I finished the Booker short-listed Room by Emma Donoghue. It is a wonderful idea and very well executed, but I did have some problems with the the language the child narrator uses. He is obviously very intelligent, and with a most unusual upbringing, but the use of some 'baby' language began to seem a bit forced to me.
I loved many of the characters though, especially Steppa and Officer Oh.

Woodnymph, I know how you feel - when I discovered my little town here in Maine had a bookstore I felt like I had won the lottery. It is upstairs from a trinket shop, I would never have found it on my own. And it is excellent, an independent well-run place with stacks of wonderful things. And art supplies to boot. In fact I think I will go there now.

Finished up "The Help" which I enjoyed on the surface, but thought was rather fluffy in the end. Then I went ahead and read the RP discussion about it, which was actually a lot more interesting than the book itself (as Lydia mentioned in one of her entries in that discussion)... Still, the discussion did help me get a lot more out of the book and also gave me more info about each of you who responded. Very interesting.

Now going to read another Mary Roach book, this one called "Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void". I have really enjoyed her other books, so am expecting to enjoy this one. She has a great sense of humor and when she came to our town for a talk, we all had a good laugh. That event was what triggered me reading all her work - she did a good reading. (Unusual for authors who read their own work - in my limited experience, authors should *never* be allowed to read their own work as they tend to ruin it...) :-)

So Mars will be my NF book and I will see what will turn out to be my fiction choice... Aah. Choosing your next read -- one of the joys of reading for me.

Just finished "Icebound" by Dr. Jerri Neilsen, a real page-turner. Unfortunately, I've just learned that the author eventually succumbed to metastic cancer.

I've just started Audrey Niffennegger's "Her Fearful Symmetry", with a setting near HighGate Cemetery. I am wondering if this will merely turn out to be a ghost story. Has anyone else here read this and liked it???

Mary, I did read Symmetry and found it pretty good but not wonderful. It's a bit mystical.

Picked up "Old Filth" by Jane Gardam which I have already read before, but it was so long ago that I decided on a re-read prior to reading "The Man in the Wooden Hat" which is a sequel of sorts..

I had forgotten how enjoyable this author was, and how interesting Filth's story was... Most of the reviews on Amazon said to read the original book before the "Hat" book as they are complementary together. So that's what I am up to.

Looking forward to a quiet weekend of reading. And perhaps some chocolate might fall into my mouth at the same time. Along with some coffee. :-)

Mary, I agree with Carolyn about Her Fearful Symmetry - I wasn't sorry I read it, but wouldn't rave about it either.

lemonhead/liz. I found Old Filth far more enjoyable than The Man in the Wooden Hat which is 'what-happened-before'. In the latter I thought the story rather confusing and difficult to follow. Let us know if you had a similar experience.

Just actually bought a book! (I do this so rarely!)
The latest Janet Evanovich "Wicked Appetite" was on the new books display at the A&R bookshop in my local shopping mall. Took me by surprise as I did not know anything about it. It is neither a "Plum" nor a 'between the numbers' novel. I was so excited, I just grabbed it, pulling out my Mall Senior discount card and money. I could not wait for a library request!

I have so many samples downloaded on my Kindle that I've lost track of what the various books are about. I've read some of the samples and they left me undecided about whether or not to read the book, so I left them on the Kindle. Some examples of the titles I'm pondering are:

Freedom - Jonathan Franzen (highly recommended by a friend -- and now apparently chosen by Oprah!)
Kraken - China Mieville ("When a nine-meter-long dead squid is stolen, tank and all, from a London museum, curator Billy Harrow finds himself swept up in a world he didn't know existed: one of worshippers of the giant squid, animated golems, talking tattoos, and animal familiars on strike.")
Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman - Sam Wasson (Not my typical NF read, but this one actually captured my attention. I think I might buy it.)
Broken for You - Stephanie Kallos ("Though it takes a while to get started, this haunting and memorable debut is reminiscent of early Atwood, peopled by lovably imperfect and eccentric characters." - PW )

I find myself thinking about the various books and characters. If I'm curious enough to keep wondering about any particular one, I go back and read the sample again and then decide whether or not to buy it.

Any recommendations from any RPers who have read any of these?

Lemonhead- I'm sorry, I haven't been on RP for a while, and didn't see your question about Verghese. I have never read his non-fiction, so I cannot compare. Would you recommend?

I have been swamped with work so haven't had enough time to read, to my chagrin. I'll finish up "Cutting for Stone" today, I expect. It's a good story, I'd say.

