peters Historical Dagger, awarded by the Crime Writers' Association.

Also finished "The Figure of Beatrice" by Charles Williams, which is a very detailed work about Beatrice of Dante's "Divine Comedy".

Am half way through "The Good Husband of Zebra Drive", the 8th book in the "No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series by Alexander McCall Smith.

Wednesday is book club - we will discuss "What We Keep" by Elizabeth Berg.

I just finished the most interesting non-book. It was a series of 14 lectures on Archaeology and the Iliad by Eric Cline, downloaded from the library. It is part of Recorded Books Modern Scholars series. Excellent lecturer addressing whether the Trojan War really happened.

Went to B&N for a few hours yesterday and found a good book in the remainder bin: "Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass Destruction" by Sue Townsend. It's a continuation of Adrian Mole's diary (started when he was a young boy) and it's really funny in places. She has a wicked sense of humor as an author and finds humor in all sorts of situations. It's a good book - quick and rather like a piece of candy, but enjoyable all the same. A nice contrast to Beowolf!!

Since I finished Adrian Mole yesterday, I went digging through my book shelves and found "Hot Lights, Cold Steel" by Michael Collins, MD. A book about the residency years of this young orthopeadic surgeon in Minnesota. Very interesting reading so far - he has TWELVE children - and he is a good writer, brings you right into the picture with him and what he's doing.

I have to finish this one so I can send it back to my sis and then what next to read? That is the question.

Happy Memorial Day to everyone in the US. I think it's a bank holiday in England today, but my calendar could be wrong on that.

Ah.

Right.

Yes, there is something of a difference between Small Island by Andrea Levy, and Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson. And yes, I can understand why a Brit might be ashamed and embarrassed by Small Island - my mother was in her teens in 1948 and said that she felt rather shamed by the book.

I understand that the book simply reflects the mores of the time, but even so.

Looking at the post, it was an understandable mistake - the poster started off talking about Bill Bryson, then mentioned Small Island....

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Finished The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. I thought it was excellent. I didn't entirely agree with some of his premises, and I can understand that some might feel that some of this conclusions may seem a little over the top. But I think most of the people who criticise the book are people who haven't read it - in particular, the most common (reasonable) criticism which is made about Dawkins is that he is an atheist and evolutionist fundamentalist, just as others are religious fundamentalists. Dawkins takes on and challenges that criticism in the book, and draws a vital difference between fundamentalists and scientists. A fundamentalist ignores evidence where it does not suit his mind-set. A scientist never ignores evidence, and will adjust his mind-set to fit the evidence - if necessary, throwing out a whole system if required. Fortunately for Dawkins and Darwin, all the evidence that has been found fits the theory of evolution.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I now have a short list of further reading. It hasn't exactly changed my life, but it's made me start to realize that I should make a change from being just an atheist to becoming a committed atheist - to state and be proud of the position and to challenge some of the religious assumptions we make in life.

I think it's a very important book - it's not the first on the subject by any means, but it is the first best-selling one; and it is a very engaging and easy to read book.

It's time that we atheists came out of the closet!

Liz your calendar is correct and today is what is now known as the Spring Bank Holiday. Until not so long ago it was 'Whitsun' (ie Pentecost) until the Govt decided it didn't need another moveable feast. I'm waiting for them to try and make Easter a fixed holiday.
As it is a holiday weekend it poured with rain all day yesterday and carried on in some parts plus hail storms today. It has been very cold and windy with temps in the low 50's F and dropping to the low 40's F tonight (I am too old to think in centigrade!) with snow forecast on the Scottish hills.

>I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I now have a short list of further reading. It hasn't exactly changed my life, but it's made me start to realize that I should make a change from being just an atheist to becoming a committed atheist - to state and be proud of the position and to challenge some of the religious assumptions we make in life.Martin - Is this more 'irony' from the UK? Irony can be so difficult to discern correctly.

If you are serious, then believe what you will, but I am hoping that this forum will be free of the divisiveness that can come from those who feel they have to defend their religious, or a-religious, beliefs. I am sure there are other forums where you can 'challenge some of the religious assumptions we make in life.'

martin, sorry above - I was being lazy about not writing the whole title, hence the confusion

>I should make a change from being just an atheist to becoming a committed atheist - to state and be proud of the position and to challenge some of the religious assumptions we make in life.

>I am hoping that this forum will be free of the divisiveness that can come from those who feel they have to defend their religious, or a-religious, beliefs. I am sure there are other forums where you can 'challenge some of the religious assumptions we make in life.'

