i'm reading The General in the Garden George Washington's Landscape at Mt Vernon

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. It's one of those books that lingers long after you've finished reading.

I thought I knew the history of the segregated South. I have a lot to learn.

dedtired - I read The Sellout a couple of months ago and really liked it. DH could not get into and didn't finish it. Will be interested hear how you like it.

I'm reading The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Very interesting but it's a LOT of book.

I just read "This Must Be The Place" by Maggie O'Farrell. Quirky but very well written. I enjoyed it.

Tibbrix recommended that I read "Hillbilly Elegy" by J.D. Vance, and so I'm going to look into reading that one next, as she's loving it so far. That is, between all the craziness of getting ready for DD's upcoming college graduation and Christmas. I swear, by the time I get to bed these days, I'm so tired I can barely read a few pages before falling asleep!

I have not read any Stephen King as I don't care for the genre but from all the comments I do believe 11./22 /63. will be on my to be read list.

I think I tried Cloud Atlas a few years ago and just couldn't get into it.

Lab Girl is also on my book club list but for several months in the future.

I read Hillbilly Elegy last month and was really taken with it. My standing comment on it is that it is sort of like Glass Castle (but better). Highly recommend.

I am about to finish Snow Falling On Cedars for book club and am liking it, very well writiten, very good story and all but I don't know that I am loving it.

We just finished The Diving Bell and the Butterfly for book club. Oldie by goodie. Last month we did The Naturalist By Alyssa York, liked but didn't love, previous to that Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld which I disliked (and I like both Jane Austen and romance).

Next month we are reading The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi and I am really looking forward to that one

I just started The Rainbow Comes and Goes by Anderson Cooper and his mom Gloria Vanderbilt. I am liking it so far.

I just picked up The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, by Elisabeth Tova Bailey. It received very good reviews on Amazon and has won a number of awards.

I am reading Before the Fall by Noah Hawley. Really liking it. I just recommended it to my mom who is always looking for a new book. It is about two survivors of a small plane crash and the backstories of all others who did not survive.

I also loved his book The Good Father.

I'm still reading Hawaii by James Michener. This is a long one with 1,136 pages. The beginning is all about the creation of the islands and volcanic activity. The first chapter lulled me to sleep in rolling waves every night. The following chapters are a progression of inhabitants and cultural changes. The book is very descriptive and I'm enjoying it very much.

Justerrilynn, I have never read any Michener but will have to remember that book if DH and I ever go to Hawaii. I like reading books about the place I am at or am about to visit.

I am reading Before the Fall by Noah Hawley.

Me too! I'm 24 percent in.

I am on page 272. This is one of those books that I do not want to end!

I loved Before the Fall! Noah Hawley also wrote the TV series Fargo. He's a wonderful storyteller.

Glad to see a good review of Lab Girl...bought it for DS' GF for Xmas!

I'm another one who read and enjoyed Before the Fall.

I'm back to reading In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson. I started it at the end of the summer as an e-book I borrowed from the library but didn't finish before it was due back. I tried to check it out again but was on the wait list until recently. I have to say, given our political climate and worries about Trump as our president, it is kind of chilling to see how Hitler and his cronies came to power and to think what if. I'm about 30% done and really enjoying it tho hard to keep track of all the people and their government positions.

Loved Before the Fall too! And Lab Girl was amazing, one of the best books I read in the past year.

I just picked up A Gentleman in Moscow this afternoon. It's a 2-week book and classes at my university end tomorrow so the timing is perfect. I really, really need a great book right now to take my mind off the world!

Sueb, I keep wanting to write more about Lab Girl because it's just SO good! I even posted on one of the gardening forums to recommend it to the botanical types there. I hope your son's friend likes it, too.

Oh good! She's not a gardener but she likes science (she's a nursing student). I also got her another book that seems to be getting great reviews...I'll have to look it up because I can't remember the title now...

ETA: The Sun is Also a Star.

I loved Lab Girl too.. but A Gentleman in Moscow was my favorite of the year. It was definitely my escape from a crazy world for the weeks I read it.

I am currently reading The Spy Wore Red from an old recommendation here (Olychick, maybe?). I have been really sick with a virus so it's been ok-- not too deep, not too involved.

I plan to read either The Nix or Moonglow next. I've downloaded both.

Funky, the Spy Wore Red wasn't mine, but I'll check it out. Glad to hear about a Gentleman in Moscow; I'm about 200th in line at the library, so I'll look forward to it.