"Wicked Appetite" was an amusing quick read but is the first of a fantasy series. A number of my favourite light- comedic authors have gone in that direction. Where did this start? This genre seems to be everywhere now.

annpan -- Not sure where it started, but Terry Pratchett has done really well with his light, comedic fantasy. One of my favorites is Equal Rites.

Sarah Canary--FREEDOM will be on my best of the year list without a doubt. I finished it a couple weeks back; I found it one of those books that I couldn't put down (and, unfortunately, I started it on a Sunday evening which was bad timing on my part).

I'm reading KRAKEN right now and have loved it since the get-go. If the sample doesn't reel you in, it may not be right for you.

And, since you're Sarah Canary, did you know Karen Joy Fowler has a new short story collection out this month? I've bought it, but haven't started it yet.

Other than KRAKEN, I'm reading Henry James's THE AMBASSADORS. By the time I finish it, I will probably have read the whole thing at least three times (some of these sentences truly make my brain hurt). I'm making the effort since the new Cynthia Ozick due in November is supposed to be a "negative image" to the James.

Pages - Thanks for the input on Freedom, Kraken and Fowler. Actually, Kraken has pulled me in. After the sample ended I still wanted to find out what happens next. Same thing with Freedom; I keep wondering about the characters and what's going on in their lives -- a good sign.

I may have found a keeper in The Curious Gardener's Almanac by Niall Edworthy. As the author says in the forward, this book rather defies description, being a collection of facts, curiosities, tips, recipes, quotations, and general ephemera. My copy is from the library, but I may have to purchase it. Almost un-put-down-able as one thinks, "Just one more."

Finished up Mary Roach's new book, "Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void", which was really a great read. I am rather a jack of all trades in my areas I read, so know a bit about quite a number of things, but no expertise really. I have always been mildly interested in space travel, having vague memories of the man landing on the moon etc.

Roach's book is chapter after chapter of different aspects of space travel: how the astronauts are trained, what happens if you barf in your space helmet, the hazards of using the bathroom in a gravity-free environment (more difficult than you would think...)

Her sense of humor makes this such an interesting and easy book to read, along with the descriptions of some of the astronauts (one of whom was particularly grumpy and therefore rather funny)... Read this in just a few days, so obviously had difficulty putting it down and was sad to see it end.

Now I am waiting for her next one and I only have one more of her books to read. If you like to learn about things and are really irreverant about some of the sacred cows in our lives, then you will enjoy Mary Roach. Any of her books are good (at least so far).

She may be irreverant but she does her homework as can be seen from the bibilographies that accompany her work.

Tonight, I pick up Gardam's Man in Wooden Hat which was put to one side to concentrate on the space book. Apparently, old FILTH makes an appearance in her book of short stories called something about Priveledge Hill (or similar). Has anyone read this? I own it, but it's in the TBR pile and you know how that goes...

I spent the last few days enjoying City of Light that was mentioned here. It is set in the city of Buffalo around the time of beginning power plants. I was disappointed/critical of a few things, but I liked the social history. Good book.

I picked up a book from the library new book display "I Used to Miss Him...but my Aim is Improving". The title made me smile and I think someone at RP recommended it.
It is a breakup survival guide, so not needed personally, thanks, but it is amusing and an eye-opener. What some people will get up to!

I have May Sarton's The House By The Sea which was recommended here and am finding it really lovely. An old single lady relocating to Maine, how could I resist?

I went back to the Writer's Group last night and found the courage to read a very short piece which was well received. They were very kind to me on my first go. I had worked on another story for awhile and intended to read it, but then two hours beforehand I quickly scribbled something else that had been on my mind for some time. I think my story held up well enough in comparison with the other offerings. Interesting to discover what other people write about. No one asked about my motives - everyone else is either a professional writer of some sort or is trying to produce something to publish. Anyway, it was good fun with very nice and intelligent people. Next time I think I will break out my verse.

I put aside Nicholls' One Day to start Stephen Fry's next instalment of his memoirs, The Fry Chronicles. As I expected, it is fun, interesting and well written.

Reading and enjoying Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin, a crime novel, not my usual however a nice change. He is a pretty slick writer.

I finally finished Audrey Niffennegger's "Her Fearful Symmetry." I can't say that I enjoyed it or can even recommend it. The only things I got from it were the descriptions of graves in Highgate Cemetery. As I got toward the end of the novel I began to wonder if the author had read Kostova's "The Historian". The latter is a far, far better work, in my opinion.

