Picassocat, I thought the Russian names confusing at first! Mostly since there are many of them, in different forms. Natasha might be Natasha on one page, and then affectionately called Natalia on the next. Luckily my book has a page at the begining of the book and lists all the characters, with a brief description of them and how they are related to each other (if they are). That helped immensely, and I flipped back to that page often during the first 300 pages or so!

Now that I'm further along I can keep all the characters straight without flipping back.

Kelly

While not exactly "light" summer reading, I am engrossed by "The Sistine Secrets: Michelangelo's Forbidden Messages in the Heart of the Vatican" by Blech and Doliner. Anyone who is fascinated by the iconography in Renaissance art and by Florence would love this book. It is well-researched non-fiction.

Possible spoiler?

It is interesting to learn of the thinkers who shaped Michelangelo's formative years and that led to his dislike of the Popes. He found Humanism and the ideas of the ancient Greeks (e.g. Plato et al) far more to his liking than the Catholic Church, which he found corrupt. Of course, he had to encode his beliefs so that the powers that be would not be offended. Despite having majored in the history of art, I never knew before how Michelangelo was influenced by the de Medici family as well as by the Jewish thinkers who dabbled in the Kabballah.

I must say I don't really believe the above is a true spoiler. I always like a brief review of a book as it might encourage me to look for it.

Picassocat, I also liked Coetzee's "Disgrace" so very much....

I have also started a book that isn't exactly a light summer reading book, but the choice was inspired by my two previous books Skeletons at the Feast and Those who Save Us.

I started Frauen: German Women Recall the Third Reich which was listed in the bibliography at the end of Blum's book, and which was recommended as a source on her website. I'm only into the introduction. The amount of social history included just in that makes the book worth reading. Odd to say that I am looking forward to reading what has already been a little hard to read as far as subject, but I am.

Finished "The Ten Year Nap" by Meg Wolitzer which I absolutely loved and was the perfect book at a perfect time. Nothing mind-blowing, but just a really good story with interesting characters in situations you could relate to. Definitely going to see if I can find other books by her. I know she has two other ones out there somewhere.

Now on to "The World Without Us" by Alan Weisman about what would happen if humans just disappeared one day (because of a virus or something.) Not due to something that would destroy the world, but just something that would destroy humans. How long would it take for the world to go back to where it was before humans came along? Interesting so far.

Woodnymph2, have you read any of J.M. Coetzee's other novels? I recently read 'Slow Man' (which is set in my home town of Adelaide, Australia), and "Boyhood: Scenes from a Provincial Life". Both were excellent, as was "Disgrace".

Kelly, I suppose the variations on the Russian names would be confusing if you didn't have a list to refer to. I found this to be the case when reading "Anna Karenina" and "Crime and Punishment", for example.

Woodnymph- didn 't thin that was a spoiler, just good incentive to read the book.

Lemonhead- there have been a couple of specials on TV about what would happen to the world if we left and they were very interesting. The graphics were great. It's a little humbling to realize nature will always win out no matter how magnificent we think our buildings are!

I'm still working on The Historian. Summer slows down my reading because I love to garden so that takes up a lot my time. Like last night I started reading The Historian but I kept getting intruding thoughts on what plants I should plant in the new flower bed I made. I had to get up and get one of my gardening books! I am really liking The Historian- thanks for the recommendations RP'ers. So......is Helen Vlad's ancestor?????????

I finished Burnt Offerings. Meh. It was okay. I had been told it was a haunted house novel on par with The Haunting of Hill House, but I didn't find that at all. Jackson's book is way scarier, IMO. Burnt Offerings actually wasn't spooky at all.

Now, I can devote all my reading time to War and Peace. I'm hoping to finish it by Monday.

picassocat, thanks for the 2 other suggestions of books by Coetzee. I must look for those --- IMHO, he's a brilliant writer....

I am knee-deep in Elizabeth George's new one, Careless in Red. I read What Came Before He Shot Her a few weeks ago and was quite disappointed. But this new one, so far, is keeping me from getting any chores done. That's a "thumb's up" rating in this house.