I've just discovered Rosamunde Pilcher and am reading Winter Solstice. Delightful! (where have I been?) Just took two more of hers out of the library. I appreciate all the recommendations here.

I'm into The Whistler by John Grisham.

Funkyart, it may have been me who recommended The Spy Wore Red. It's an old book one that I enjoyed, even though the characters were composites of real people and not terribly complex, it told a good story.

Skibby, Rosamunde was a wonderful writer! Be sure to read "The Shell Seekers." I read it many years ago, and it remains one of my favorites that I like to revisit from time to time.

I just read the excerpt on Amazon of "11/22/63" and was drawn in instantly. I'll download the book in its entirety when I'm finished with my current read, "The Lonely Polygamist: A Novel."

I am reading The Mortifications by Derek Palacio, which is about a mother who comes to the US with her children during the Mariel boat lift. Just started but so far so good, esp because historical fiction is my favorite genre by far.

I just finished a book about a dysfunctional holiday family reunion. Pretty much a soap-opera and I would not recommend it.

Yes, Outside.. I am enjoying it for what it is. Like you say, the characters aren't complex but it's perfect for the moment. I have been foggy and achy. Anything deeper would have been put aside until I was feeling better.

Oh Oly, such a long wait. It's worth the wait.. but hope it's not so long because it's a perfect book for a long, cold winter.

In addition to threads about food/recipes, this is my favorite thread. Unfortunately, I have nothing to add this month, as I'm reading at the pre-school and first grade level right now. Thank you, though, for all the great suggestions!

Am currently reading Portrait of a Spy, by Daniel Silva. Good plot, engaging characters, but Silva does get bogged down in exposition sometimes. Next, I hope, will be Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, by Rebecca West. Considered a classic of history and travel writing, it's about the Balkans, where she traveled before they became Yugoslavia. It's been staring at me reproachfully from my book pile for about ten years!

Ida - I think you are going to enjoy 11/22/63. One of my very top favorite books. Didn't like sic-fi, had never read Stephen King, wasn't interested in time travel. But the reviews were so amazing that I bought it. And loved it. It will help that you know that part of Texas.

I am getting more into Before the Fall and it is getting harder to put down as I go :) Which may explain why it is 4:08 AM and I'm still awake.

Began reading Nicotine last night, but not sure I will continue. Sometimes when I start a book I have the sense the author doesn't actually like the characters s/he is creating-and that's how I feel about this book so far. Not to mention one plot line (warning-may be a slight spoiler) is repelling me already. To read a brief intro about a feral 12 year old indigenous child in South America evidently living in a garbage dump till she is 'rescued' by a middle aged man and then catapult forward to find out said 12 year old is now 43 with a 20 year old child by that middle aged man who evidently married her....is a bit repellent, as is the characterization of the man as some type of charlatan druggie new age huckster who dies a lingering and grossly described death at the start of the book. Meh.

I did just finish an interesting and often humorous book by Michael Kinsley called Old Age: A Beginner's Guide. A bit of a misnomer because much of the book deals with his own health issues with Parkinson's, but a lot of gentle wit and insightful comments.

Thanks Ida - The Shell Seekers is one I've taken out of the library. That's next.

I dropped some things off at Goodwill this morning and ran in to check their books. I found Winter Solstice (Pilcher) for $1. I grabbed it since it has received good reviews here and is not in my public library for some reason. Unfortunately, I will have to save it until after my Christmas sewing is done. Thanks!

The Whole Town is Talking by Fannie Flagg. I have enjoyed all of her books and this one seems just as good.

A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout and Sara Corbett. Really suspenseful and well-written true story primarily about Lindhout's experience being kidnapped and held for ransom in Somalia--but really so much more. Really hard to put down, and I am usually not a fan of stressful stories.

Maggie, I read A House in the Sky years ago and have been following Amanda Lindhout on Twitter ever since. Incredible story.

Maggie, I read A House in the Sky years ago and have been following Amanda Lindhout on Twitter ever since. Incredible story.

For those of you not terribly familiar with Stephen King, many of his more recent books would not be what I consider horror. I think someone mentioned the Mr. Mercedes trilogy above - they are detective novels. I also liked Under the Dome and Joyland. Lisey's Story was what I'd maybe call fantasy, but not really horror.

Really enjoying The Girl With All The Gifts. I've never read this genre before and hesitate to say it's a zombie book. Don't let that stop you from checking it out....

