Rouan, thanks for posting that. I had no idea it affected family and was still thinking about the possible impact of Ike on friends who live in Texas.

Paula

There's a new P.D. James? I thought she retired. Goody goody!
Off to find out street date for US.

I'm back: can be preordered on that South American river site-street date November 18.

Just finished "Garden Spells", a nice, light read, after the more heavy "Sistine Secrets." 10 days ago, we here in Tidewater got socked with Hanna. I just got an e-mail from my stepdaughter in western PA who had been hit with Ike's remnants. She lost power and had large trees down. It's incredible how far reaching that hurricane was. I have friends in Houston that I am worried about, as well.

lemonhead, thanks for your input. As soon as I have a smidgen of space on my TBR stack, I'll run to the library. You've got me quite interested in reading it now!

I am reading A Death for a Dilettante: A Robert Forsythe mystery by E.X. Giroux. I found this mystery at a used book store someplace in New York State this past summer. I am halfway through at this point and am really enjoying it. I've never heard of this author before. This book was just sitting on the top of the 50c table, I swear, it was just waiting for me. According to the front cover, there are at least two others in the series - A Death for a Dancer and A Death for a Doctor. I do see some character development and a few jokes/comments that seem to be related to the previous books so after this one, I'm going to start at the beginning. And it looks like I have to find the mysteries that cece's been reading, too. And I have my eyes on a P.C. Doherty that I found (on the same 50c table) entitled The Death of a King that I cannot wait to read as well.
PAM

Just read "Crompton Hodnett" by Barbara Pym - an enjoyable little story in North Oxford and an early novel apparently. Quick read but lovely story and thoroughly enjoyable.

Now on to another RP reccie -- "As Strange as the Weather Has Been" by Ann Pancake (seriously!) about W Virginia and a tiny little mining town and what it has to put up with in terms of results of strip mining. Reminds me of Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath in some ways -- written in dialect, tough rural setting etc. Someone from RP read this awhile back and so I picked it up from the library. I have never heard of it apart from here, but it's a good read.

Pam, I've read and enjoyed several books by Giroux. According to Stop, You're Killing Me, there are 10 in the series. You are in for a treat. I found mine at the library, but it's been awhile. Hope they are still available for you; otherwise, it looks like abe.com.

I am reading the "Book of Lost Things," which I'm finding very absorbing so far.

Cece,
Yes, I finished the Charles Lenox book, A Beautiful Blue Death, shortly after I posted about it. I liked the characters, and I loved the atmosphere of 1865 London, with all those clubs for every group and interest. I plan to read the 2nd book, The September Society, eventually. I saw it at B & N, and read the first couple of pages on the spot, it seemed pretty good. I will get it from the libray. Have you read both books? If so, did you like them?

Vee,
Thank you for the link to the Agatha Christie tapes. I read the autobiography over 15 years ago, and it was charming. Somehow, I remember more of that book than of books read more recently. In it she comes across as sensible person, but with great sense of humor. The article mentions several things I remember from the book, like her life during WWII.

Finished up "Strange as the Weather Has Been" -- good in the end, although the conclusion wasn't very clear. (Or maybe it was me - it was late last night.) Originally, it was tough to get into, but if you like reading about environmental problems in a novelistic way with lots of dialect then you'll like this book. As I mentioned before, I saw a strong overlap with "Grapes of Wrath" in many ways.

Now on to "The Hatbox Letters" by Beth Powning, a novel about a woman who is dealing with the loss of her husband while at the same time, delving into some hatboxes full of letters from her grandparents to each other. Lots of great descriptions of the East Coast where it seems to always be raining (which I love to read about). Lots of nature descriptions which is nice as well. Another RP recommendation from a long time ago so thanks unknown reader!

I saw Bob Woodward's new book The War Within at Chapters the other day and I just HAD to buy it. I've followed his Bush White House books for the past few years and the access that this guy gets is quite remarkable. Anyway, I'm in the middle of it now and it's interesting how the policy for a surge in US troops in Iraq developed.

Oh, and last Wed, while I was waiting for a friend to go watch one of the features at the Ottawa Animation Festival, I dropped in on a used bookstore next door. I saw a few Bill Bryson books and, remembering the recommendations about him from this board, I decided to pick one up. I had read his The Mother Tongue and found it quite amusing. I picked up A Walk in the Woods and am VERY glad I picked it up. This guy (and Katz) is HILARIOUS! I'm going to have to pick up his other books now.