I'm so glad there are others here who enjoy the journals of May Sarton. I discovered her books 15 years ago.

I finished "Netherland" by Joseph O'Neill which I found to be very disappointing. The back cover says it's a thriller etc and I found nothing of that sort in this book.
Finished "For one more day" by Mitch Alboum on a train ride to Williamsburg, VA. Short, good story. And almost done with "Peony in Love" by Lisa See. So far I'm engrossed in the book and think it is so much better than "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan."

Annpan, there is a Sharyn McCrumb novel titled If I'd Killed Him When I Met Him, and the rest of the sentence is "I'd be out of prison now." Your title reminded me of this.

June, Ian Rankin is super. My daughter and I met him once at a book signing in London. He said he had always wanted to visit Kentucky because of our bourbon. The books are best read in order.

I am presently reading I Capture the Castle since so many of you say it is among your all-time favorites. I found something in it that reminded me of an RP discussion, although I can't find the thread. It says: "When I read a book, I put in all the imagination I can, so that it is almost like writing the book as well as reading it--or rather, it is like living it. It makes reading so much more exciting, but I don't suppose many people try to do it." As I recall, several of us said we do read in that way.

I have to confess that I don't get the love that many have for "I Capture the Castle." I read it and enjoyed it, but it didn't affect me deeply, as it seems to have done to some other RPers. I recently watched the movie, which was also entertaining -- but that's it.

What is it that you who love it actually love about it -- other than the opening line which is delicious?

sarah/Vicki I'm with you about I Capture the Castle. I read and enjoyed it, but felt that it was very much a 'story of its time' . . . I have just checked to see when it was first published and found it wasn't until 1948, although it is written about the England of the '30's. Of course Smith had spent the 'war-years' in California (much frowned on by UK citizens who had NO time for 'arty-types' who refused to stay and fight) and had missed almost ten years in which the country and the values of the population had greatly changed.
Not a book that held any 'inner meaning' for me.

I read "I Capture the Castle", and remember that I enjoyed it, when I was a teenager in the early fifties and could relate to the thoughts and passions of a young girl. (It was in the school library and I thought at first that it was a history book!)
I have not read it again and could not get into the film at all. A lot to do with not hearing the muffled dialogue very well and there were no sub-titles on the DVD. I had to stop watching after about 15 minutes, I was so frustrated.

vee - Interesting info on Smith. I didn't know that.

annpan -- My husband and I have the same problem with movies and TV shows. It can be so frustrating. We record most things that we watch these days, and when we're watching the recorded show, we'll sometimes run the recording back several times to try to hear what a character has said ... then we just give up and move on. And turning up the volume doesn't seem to help!

I am another case of someone who didn't really appreciate Smith's book, although I am thinking that perhaps it was bc I haven't done much reading of Hardy et al...? Whatever the answer, it wasn't a book I particularly enjoyed (mostly because I was expecting a barrel of laughs and didn't get it.) :-)

Just finished "The Man in the Wooden Hat" by Jane Gardam, the sequel to "Old Filth". This one is focused more on Betty (called Elisabeth in this book) and her side of things. It was well done and I enjoyed the read, although it was (like Veer said) a bit disjointed in places. Still, if you liked Old Filth, then you will probably like this one.

And now, since I am on a roll, I will continue with the third book of Gardams' that mentions Filth (and perhaps Betty): "The People of Privilege Hill". This is a collection of short stories. Gardam seems to have a thing for memory and its role in people's lives... I wonder if this will continue...

And what did I find in the bookshop yesterday, but the newly released edition of America's Best Travel Writing for 2010... The introduction was *dreadful* so am hoping this is not indicative of the rest of the book...

I'm currently reading Julia Glass' "The Widower's Tale". The author seems fascinated by certain themes she focused upon in "Three Junes." This one is the complex build-up of many interlocking stories of various characters. So far, so good....

I loved Dodie Smith's novel for its quirky, interesting characters, as well as the intriguing setting. I could picture it all so vividly in my mind. I don't think the film captured the unique ambiance of the book. There was a scene somewhere in the novel when the sisters are running about in borrowed fur coats. I recall when I first read that part, I laughed so hard that I nearly fell out of bed!

Absolutely loved "Peony in Love." I recommend this to all women. Reading now: "Barefoot" by Elin Hilderbrand.