I just stared Britt-Maria was Here by Fredrik Backman, and, like his earlier two, I'm enjoying it very much.

I read the latest Flavia deLuce book - a big thank you to whoever it was the mentioned it in the other thread. That series is delightful.

I read Rules of Civility, by Amos Towles the author of A Gentleman in Moscow. I liked Gentleman a bit more but I would recommend Rules.

I have Rooville by Julie Long for my book club selection. It looks like it will be a fun read.

I read A House in the Sky a few years ago for book club- it was really quite an amazing story. was surprised that I never heard anyone else mention it.

I have The Whole Town is Talking on reserve at the library (but it will be a while before it's my turn).

I am currently reading Anne of Green Gables and I am ADORING it. I never read it, and I never saw the movies but finally decided I was curious. Wow what a great read. I am savoring it.

Sheila, I read AoGG as a little girl, and then read it to my girls. I was so impressed by it as an adult, our book club read it too.

Hhireno,

I just sent a notice to our book club to pick between A Gentleman in Moscow and The Underground Railroad (I always give two choices). I'm hoping for the former, even tho i thought Rules of Civility was overrated. Was also looking at Moonglow.

Finished AoGG (thanks Mtn- love being in the know)--- Anne of Green Gables. It was so enjoyable- so glad I decided to read it. I will likely read some more of the series over time. What a sweet story and such beautiful writing.

I just started My Name is Lucy Barton. ( author wrote Olive Kitteridge). I am only at the beginning but it seems pretty good so far.

Here's a good website to reference. It's new to me but maybe most readers are already aware of it-

Goodreads - Best Books of 2016

We finished Go Set a Watchman and surprisingly even though the majority of us didn't like the book for all the usual reasons, it did trigger a very good discussion about racism which tied in nicely to our present political situation. So it served its purpose.

My club finished The Sellout. We all agreed it was a difficult read, in fact the author says so, too. One of our members is Greek and she had a particularly hard time with it because of all the references to The Little Rascals, which she had never heard of.I cannot recommend it.

Our next choice, based on recs here, is A Gentleman in Moscow and for the following month we are reading Underground Railroad. Looking forward to both. While I am waiting to get my copy of Gentleman from the library, I am read The Time Traveler's Wife, which I've had on my shelf for a while.

You'll love A Gentleman in Moscow..

I am reading Spill, Simmer, Falter, Wither by Sarah Baume. A beautifully grotesque and sad tale. I am loving it.

I finished My Name is Lucy Barton. It was a quick read, and although it did draw me in at first I felt it ended so abruptly that I was checking my kindle to see if I had missed pages. It was to me a pretty down depressing read and I was disappointed with it. I had read Olive KiItteridge several years ago and don't remember it clearly but I know I liked it and was impressed enough that I wanted to read more by the author.

I will be starting the Happiness Hypothesis (book club) and possibly House of Mirth.

I just put a Gentleman in Moscow on hold at the library.

I also have on hold--

The Boys in the Boat ( a future month book club selection)

Testimony * (robbie robertson the band!)

News of the World

Treyf

The Rosie Project

The Whole Town's Talking

The Rosie Project

I ADORE this book. May be my favorite I read all year

I just finished A Square Meal: A Culinary History of the Great Depression by Jane Ziegelman and Andrew Coe. Overall, there was interesting history about food distribution and dietary science of the time. However, it also followed a trend I have noticed in non-fiction books lately that drives me batty. They never really did synthesize the information in the end. There was no real thesis or summary.

I am next in line on the wait list for A Gentleman in Moscow and am looking forward to reading that over the Christmas break.

Giving A Gentleman in Moscow to my dear friend and book club buddy for Xmas-I hope she loves it as much as I did. I just finished the latest Cork O'Connor mystery suspense novel. This is a series that is always interesting; the protagonist is an investigator of mixed Ojibwe/European ancestry and it's set in northern Minnesota. Lots of great insight and background about both topics and almost always a riveting storyline as well.

I started Hillbilly Elegy last night, enjoying it very much so far. Helps that my own family background is Scots-Irish hillbilly although my family doesn't have the, um, colorful style of the author's to say the least!

On my bookshelf for holiday enjoyment is the latest Flavia de Luce, the latest Longmire, Ordinary Light, Sweetbitter, and Today Will be Different which is the latest by Maria Semple of Where'd You Go Bernadette fame.