Oh, and I'm also going to stay as far away as possible from the Appalachian Trail. Unlike Bill and Katz, I'd like to think I STILL have some semblance of sanity left. (And, to underscore that, this morning I had a prolonged discussion about my fitness level with my stationary bicycle. The bicycle won. I'm not sure if I should sell the darned thing or take a hacksaw to it....)

I haven't posted for a while because my electric was off for several days (part of the wind storms in Ohio). Naturally with the electric off and nothing else to do, I got a lot of reading done.

Hell Hole by Chris Grabenstein was an enjoyable read. This is a fun series with quirky characters that I love to visit.

I then read through Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. The historical fiction part set in the 14th century was a lot more interesting than the futuristic portion. It annoyed me that the tech Badri wouldn't tell Mr. Dunworthy what had gone wrong with the drop, even in his lucid moments. And I had really wanted to read about Gilchrist getting his comeuppance.

I then unfortunately picked up Nothing to Lose by Lee Child, which is the first book of his to disappoint me. I know there has been a bit of controversy about some things the character says in the book, but that honestly doesn't interest or bother me. What I didn't like is in this one Reacher seems to go looking for trouble, something he usually attempts to avoid. And it was boring reading about him running back and forth from Hope to Despair, over and over. This wasn't a page-turner like Child's others have been. I hope his next is back to form.

Now I've started Death With Interruptions by José Saramago. The first day of a new year, and no one dies in the entire country. As the year goes on with no human deaths, people react first with joy, then consternation.

Wig, I hope you are enjoying The Good Thief. I really liked that one and look forward to more from Tinti.

I'm re-reading Dodie Smith's "I Capture the Castle." Am finding it even more enjoyable the 2nd time around. I will never understand why enchanting books such as this go out of print at all. It is timeless and Smith's writing style is unique.

Have just finished Empire of the Sun by J G Ballard and now wondering why I took so long to get round to it.
It describes the fall of Shanghai to the Japanese as witnessed by the young Ballard (the Jim of the book), the casual cruelty all around him, his over-active self trying to stay alive first on the streets, then in the interment camp and finally, when starving, at the end of WWII as the Nationalists try and take control of the city.
Despite the grim subject it it one of the most beautifully written and powerful books I have read for years.
Highly recommended. I must now look out for The Kindness of Women which continues his story and his latest work Miracles of Life.

Vee, I have not read Ballard's book, but I did see the film, which was excellent. Maybe you can try to rent it.

Veer, I'm glad to see you liked Empire of the Sun. It's one that's been on my TBR list for years now, but I still haven't gotten around to actually reading it;-). I'll have to move it up the list; it sounds like the type of thing I'm really in the mood for right now.

I finished The Temple of the Golden Pavilion by Yukio Mishima last week. I really had a hard time getting though it; if it hadn't been a book group pick, I would've set it aside. It probably didn't help that I was going through a major reading slump at the time, either. I did finish it, but boy was it a struggle!

I'm now reading The French Lieutenant's Wife by John Fowles. I'm only 40 pages in, but really enjoying it so far! It's set in one of my favorite periods (Victorian), and is certainly sucking me right into the story. Now I just need to find some time to sit and read it for more than ten minutes at a stretch!

Kelly

Whoops, that should say The French Lieutenant's WOMAN by John Fowles. We had my brother's wedding reception last night, and I am so sleep deprived today!

I zipped through the two YA books my kids urged on me, The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan. Both were quick, action-packed stories and I understand now why every 4th - 6th grader I know loves these books. I will probably read the third and fourth installments eventually.

I've just started A Vicarage Family by Noel Streatfeild, which I believe was recommended here at some point. I'm not familiar with this author at all, and I'm going to look for some of her children's books, as well.