I am reading "Rose" by Martin Cruz Smith, quite fascinating,the setting is Victorian England in a coal mining town, people shuffling around in clogs, lots of coal dust and a nice little mystery.

I'm reading Anthill by E.O. Wilson, the first novel by this Pulitzer Prize winning scientist. I never would have picked up this book if I hadn't already known of the author's vast body of work, reminding me of the discussion in my writer's group about getting an agent - it is important to have a platform. Wilson has a large, rock-solid one, but I am surprised at how much I am enjoying his fiction, one of those intertwining, many layered stories that is simple and complex at the same time. Although so far the story has been quite gentle and relatively non-eventful, I find myself thinking about it and wanting very much to know what happens next.

Never Let Me Go, the film, is coming out soon. Which reminded me that the book narrowly lost out to The Sea by John Banville. I love NLMG, so I thought I'd re-read The Sea.

It's definitely a book that rewards a re-read. The writing is like poetry - every sentence is beautifully crafted, but there is no feeling of straining for effect. The plot is a little contrived - I still feel that one major part of it just came from nowhere, just for the shock effect - but overall, I think it's marvellous. Though I still don't agree with the judges, I think, on a second read, I'm happy to concede that they didn't actually get it wrong! I think it's a book I will return to.

I tell you what - it would be a good book for a discussion. We haven't had one of those for a while - would anyone be interested?

Yes, I would like to discuss that book, I think it would be good.

I finished Le Fanu's famous novel, The House by the Churchyard. It was published in 1863. The book is set in Ireland in 1767, in a small garrison town not far from Dublin.

I enjoyed the book very much because it is typical Victorian novel in that it has several compelling simultaneous story lines peopled with colorful characters who run the social gamut, from landed gentry, down to the tradespeople and servants. The book balances comedy with darker themes, including bigamy, blackmail, fraud, and even murder.

Le Fanu is one my favorite nineteenth century writers. Here is a description of a man passing the house of a dead acquaintance on the afternoon of its occupant's funeral:

It was past three o'clock by this time, and it had already, in his eyes, a changed and empty look, as his upturned eye for a moment rested upon its gray front, and the window-panes glittering in the reddening sun.

timallan,
You have sold me on The House By The Churchard, it seems just to my taste. I shall see if it available at my local library. I can recommend a book that may suit you "Ingenious Pain" by Andrew Miller. It opens in Devon 1772.

Thanks for the recommendation Junek. It will see if my local library has the Miller book. I hope you like the Le Fanu book, though I must warn that my copy was over 500 pages.

If you are a fan of a good old-fashioned scare, I also strongly recommend Le Fanu's Uncle Silas, which concerns an underage girl whose is placed in the care of a sinister relative with designs on her fortune, and her life.

Siobhan, I didn't realize E.O. Wilson had written any fiction. May have to look for "Anthill". I read his memoir, "Naturalist" many years ago and remember enjoying it.

Read Gogol's story collection "Taras Bulba and Other Tales" over the weekend. Several of these stories have elements of gothic horror, and those were the ones I liked best. Taras Bulba was the story I had the most problems with. Gogol was a product of his time. I suspect many modern readers will have issues with the anti-Semitism that's very apparent in several of his stories.

Finally remembered that I had a 7-day library book out and this needed to be read so I am doing that right now. It's "Blackout" by Connie Willis, a time-travel SF book. I am not usually one to pick up a Sci Fi, but Willis writes in a very easy to follow style, although this book must be a follow-on to others as there is quite a bit of sci fi vocab which I had to work out before it made any sense.

Good so far: the time travelers are from Oxford 2060, and go back to various points of WWII to study the affects of the war on the "comtemps" (ie the contemporaries of the time). However, they are not allowed to tamper with the events if it means affecting the future in any way... (of course.) I do have to concentrate on this as there are about one million different adventures all happening in different places at different times, but once you get the hang of it, it's fine.

Oh, and a friend of mine has "indefinitely loaned" me her old Kindle (as she upgraded), so have just bought my first book on there... Another Connie Willis, this one about Christmas-y stuff and sci fi. (I know it's early for Chrimbo things, but I want to read it and see if I can use it in my book review column..)

Just for fun, I am reading Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. I used to read her books when I was a teenager, but I haven't touched a Christie novel in decades. Luckily I have forgotten the identities of all the murderers, so I can read all her books again.