PAM

I am reading Those Who Save Us that veronicae had recommended. This also is a fabulous read, and want to extend a thanks for sharing it. I also picked up Jack and Rochelle from the library as it was one of the books on Blum's website that also looked good. I really have to be in the right frame of mind for Holocaust related stories as they can be so heart wrenching, so I'll have to see if I read it or need to switch gears to a different kind of read once I finish Blum's book. wig

veronicae - It's funny you should mention the "Frauen" book. I just read a humorous and interesting piece by the author of that book. I had never heard of her before. Apparently she wrote a blog and posted it on The Huffington Post, and was amazed by all the comments related and unrelated that she received.

I finished "Garden Spells" last night and will comment on that on the other thread.

I'm now reading "The Widow's War" - I think I learned about that book here. So far I'm really liking it.

The library just called and they're holding a copy of the Edgar Sawtelle book for me. I'm anxious to read that one and hope it lives up to the hype.

Just finished Farewell Britannia by Simon Young.
SY is a Cambridge academic and usually writes 'learned' articles. In this book, fiction but based on facts, archaeological finds etc he has traced the occupation by Rome of Britain to its decline in the fifth century. Not too heavy a read and was interested to see he has a chapter built around our 'local' temple of Nodens (a Celtic god), where 'dream healing' and 'dog-licking' of sores are said to have taken place.
Below is a photo of a bronze statuette unearthed at the site. The original is about 2 inches long and is in the British Museum.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:2117365}}

PAM, I too had trouble with What Came Before He Shot Her. I did force myself to slog on through, but the conclusion was dissatisfying. I've read only one other EG book, and I enjoyed it. Now I must decide if I want to venture into any of her others. I am told that I should enjoy her work, but WCBHSH wasn't the enjoyable adventure I'd hoped it would be. Do you think it was the depressing setting of poverty? I felt that the characters were so hopeless. I just couldn't see any way out of their circumstances.

Well, this isn't a discussion thread, so for what I am reading now: Kate Atkinson's Case Histories. Haven't gotten far, and need to put it aside to get going on this month's book club selection: Tender at the Bone.

captainbackfire, What Came before He Shot Her was the book that explained With No One as Witness, the book published before it. Either here or elsewhere, someone said Ms. George wanted to make them one book, but her publisher said it would be much too long--as it, indeed, would have been. As a stand alone, no wonder you didn't like it.

I enjoy her books. The best way to read them would be in sequence. You can see that on the website Stop, You're Killing Me.

I'm just finished with Snow Flower and the Secret Fan set in 19th century rural China. Fascinating, and I would recommend it either as just a read, or for a book club.

We read Snow Flower for our book club and after that we had to read 3 other books to cheer us up! I cried a bucket of tears. I simply can't get over the foot binding thing. How could they do that to themselves? But then we have this body piercing/tattoo thing going in our culture right now which really isn't too different except that it doesn't prevent you from walking.

Thank you, Carolyn, for the clarification. I knew that many of her books were designed to be sequential, but didn't know the details concerning this book and its predecessor. I appreciate your enlightening me!

Have you read both books? Do you think that I ought to get the earlier book and read it? Will I be more satisfied with the story having a glimpse at what came before?

My book group read her The Great Deliverance a year or so ago, and we had fun with it.

If you think Snow Flower is a sad book, then the author's next book Peony in Love will really depress you. Like Deborah I was left needing something more cheerful to read as a follow-up.

The foot binding reminded me of the burkkhas in A Thousand Splendid Suns. But oddly enough, I didn't cry at any point during this book-and I cry at everything-Kodak commercials, when the buyer is successful on the HGTV show My First House....good wedding toasts. I think it was the matter-of-fact style of the writing. And you knew from the beginning that it was going to turn out the way it did.

captainbackfire, I'm not sure what you are asking--the whole Elizabeth George series builds from the first book onward; but if you just want to read the most recent, Careless in Red, you would certainly benefit from reading With No One as Witness before it. What Came before He Shot Her would then make sense, although I agree that it was certainly depressing, and the end of WNOAS is terribly sad.