Dynomutt, isn't Bryson wonderful? I think A Walk in the Woods is his funniest book of all. You should also read his autobiographical The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - hilarious! And it includes his first encounter with the character of Katz.

sheri and dyno I think Bryson's best and funniest book is Notes From a Small island. He journeys round the British Isles noting all our quirks and peculiarities, mostly things we take for granted or have never noticed about ourselves. And being English/Irish/Welsh/Scots we don't take offence at this. I have noted that my 'spell-check' tells me I have spelt 'offence' wrong . . . and that 'spelt' is not a word, but both are fine in English English. Our computer is obviously a Yankie model.:-)

Re Noel Streatfeild. I used to enjoy her books many years ago although many of the themes became rather similar. Middle class but poor families, all with 'bright' children (dancing, acting, music etc) who, against all odds get on and do well. They would probably be considered very non-PC today.
Sheri her Ballet Shoes was/is very popular with girls.
Her only 'different' story was The Fearless Treasure which looked at the history of England through the eyes of a group of children who were led back into various periods of history. I practically wore that book out reading it so many times.

Finished "The Hatbox Letters' by Beth Powning - at first I thought this was just an "OK" book, but it really clicked into gear in the last third and I was very taken by it. Good book about a woman who is dealing with the grief from the death of her dear husband and also dealing with family issues. Got a lot of different threads going on, but they all come together in the end. A satisfying read.

Now on to Temples of Delight by Barbara Trapido which I read all last night and kept me up late because i kept thinking "Just one more chapter". Thoroughly enjoying it.

Vee, I've read Notes From a Small Island and enjoyed it. Bryson is just so reliably witty and fun, I've liked all his books.

His I'm a Stranger Here Myself struck me as you said Notes ... struck you. He wrote IaSHM when he returned to the US after years in the UK, and his observations of life here after being abroad for so long were spot-on and very funny. The only book of his I didn't completely enjoy was The Lost Continent about his tour across the US. I thought he whined (whinged?) about everything way too much in that one.

And thank you for the info on the Streatfeild books. My local librarian mentioned Ballet Shoes but I'd not heard of The Fearless Treasure.

Lemonhead, I've had The Hatbox Letters in my TBR pile for ages, I'm glad to hear you liked it. It's always nice when a book I hope will be good gets a good review here.

Yes, I'm quite enjoying Bryson's writing. My only problem now is that I realize he's got quite a few books out and .... this means I'll be reading Bryson through to December! :-)

(Note I didn't say which December!)

Vee, I once read a mystery set in Chicago in which someone was delivered a threatening note that contained the word "colour." I noticed it and read on. It turned out to be a vital clue, and I was so aggravated because I had just thought it an old spelling.

And in U.S. American, that would be Yankee.

My reading time has been drastically reduced since returning to work (in public schools)...I so miss my summers for that reason. I just finished The Good Thief and enjoyed it. I love this time period and it echoed of Oliver Twist and Great Expectations. However there was something about the book that felt a little flat to me, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Sometimes I'm not sure if it is simply my frame of mind...or something less tangible in the way a book is written. I've just started the The Count of Monte Cristo. Only about 40 pages into it but enjoying it so far. Lots of story to go....this is a long one!

Finally read Small Island. I bought it several years ago after that long thread was posted about it, but never got around to reading it. What a great book!

Now, I'm reading The Garden of Last Days by Andre Dubus III, the author that wrote House of Sand and Fog. I'm only about 100 pages in, but so far it's very interesting. Kind of gritty. Different story lines, one of a stripper and her daughter who is kidnapped. Another follows a man who visits the strip club and then goes on to pilot one of the flights that crashed into the World Trade Center.

A big thank you to whoever recommended Last Night at the Lobster and A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian. I enjoyed them both very much.

As it is finally autumn, I am reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, which somehow I missed in my growing up years. So far, it is encouraging me to read more Irving. As a counterpoint, I am also perusing Taber's The Book of Stillmeadow. It is a little emotive at times (for me) but I do enjoy the descriptions of life on the farm. Especially winter and all the dog bits.

ccrdmrbks - we live near Irvington, where Irving's home, Sunnyside, is. We've spent many days there, in his library, and attending many holiday celebrations. Our children grew up knowing this house, and the stories. Lots of fun!

Finished reading 'Bel Canto' by Ann Patchett, which is our book club selection for September. I had a hard time getting past the hostage situation at first, but then the light went on somewhere in my dim brain, and I was able to enjoy the book thoroughly. I think we should have a lively discussion around many aspects of the story. Maybe we should listen to a few arias of bel canto operas as well?

I thought I posted this last night, but who knows?

Greetings from Jerusalem. I have found that I have read more than usual while on my overseas holiday, mainly because of airport waits (read a whole book in Singapore) and the lack of TV.