So if we are discussing a book (such as the Gnostic Gospels by Elain Pagels) we mush not discuss our beliefs as it pertains to the book? I think you can have a discussion of belief without proselytizing (ack, sp), without insulting, without demanding that you are right and everyone else are heretics. I think that discussion can make us more understanding of what the issues are in the book, and bring a better understanding for ourselves what the issues are in belief. I do think that many who do not believe feel that they are in the shadows of such discussion, and yet they have a right to speak. Esp here - its neigh impossible to separate out religion or politics totally if you want to have a decent discussion of a book on the topic.

That being said, Martin I have been wanting to read that book since I saw the author on John Stewart. Very interesting man (and probably much less strident then Hitchens, who I try to stay away from - have you read him?)

Now reading Sweetness in the Belly, which I think someone here recommended. I'm liking it, tho the author shifts frequently between time, in a way thats not always easy to follow or get why she did it that way. But otherwise I like her writing, and her perspective on North Africa.

Martin and Cindy, I read Cindy's post, kind of figured she was using an abbreviated title for Bryson's book but at the same time, along with the words outcry and sensitive about our image made me remember S.'s (have always loved that literary device) comment about Levy's Small Island. My post should have been more clear instead of pulling a stream of consciousness.

I would imagine one's own religious beliefs must color our experience with certain books. As someone posted, Sigrid Undset of Kristen Lavransdatter fame was Lutheran who converted to Catholicism. The book dealt with KL's ongoing struggle to move past her guilt for sins for which she had confessed and atoned. Her inability to do so left her with more guilt. I found this fascinating and thought provoking in part based on my own religious beliefs. Anne Lamotte is an author who has written about her own religious conversion but I do realize that she may be "preaching to the choir" when I say I love her books.

I attended a memorial at Pearl Harbor today. Afterwards we went up to the Punchbowl (Pu'owaina) National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific to amble and contemplate. It was a poignant day, but beautiful.

This afternoon I watched "Letters from Iwo Jima." It's always interesting to see things from both sides.

I've been reading Will the Boat Sink the Water?: The Life of China's Peasants by husband-and-wife writers Chen Guidi and Wu Chuntao, one of the few books about present-day China's poorest segment that has managed to leak out to the rest of the world. The couple visited fifty villages in Anhui Province to get firsthand views of what peasant life is like in light of "The Great Leap Forward," and they found that it is frighteningly awful. Reportorial investigations of murders and all kinds of corruption make this an uneasy read, but I know so little about Chinese life that I am hungrily enthralled. It's riveting journalism and rather scary, in my opinion.

Thyrkas

That was NOT irony - it was completely serious. And I think you know that.

I've been on this forum now for a long long time, and I know very well what is and is not acceptable behaviour on here. I have no intention of starting a discussion about anyone's mode of belief - or, as you say, lack of it. I am merely stating mine, and how the book affected me.

However, I should also note that, knowing the people on this forum, it is one of the few places on the web where I actually COULD have a discussion about a book like this and know that it would be not be hi-jacked by narrow-minded bigots determined to push forward their own agenda without listening to anyone else. Which is something I treasure.

Cyndi - thanks for your support. I haven't read Hitchins, and for the moment, he's down my list. Next on this subject (though not immediately) I'm going to read Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris and Moral Minds; how Nature Designed our Universal Sense of Right and Wrong by Marc Hauser.

>"Letters from Iwo Jima."

I don't watch many war movies, but I did this one. Very moving and sad.

frieda, have you read Wild Swans by Jung Chang? Its a memoir of her grandmother, mother and her life in china, covering pre revolution to Tianneman Square. She covers The Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution in a way I hadn't read before. Very eye opening.

I was interested to read that Frieda had been to a Pearl Habor memorial service so 'looked up Memorial Day and learnt that fewer and fewer Americans consider, or even understand its original purpose.
In the UK we remember the casualties of war in November, the old Armistice Day, now called Remembrance Day and recently it has become of greater importance/significance, rather than less. Poppies are made and sold by the British Legion (a Vet charity) and are worn by almost everyone and services are held from places as far apart as the Cenotaph in Whitehall to the smallest village War Memorial.