Sounds like a fun series, put like that, doesn't it? I still like her, though.

Sarah...canary - I think I'll go looking for that blog.
I also think we should share book shelves!

We had a very good discussion this morning-I asked about tears, since Marley and Me pretty much wiped out half our book club-and the report is that no one really cried a lot while reading Snow Flower but we all had parts at which we had to put down the book and step away. Mine was the part going up into the mountains. (Trying desperately to avoid any spoilers.) but as we will be reading Three Cups of Tea for our November meeting because the author is coming to speak at our luncheon, and we imagine that will be fairly intense, we decided to read something light for our end of summer book. An Irish Country Doctor. I just finished it a couple days ago-not sure how much discussion we will be able to squeeze out of it, but it is a light, happy, positive book.

veronicae - Sharing bookshelves sounds like a great plan!

If you want to read the piece by Owings that tells about her blogging experience, go to the Authors Guild site I've linked below. Then click on Publications, then Featured Article. It's titled: Bloggi Blenni Blicci Losing OneÂs Virtual Virginity

Here is a link that might be useful: Authors Guild

I just finished a charming YA book, Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach. (My DS is reading the Nutmeg Books over the summer and this was one of them.) It inspired me to pick up my Bill Bryson book, Shakespeare: The World as Stage. It's quite an amazing book for what it tells us about how little is actually known about Shakespeare -- and really, there's not much. Bryson, however, manages to make it interesting nonetheless. I'm curious now about all the arguments over who might have written the plays if not Shakespeare himself, and will probably look for more non-fiction on this subject.

I'm also finishing up a book of memoirs/essays by Sloane Crosley entitled I Was Told There'd Be Cake. It's an easy read and quite funny in spots, but there's nothing breathtaking about it.

Next up: The Ten Year Nap which the library tells me is ready to be picked up (I love online reserves!).

Here is a link that might be useful: Nutmeg Book Awards

sheri, I have the same interest in who wrote Shakespeare's plays and the arguments pro and con as you do. I highly recommend "Will in the World" by Stephen Greenblatt. He makes a case that possibly the bard had Catholic leanings and ties, which was intriguing to me. I'm fascinated by the "lost years" when he may have been in the north of England.

I must look for the Bryson book you cite.

Woodnymph, I'll look for that title. I'm so new to this subject I don't really know where to begin. Part of the plot of the YA book I read involved a descendant of Lord (?) Oxford, who is evidently one of the more serious contenders in the who-really-wrote-the-plays wars. I'd never found the arguments interesting before, but now I'd really like to learn more. Thanks for the recommendation!

I finished Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin. Cece, was it you who recommended this? It's a 12th c. Canterbury mystery and really good.

captain backfire,
Sorry for the delay. I've been reading Careless in Red and can't seem to keep my nose out of the book. I am behind on everything in my house. EVERYTHING. I second what Carolyn has written. Do read them in order.

What Came..blah blah blah... is NOT a typical EG book. I was disappointed in the book because I read them FOR the Lynley/Havers mystery. I like the puzzle, I like the commeraderie between the two. What Came... was not only depressing, but it was a fictional bio of someone I disliked in the previous book. I knew I'd have to read it simply because I'd read all of the others. I wasn't sure if she was trying to bring the plight of the downtrodden to the limelight or simply tell the story, but either way, I didn't care about any of the characters nor did I really care about their pasts nor their futures. I'm just glad I didn't waste money BUYING the book.

However, that being said... Careless in Red is back on track. She didn't change her style. I am happy again.
Captain Backfire, if you read another EG, be sure to tell us! I'd love to know your opinion. Okay then, putting nose back into book now.
PAM

Carolyn, you must read Franklin's follow up, The Serpent's Tale. I thought it was just as good as the first.

I just finished Memory by Philippe Grimbert, a novella in which the author fictionalizes his own familyÂs history. After his parents commit suicide by jumping off a balcony, a man recalls his childhood, when he created an imaginary older brother. From a friend of the family young Philippe learned about his parent's secret lives before his birth, and about his real older brother. Touching and beautifully written. Translated from French, and IMO the translator did a great job.