I read the first Louise Penny book, Still Life after recommendations here, and enjoyed it very much. I will order the next two when I get home. I also enjoyed Deborah Crombie's first Duncan Kinkaid book A Share of Death and will probably read more, but I was a bit lukewarm about Chris Collett's latest Blood Money.

At that point I had run out of books brought from home (I had finished The Guernsey LIterary & Potato Peel Pie Society and a J A Konrath too) so I had to buy some more. I finally got around to reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and thought it was very good, part murder mystery and part thriller, and very well written. It is the first of a trilogy - the author, Stieg Larsson, handed the three manuscripts to his editor, then died in his forties before the first was published. I can highly recommend it, even if you don't usually read this genre.

thyrkas-Bel Canto was a wonderful discussion book for my reading group too. I don't know if you are musical, but the one musical member of our group said that the book is written in the same rhythms as an opera-building tension, rest, more building, shorter rest, cresendo...etc. I thought it was very interesting that Prachett would do something so subtle-something only a small percentage of her readers would know and notice. That's a pro!

cc- we did have a great time tonight talking about Bel Canto. And I wish I had read your comment before our book club, because someone in our group thought that the story of the hostages/terrorists seemed as though it WAS an opera, with the music carrying the story of love, loss, humor and tragedy. Your book club friend's observation would have really enhanced that perspective.
Yes, there was lots of appreciation for Ann Patchett's skill as a writer; as you said - she's a pro!

I just finished re-reading Dodie Smith's "I Capture the Castle" for the 2nd time. I enjoyed it even more this go 'round and picked up on subtlties and details which I did not grasp, before. This is a timeless, classic, "coming of age" novel, with a lot of wisdom in it, IMHO. Did we not have a discussion on it here at RP some years back?

I loved Patchett's "Bel Canto" and even thought the ending appropriate.

Struggling to get through The Light of Day by Graham Swift. So slooooowww... If I remember correctly, this book was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, so Martin must have read it.

Martin, did you read it? and what was your opinion of it?

Woodnymph,

I got I Capture the Castle for $1 on Sunday at Half Price Books. Don't know yet when I'll get to it. I saw the movie about 4 years ago, and the scenery was breathtaking.

reader in transit, I thought the film of Smith's novel poorly done. It left out so much. The book itself is so much richer and the style of writing inimitable, IMHO.

I just read Shattered Dreams: My Life As a Polygamous Wife by Irene Spencer. It's not my usual kind of book, but I read it for my book club. That's partly why I joined, to widen the range of my reading choices. It was intriguing, if horrifying. The life described was about as miserable as I care to imagine. It makes the television show Big Love seem unnaturally bright and cheerful.

Rosefolly

Just finished Forsaken Soul by Priscilla Royal. It is the latest in her Tyndal series. While I am still enjoying the series, the "blinding moment of intuition" solutions of the mysteries are starting to get a little samey.
Since it is a rainy day, yard work is precluded-and since the house is all in an uproar from painters and carpenters, housework is pointless...guess I will start The September Society by Charles Finch.

I had to go upstairs to get my book journal since I couldn't remember everything I've read or listened to this month. I mentioned The Guernsey Literay and Popato Peel Pie Society earlier in this thread. After I finished that, I read The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry. I had caught part of an interview with her on NPR so was interested in trying the book. It was very catching; I read it in one sitting (dinner was very late that evening). I should have seen it coming, but the ending did surprise me.

I took out several Young Adult books from the library and returned most of them unfinished. Somehow, they just didn't appeal to me after I got them home. One that I did finish is Skin Deep by E.M. Crane.

After several months of waiting, I received my copy of Chalice by Robin McKinley. She is one author whose books I will buy sight unseen. I skimmed through it the first reading just to get the jist of the story and to see how it ends. I am now reading it again, slowly and thoroughly to make sure I don't miss anything. I have to say that so far I like it. I don't love it yet, the way I do some of her other works, but I do like it. That may change as I continue reading it. I have found that some books I only liked on a first reading grew on me until I actually prefered them to others I thought I loved on a first reading. Curious, isn't it!

I was pleasantly surprised by "A Foot in the Door" by E. R. Jones; a free download from Free-eBooks.net. Not expecting much from a free book, I found myself reluctant to put it down. It was nice for a change to read about a fairly common ordinary family, which found itself in the middle of a state election. When the election is over, he is left as the "tie-breaker" to legislations. The only downside was the author's echoing of some of the passages in "Atlas Shrugged"; a little of that goes a long ways.