The above has some slight connection to the book I have just finished. Over by Margaret Forster.
Not a writer I am usually comfortable with, although I remember her Lady's Maid was enjoyed by many of you a few years ago, this books really held my attention.
Written in the first person by a Mother coming to terms with the death in a sailing accident of her daughter. A woman with strong rational feelings about what has happened driven to distraction by her husband's obsessive search for someone to blame.
It's not as morbid as it might, at first, sound, and I think, when it comes out in the US many of you would enjoy it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Memorial Day

Found myself in the mood for something atmospheric for the long weekend, so I read two books. First, George R. R. Martin's Fevre Dream which takes place in the 1850s during the golden age of riverboats plying their trade along the Mississippi river. This one, of course, is also a story about vampires. My second book was a short and sweet little fantasy gem, The Face in the Frost by John Bellairs. If you've grown weary of big fat fantasy, this book might appeal to you. It is also very funny, too.

Martin -

>That was NOT irony - it was completely serious. And I think you know that.Sincere apologies, Martin. I really did not know that. Cindy expressed better than I what I was hoping to say.

For the short time I have been reading and participating in this forum, I have admired the discussion that has been forthcoming, and believe you should not have had to endure my blunt and ungenerous response to your post, Martin.
This is a forum worth treasuring, and I don't want to see it devalued by my thoughtless comments. Mea culpa. Teri

Teri

I was probably a little sharp in my response to you. Thank you for your gracious and immediate apology.

All the best
Martin

Spent the long weekend reading K. Hosseini's newest: "A Thousand Splendid Suns." I cannot say enough good things about this work, although at times, it was painful to read. The author dedicated it to the women of Afghanistan. I think that in many ways it surpasses "Kite Runner." It is unforgettable and "unput-downable." To compare this novel to another many of us here enjoyed, think "Birds Without Wings."

Now I am trying to get into Alison Weir's new work of fiction re Lady Jane Grey: "Innocent Traitor." The story of the Queen of 9 Days has always intrigued and moved me. I've never read any of her books before now.

On the back burner is Welty's "Optimist's Daughter."

Martin, thanks for your review of the Dawkins book.

>To compare this novel to another many of us here enjoyed, think "Birds Without Wings."

Oh my gawd. Ok, I now know what book I am lugging with me on the plane. I don't think I can wait till I get back after that glowing review!

I've read several of Weir's non fiction works and thought them quite good. Do let me know what you think of that one. I have found that historical writers often cant do both fiction and non (Thomas Costain is a perfect example, tho I know many folks like his fiction)

>learnt that fewer and fewer Americans consider, or even understand its original purpose.

Like many other holidays here; Labor Day is the 'end of summer' holiday when everyone goes for that last summer trip. No one even thinks about the labor movement. Memorial Day is considered the first holiday of the summer, and except for the people whom this holiday effects, its mostly celebrated (commemorated) that way.

That being said - every city has their Memorial commemoration, every city has their flags out, with vet cemetaries filled with speakers and mourners. So its not totally ignored or forgotten. BTW I wonder - do other people in other countries celebrate all of their country's holidays in the manner which they were first conceived? I doubt its an American trait only.

I finished A Thousand Splendid Suns yesterday and agree that it's hard to put it down. I really liked The Kite Runner, but I believe that A Thousand Splendid Suns is better. Like you, Woodnymph, I couldn't put it down. My immediate reaction upon finishing it was to be thankful for the country in which I live, even though she may have her faults.

In the last couple of weeks, I've read Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (thanks to karalk for recommending it), Invisible Prey by John Sandford, Bad Luck and Trouble by Lee Child, The Overlook by Michael Connelly, and The Unquiet by John Connolly. No heavy reading there, but I needed some escapist fiction so I could avoid my gardening chores.

Yesterday, I started reading The Ministry of Special Cases by Nathan Englander, but it just didn't grab me right away, so I've put it aside for now with the intention of trying again later. Instead, I picked up Replay by Ken Grimwood.

Cindy, I agree with you about Memorial Day. I don't believe it's ignored or forgotten, and I don't believe that we don't understand its original meaning. My theory is that while people know its meaning and appreciate the sacrifice of those who have served, many people don't attend special services or parades but instead spend the time with their families. Unfortunately, unlike our counterparts in other countries, most Americans receive very few days of vacation each year. Many work anywhere from 40-70 hours a week and then are lucky to get one or two weeks off annually and relish any additional day off as a day to enjoy their families, so I sometimes wonder if that's why it seems that some Americans don't observe Memorial Day as it was originally intended. As I said, that's just a theory.

I loved White Oleander and found it unbearable in many ways. I liked the graceful language. Loved the line that went along the lines of "a poet saying it doesn't make it true; it makes it pretty." Much more gracefully crafted, of course. And I very much liked the nebulous face of evil in the novel. If evil were so easy to identify it wouldn't threaten us, would it?