IÂve just begun Ron McLartyÂs newest, Art in America and enjoying it so far. The main character strikes me as similar in type to the character of his first book (loveable loser on a journey).

Carolyn and PAM, I have just illustrated the old saying a little knowledge is a dangerous thing! The little I knew about E. George was that she wrote a series of books featuring Lynley and Havers. My mistake was in thinking that she'd finished with the series, and her more recent books were separate stories, not necessarily to be read in order. So, Carolyn, that probably explains why my questions were confusing. Apologies all around. I will refer to the website you suggested to follow the series in order.

PAM, I did waste money buying the book, as I was pretty sure from all I'd heard, EG would be a safe bet. Bummer. You are so right about those characters. Not a one did I give two hoots for. I am also in agreement with you that she might have had a purpose in mind to shed light on, as you say, "the plight of the downtrodden."

Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl (sp?)is going pretty well. Will need to pick up the pace if I'm to have it finished by tomorrow evening's book group meeting. Unfortunately have had too many other things taking priority over my reading these last few weeks. I am envious of your current immersion, PAM! I know that feeling and it's wonderful!! :-)

I am coming to the end of the second book in the Raj Quartet by Paul Scott. I watched the Jewel in the Crown on DVD last month, and it really haunted me so I picked up the books. I'm finding that I'll need a break for something lighter and easier at the end of this one. An added challenge of some old paperbacks that's beginning to affect me is that the print is very small.

I finally finished War and Peace; it "only" took me six weeks;-).

I loved it. The only complaint I have is that I thought the epilogue was unnecessary, or at least the very end of it.

I am a big Elizabeth George fan, and unlike some of you, I enjoyed (although that doesn't seem to be the right word) What Came Before He Shot Her. I thought the slow disintegration of the situation, despite everyone trying to hold things together, was well done. However, I didn't like the one (I can't even remember the name of it) where it was Deb alone on an island........

I have just finished a reading copy of Mark Billingham's forthcoming book, which doesn't feature Tom Thorne, except in a very minor way. I thought it was quite good.

I have been reading non-stop this summer. The kids are at camp and it is nice and quiet in the house. I loved my Margaret Atwood book, "The Blind Assassin." Also just finished Tom Dolby's "The Sixth Form."

Books sitting on my night stand are:
The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst
The Ghost by Robert Harris
Girls Like Us-Sheila Warner
Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferraris
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark ( my beach read!)

Dorieann, thanks for your rec. I have ordered both of Franklin's other books from the library. I adore internet library-ing.

I just finished reading A Flaw in the Blood by Stephanie Barron. She is the author of the Jane Austen mysteries. This is quite different, a historical novel based on hemophilia in Queen Victoria's family. It was interesting but I can't say I really liked it. The author not only gave credence to strongly disputed facts, but also attributed some pretty wild actions to actual historical figures. It annoyed me. I do enjoy historical novels that are primarily fiction, but when real historical characters appear, I don't like the facts to be skewed.

Sorry if this is hard to follow. I'm trying to describe my reaction without giving away too much and spoiling the book for another reader. Harder than usual in this case, for some reason.

Rosefolly

Carolyn, hope you enjoy Serpent. Please let me know what you think of City of Shadows. I haven't read that one yet and I'm not sure if I'd like it. Anyone else who has already read it?

Astrokath, I'm soooo jealous of you being able to read Mark Billingham's new book. Here in the States they haven't even published Death Message yet. Worse, they don't even have an anticipated release date. I'm a big fan of his, and may have to break down and pay the additional shipping charge from the UK.

Rosefolly-that drives me stark raving mad! I sent The Other Boleyn Girl over the deck railing for that reason. I only wish there had been an ocean on the other side, instead of the back yard-I had to go pick it up, as DH refused to run over it with the lawnmower. Suppose I could have tossed it in the hibachi....