Regards,
Bob

Finally had a block of time in which to sit down and gulp The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I will now return the book to the library and buy a copy to own forever. I am so sad that the initial author, Mary Ann Shaffer, will not write another book, as she passed away before this one was published.

Sheri, I meant to mention earlier that it may have been me who recommended A Vicarage Family as it is one of my all time favourites.

I finished one of the books I picked up at Dublin airport, The Woman in the Fifith by Douglas Kennedy. I really didn't like it at all. The writing was good and the story compelling reading, as it said in the blurb, but the ending was supernatural rubbish!!
The last one I have is chic lit - Sheila O'Flanagan - so I will have to get one more for the flight home of 24 hours!

Yours in Budapest (and soon in Prague)

Kath

Kath, I think before you started you epic voyage a world map would have been useful, so every time you 'touch down' at RP a little lit-up aeroplane (nb. UK spelling!) appears on our screens so we can follow your route. ;-)

Kath, I couldn't remember who mentioned A Vicarage Family, so many thanks! I'm just finishing it up this week, and I've really enjoyed it.

You'll have to give us a travel report when you get home -- it definitely sounds like an epic voyage!

I zipped through the newest Nora Roberts, Tribute, this weekend - her books are my ultimate guilty pleasure *g*. But better yet, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is waiting for me at the library today, and I'm excited to start that.

Been reading up a storm lately and have now started "Moon Tiger" by Penelope Lively and am planning on doing very lttle apart from cooking supper and reading this tonight.

Can't wait - due to work commitments, I haven't read anything since Wed and I am going into severe withdrawal.

Started The Conjurer and am not loving it. The present tense annoys, the wordiness annoys, the whiny characters annoy-the fact that it is not Guernsey really really annoys. I am going to quit it and read an old favorite mystery.

I wish there was a better Search funtion on this site ... 'cause I can never remember by the end of the month what books I mentioned earlier in the thread. :(

Anyway, my apologies if I already mentioned this: I read a great book called "Lottery," by Patricia Wood about a mentally challenged man who wins the lottery. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it.

I've just started "The Lace Reader" and think I'm going to like it.

I have to read "The Shack" for my book group, and I'm not sure if I'm too excited about that.

I'm about a quarter way into The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and I've had a lot of trouble putting it down. It's fabulous and I'm dying to see what happens next.

Sarah_canary, please let us know what you think of The Shack. It's suddenly popped up on my radar, and one of my sisters (who never does this) called to tell me I absolutely had to read it. From what I've seen on Amazon, it doesn't really look to be my sort of book, but I am curious.

I just finished The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles. Set in the Victorian era, it's about a gentleman who is romantically torn between his wealthy, young, and pretty (although spoiled) bethrothed, and the town's mysterious "Tragedy" (a woman with a tarnished past). I really enjoyed this book, as it was chock full of interesting little bits of Victorian history. My rating: 8/10

Next up is Massacre River by Rene Philoctete. Has anyone read it? It's a book group read, and I'm already hearing conflicting views on it. Some love it and find it lyrically written; others are saying it moves too slow and is very bleak. I'm anxious to start it tonight and see what I think for myself!

I just finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and holy cow, what a book! I am going to read it again before it goes back to the library. It was wonderful and moving and brilliant - definitely on my Top Ten list for 2008.

sheri-wasn't it!

I have Guernsey reserved at the library, but I'm way down the list.

I've just finished Silks by Dick and Felix Francis. It is vintage Francis, whom I like a lot.

On Saturday I went to the public library booksale, and got 7 books, $1 apiece, among them: The Echo Maker by Richard Powers, An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor and The New Yorkers by Cathleen Schine.

Cece,
Did you finish The September Society? Did you like it? I read recently the first book by this author, A Beautiful Blue Death, and liked it.

Lemonhead,
I read Moon Tiger years ago. I didn't like it. I'd be interested in hearing how you feel about it.

Kren,
They did a movie of The French Lieutenant's Woman years ago, with Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons. I haven't read the book, but the movie was pretty good.

Kath,
I'm with Vee, you have to tell us about your trip when you reach to your final destination. It would be interesting if you add which books you read in each leg of the trip.