Back to The Terror

Just finished The Chicago Way by Michael Harvey. It was a soft-boiled mystery-private-eye thing and it was okay. It grabbed me in the beginning, but well, it got so ORDINARY. There was nothing to keep me in the pages, characters from pages earlier just popped back into conversation. All in all, very "made for TV movie".

Martin, thanks for the heads-up on the Dawkins book. Sounds like something that could get the ol' grey cells going, as Poirot would say.

PAM

I'm still trying to get finished with heavy duty spring cleaning, so my reading is light. Finished Spanish Dagger by Susan Wittig Albert and am about half way through Dragonwell Dead by Laura Childs. Also read Maeve Binchy's new one, Whitethorn Woods, somewhere in there during the last few days.

Frieda, your Memorial Day sounds lovely. When I first saw Punchbowl, it had all the white crosses like the American Cemetery in Normandy does. Zachary Taylor National Cemetery is located in Louisville, and they always have something on the holiday. We put out the flag in the morning and then I dusted books and shelves and we went to supper at my daughter's, taking along a fresh strawberry pie for dessert.

Carolyn, not much to Whitethorn Woods, is there? Fluffy, even for Maeve Binchy who has written several books I've really enjoyed.

I finished up The Night Listener by Armistead Maupin for my bookclub. Not necessarily a great book but it was made better knowing that it was based on a true incident in the author's life; the ending still confuses me but my bookclub's discussion should clear it up. Also completed Joyce Carol Oates Black Girl, White Girl. True to form, this author's books always sound so interesting but I never really connect with her books. Still on my TBR is A Thousand Splendid Suns which I am having trouble starting and I think it is because I fear being disappointed after the phenomenal The Kite Runner. After reading the positive reviews here, I think I better start reading it.

I started The Optimist's Daughter for the June discussion and I'm enjoying it. I loved One Writer's Beginnings which I read long ago and had forgotten about until I picked this one up.

bookmom, what confused you about the ending? I liked the book - didn't realize it was based on a real incident till I started reading reviews. I could have done with much less heart break angst tho - it would have made a much tighter story if he just stuck to the story. But thats just me. I'd be interested to hear what your group says about it.

Bookmom, I think Maeve Binchy just likes to write short stories. Her recent books seem to be only loosely tied together by a location rather than being novels. I really liked Circle of Friends and Copper Beeches.

Carolyn, my favorite is Tara Road followed by The Glass Lake, though Circle of Friends seems to be the favorite of many a Binchy fan.

Cindy, now that I re-read the ending so I'd be accurate in my confusion... I no longer am. I thought the "afterward" was an artifice and actually part of the novel. Upon more deliberate inspection, I see the ending of the novel is marked as such and Maupin's father calling him and asking him what Maupin's done to him in this book, etc, truly is an afterward. It's amazing to think that Maupin, along with other sophisticated-sounding folks, was caught up in a similar situation; at least according to web chatter, 20/20 ran a voiceprint on the real life "boy" and his "mom" with the results indicating the voices were the same person. As for the heartbreak, it seemed to pave the path for Noone to be so open to being duped. Same for Noone's musings about growing up being different and feeling isolated--he could identify with this boy and, I believe, really did see himself as a father figure/mentor.

I agree on A Thousand Splendid Suns, unputdownable.
I am also just finishing Prisoner of Tehran a memoir by Marina Nemat-very good.
Aso finished Susan Hill's 3rd book in the Simon S. mystery series-I have loved all three so far and really hope there are more to come. So much is left unresolved in the latest book.

Pam, what is the name of the latest Simon S. book? I haven't seen it yet.

I thought that only the first Simon S. book was available in the U.S. Maybe I didn't check closely enough.

CMC, the second Simon book is The Pure in Heart, and I now see in the back of it the first chapter of the next one called The Risk of Darkness, published by Chatto & Windus in June 2006.

My second one, in paperback, came from London. I haven't seen it in my local bookstores yet, much less the third one. Us poor colonials.

I know. It's not fair. *smile* I'll be watching for the second one, then, and if I decide not to wait for it to be released here, I'll order it.

re Susan Hill's wonderful mystery series-I too ordered my books from the UK. I could not wait for a US publishing. It seems oftentimes we poor colonials have to resort to high spending....the book-The Risk of Darkness- was worth every pound.
Just finished John Sanford's latest Lucas Davenport mystery which was quite good but started out slow and not up to the others, in my opinion.
Summer is not a serious book reading time for me usually. I'm currently looking through my TBR shel(ves) for more mysteries.

Pam53, I agree with you on the newest Sandford book. I thought it was decent but it was not quite up to par with some of the earlier books in the series.