I just finished Wine of Violence which is the second medieval mystery written by Priscilla Royal. I have really done well this summer with new (both NEW and "new to me") authors-Royal, Louise Penny, Michael Underwood, Elizabeth Daly, Michael Jecks...such richness.

that would be Tyrant of the Mind as the second book in the series-W of V is the first.

Wow dorieann, we have just received Death Message as a small format paperback - it surprises me you don't have it at all. I love Billingham's books.

Carolyn, dorieann I think it was Kath that first mentioned Ariana Franklin's books here. Although she is English her work now seems to come out in the US before the UK. I have ordered 'Serpent' from the library but know I will be in a very long queue.
Has anyone read any of her other works written under her 'real' name of Diana Norman? The Vizard Mask (about the Great Plague of 1665) is excellent.

I second that Vee - Norman's books are very good. I also enjoyed the trilogy Catch of Consequence, Taking Liberties and The Sparks Fly Upward.

I finished Meg Wolitzer's The Ten Year Nap yesterday (thanks, lemonhead, for mentioning it!) and really liked it. Of course, I'm the exact demographic for the entire book, so it rang true in a number of places for me. I'd never read this author before, and she has a nice way of describing things in original ways. I will definitely look for her other books.

Finally got to read this thread! What with a computer problem and watery eyes, I got all behind. As regards having a house elf, that would be lovely. When I returned to work about 40 years ago, after the children went to school, I tried employing neighbours who were 'stay at home mothers' to do a little cleaning for me but after a couple of weeks they decided that they liked having their own money and got fulltime jobs!
I picked up a couple of audiotape books from my local library for $1Aust each, that is really cheap! I have not tried listening to books until recently but found it ideal as I could not read for too long with the watery eye problem. Now I'm hooked because I have to listen word-for-word instead of skipping as I often do. It does seem to depend on the person reading how much I enjoy the book. Sometimes I disagree with their pronunciation and correct them as I would have done with my children when they did that!
I have picked up an edition of Thackeray's "Vanity Fair" which has his illustrations. Very interesting but it was a pity that he did not like Regency fashions and clothed the characters in mid 19th Century styles. I could not relate to them like that. We are used now to seeing the correct dress in the TV and film versions usually although the Greer Garson 'Elizabeth Bennet' was dressed incorrectly, I seem to recall.

I have been on this WWII binge. Just finished A Kiss From Maddalena by Christopher Castellani. Wonderful book that I would recommend and I am delighted to see it has a sequel. It's about a wartime relationship in a remote Italian village, that meets many obstacles. Wonderful, lyrical writing style. Has anyone else read it? Tonight I'm starting My Enemy's Cradle by Sara Young that will likely be a little more gut wrenching. wig

wigardner, if you are into WW II, you might like "Charlotte Gray" by Sebastian Faulks, as well as "Suite Francaise" by Irene Nemirovsky.

I finished The Story of Edgar Sawtelle over the weekend. I can't say it blew me away, and I loathed several things about the ending. I'm a bit perplexed as to how this book has gotten so over-hyped; it's good but not THAT good, IMO.

Next up is a Cormac McCarthy novel I haven't read yet (I've read all of his but two now). He's one of my favorite authors, so I'm confident I'll love this book.

Kelly

I just started Clare Clark's The Nature of Monsters, an 18th century gothic thriller. If I like this, I might pick up her earlier novel, The Great Stink. We'll see how this one goes first, though.

georgia, I read The Great Stink a couple of years ago under the mistaken impression that it was a work of non-fiction about the building of the 'modern' sewers under London. Of course it turned out to be a work of fiction with, for me, rather too many modern 'psychological hangups'. But if those inaccuracies don't bother you, she paints a grim picture of sewer-rat baiting, meat-pie stalls and the Cockney underworld.

I have just finished "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein a book told from the dog's perspective about his life and the life of his owner/guardian. The man is a race car driver and he takes Enzo the dog everywhere. Enzo is convinced that he will be reincarnated as a man with opposable thumbs and he is so excited about this.

It's a good story - a quick read and bit sad as well -- maybe 'poignant' is the word i am searching for.

Good book that I read in one day -- just couldn't put it down.