I have sadly finished read "Rose" by Martin Cruz Smith, 490 pages!! Now I have started "Tinkers" by Paul Harding, it won The Pulitzer Prize For Fiction 2010, quite a slim little novel of 190 pages!!!

Georgia, Anthill is his first novel. He has, of course, written a great deal of nonfiction. I believe he is in his eighties now.

I am halfway through William Zorach's Art is my Life, his autobiography. Who would think the story of this sculptor's life would be so compelling? I can hardly put it down. I am sure the book is ghostwritten, but flows between ideas and events so seamlessly that I feel like I am having a conversation with the artist.

I am on holiday at a seaside cottage in Maine, a bit redundant since I now live in a holiday town in Maine about an hour from here. But I have been coming here for a few years and I couldn't stand not to come. It is just as beautiful as ever and in fact it is very different than my home. The sea comes right up to the doorstep at high tide, and when I look out, not a sign of human habitation do I see. I will probably book it again next year.

siobhan,
Your seaside cottage sounds great, it reminds me of "Olive Kitteridge" the seaside in Maine was mentioned quite a lot.
Have you read??

I really enjoyed The Fry Chronicles - very funny, although I thought he dwelt a bit too much on the idea that he has low self esteem even though he is well thought of and successful.

Siobhan -

When can I come and visit you (indefinitely)? I'd love to be at the NE coast right now... Sigh. I wouldn't say a word to you (so we could read), I can be tidy on a good day with a following wind, and I don't eat much... :-)

Still working on the Blackout book, but holy cow. These time travellers keep continuously losing each other in different time periods, and in fact ALL of them have lost each other right now. Gimeny crickets - it's like an old Carry On movie... Not sure how more I can take...!

I will give it tonight and if the characters are so incompetent as to not find each other tonight, then it's off with their heads (and the book in the reject pile). It's a shame though as I have read hundreds of pages, but come on. Give the characters (and the reader) a break.

I haven't read Olive Kitteridge, but I will check the library. Right now I have May Sartin. Lemonhead, you are most welcome anytime as long as you are not too particular about fancy bathrooms. My present home (not the holiday cottage) has seven bedrooms, most of them closed off. I could house a small army. I am a bit short on modern conveniences, although I do have hot and cold running water and about half of the electrical outlets actually work. The shower is a bit skanky, but it works fine. Also, I have many lovely songbirds living outside - they are, of course, wild. There is no Starbucks, no McDonalds. Very quiet, very good for reading. I can't believe how many books I have read since I have moved here, almost too many!

The holiday cottage is also wonderful and can actually hold a lot of people, again as long as they are not too picky about fancy bathrooms. You will want to bring a nifty little clip-on light for your book as there aren't any decent reading lights here. Unless you can read by firelight -

Siobhan -

Thanks for agreeing to let me stay with you.. I think it would really be fun to have a meet-up with my RP friends at some point and your house sounds perfect. :-)

I made the decision last night to yank the bookmark out of the Blackout book as I didn't actually care if the characters ever met up again since they were so incompetent about the whole thing.

In its place, I picked up "Room" by Emma Donaghue which is great, fantastic, loving it. It's written from the perspective of a five-year old boy who has been born into a shed where his mother has been kept for seven years (a la those cases not too long ago where various people were kidnapped for years but escaped in the end..)

It's really interesting how the author has imagined the boy to be and since it's from his perspective, you get to see what he sees; everything in the Room (the name of the shed) has a proper name for him: Wardrobe, Bed, Rug, and he rather thinks of them as living things. How will all fare when or if they escape?

Rivetting book - I read half of it last night and now just want to go home and read it right now. Yes, that good. I hope it has a good/effective ending...

Taking all my library books back to the library today bc none of them appeal right now. Thank goodness I didn't buy all of them. (I am keeping the ILLs, but ordinary books are going back there.)

To: Astrokath & Annpan

Sorry I'm responding so late to the advice you gave me .... been away from my computer for a month.

Annpan - Yes, I am definitely going to read the Tom Holt "extensions" to the Mapp/Lucia series. Besides here, I've read other glowing reviews about them at other Websites. Thanks!

Astrokath - Yes, I know about Daniel Silva's books, thanks to this Website. Maybe it was one of your messages that "talked me into it" !

Anyway, I read "The English Assassin", and posted here about it. It was a pretty exciting story. The last quarter of it fell down a little for me because of the back-and-forth chasing and ambushing -- became very repetitive. But I think I'll give him one more try. And I LOVE the art element.