I finished The Late Show a couple of days ago. When I first started it, I was annoyed with all the (obvious, I thought) explanations built into the narrative but I quickly got into the groove and ended up enjoying it.

I meant to add that I also just read "Crazy Rich Asians" -I don't remember how this book even came across my radar. I'm still undecided about it. On the one hand, it seemed like a bunch of drivel, but something kept me reading, so it was in some sense compelling. Essentially, it is a novel based on the ultrarich of Singapore, and the great importance they put on wealth. Lots of stories about dresses that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, private jets, etc. This is a story about ostentatious wealth, the necessity of showing everyone how wealthy you are. I can't figure out why I would be the least bit interested in that, but like I said, it kept me reading all the way through.

Geez. I love these threads. Always add new books to my list.

I finished Days Without End on Saturday. Long listed for the Man Booker Prize (did not make the short list). Once I got used to the semi-literate first person narration, I found it very interesting. A rather different perspective of the anti-Indian and Civil Wars. Blood, guts, and (a lot of) tenderness with some twists.

On to David Sedaris'(s) Theft by Finding. I'm not sure that I'm in the right mood for this book though. 25 pages in and I haven't laughed once. I don't want to waste this book on my distracted, things are bad at work, etc. mind so I may set it aside. I have a sci-fi book and a (long) book of short stories on order from the library. Those might better suit my current mood.

I just finished HAPPINESS-A Memoir and highly recommend it. The author has an exquisite lyrical writing style which took me on an unexpected emotional journey.

Here's an excerpt:

http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/08/07/heather-harpham-happiness 

nannygoat18, I read Happiness as well -and gave it 5 stars on Goodreads, which I rarely do. I want the author to write a sequel now. I loved her writing style too. I couldn't get your link to work, so am adding one here: Happiness.... by Heather Harpham

Bestyears--thanks for the link.

I heartily concur with your rating--it was truly affecting and lingered in my thoughts even after I finished it. I'm a speed reader and had to force myself to slow down so I could savor every word.

As mentioned in past WAWR posts I have been on James Michener America historical fiction kick. I have greatly enjoyed them all with a few left for the future. However, I needed a break so read Uncle Tom's Cabin and just started a trilogy by Brendan O'Caroll. In the set is The Mammy, The Chisellers and The Granny.

So far so good! The first book is about a widow raising seven children in 1960's Dublin. I actually laughed out loud a few times.

Just finished Station Eleven which I loved. I swear someone here suggested it but I can't find the post to thank them. Currently reading The Japanese Lover. It's good just too verbose for my taste.

I'm a speed reader as well, nannygoat18, and had exactly the same feeling, and forced myself to slow down. One of the first books I ever felt that way about was Reynolds Price's "The Promise of Rest." There were so many incredibly lyrical and poignant sentences, that I often had to set the book down and just savor the words for a moment.

Off to the library, thanks!

Runningg, completely agree about Daniel Silva. He uses the same phrases and words over and over, I love the plots generally but the last book, House of Spies, really needed help. The green eyes, child bearing hips, blah, blah, blah. The one before that, The Black Widow was great though.

d_gw, I read Station Eleven a couple of years ago. It's totally not a genre I normally read, but I really enjoyed it too.

I just finished Beneath a Scarlet Sky which got a lot of hype and over 4 stars on Goodreads. Historical fiction based on the "true" story of an Italian teenager who was a driver for a Nazi officer in Milan during WWII. I found the writing to be just okay. What could have been a really interesting novel was just okay IMO. I certainly wouldn't give it the high praise it's been getting.

I hate hearing that 4kids, that was my recent audiobook purchase that I will listen to after finishing Year of Wonders.

Bestyears, I'm checking out The Promise of Rest--is it part of a trilogy? If so, is it stand-alone?

Bumble, I really enjoyed Year of Wonders, even with the dreadful plague.

Now I'm reading A Gentleman in Moscow. I'm still deciding.....

I am reading Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan. I really didn't care for it at first.. but then it turned completely around for me and I am having a hard time putting it down.

For those of you have read Station Eleven: looks like it's part of a series. Did you read the preceding books or does it stand on its own?

d_gw - I too have searched for book recommendations so that I could thank the person. The search engine here is so lame though. I read an entire 50+ response that came up on a search hoping to find the recommendation and didn't find my search keywords anywhere. Lame.

nanny, I think he did write this as a follow-up to an earlier story, but it also stands alone. Let me know what you think!

I've put a reserve on it-will keep you posted, thanks!

d-gw I think it might have been be for Station Eleven because my book club read it maybe 3 or 4 months ago. It's most definitely no my genre but it was really well done. (so I will say I am glad you really liked it). I read it by itself and in our discussion it never came up about it being part of a series.:)

d-gw, I recommended Station Eleven a while back (2 years?). Loved it even though the description made it sound like sci-fi, which I do not usually choose to read.

Just finished Underground Girls of Kabul which was interesting. It was for our book discussion group, but unfortunately, I'm going to miss the discussion. Next up Picoult's Small Great Things.

Bumblebeez, I had one friend who loved Beneath a Scarlet Sky. My other friend finished it just as I was starting it and felt the same way as I did. It gets really high reviews on Goodreads, so I gave it a go. To me, it read like a first novel from a new writer whose editor gave a lot of leeway. I don't want to discourage you as we all have different taste but that was just my experience with it.

I just started Beartown by the author of A Man Called Ove. I like it so far, but if I didn't know it was the same author, I wouldn't have suspected as much. I've had several friends read it before me who raved about it, so I'm hoping I enjoy it as much.

I am reading before we were yours. I am really enjoying it. I usually love mystery type books esp. Michael Connelly but this one caught my eye and i am glad it did. Very intriguing so far.

I just finished reading Commonwealth by Ann Patchett and loved it.

I a reading one now that is truly a must read. The title is Shakespeare Changed My Life by Laura Bates. It is a memoir written by a woman who taught classes on Shakespeare to men who are in solitary confinement in a super maximum security prison. She primarily focuses on her experiences with one prisoner who has been in prison since he was a teenager. The story of his life is a heartbreak. The book illustrates the cruelty of our prison system for the young and also the power of education. I am finding it riveting and eye-opening.

I am reading Sourdough by Robin Sloan who also wrote Mr Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. I didn't care for Mr Penumbra's.. in fact, I didn't get very far in it before moving on to something else. I found it awkward and pretentious. It screamed "first time author". I know it has a large following but I just couldn't get past the first few chapters.

Sourdough started out similarly and I remember rolling my eyes in the first few pages, wondering if I could stomach the whole book.. but something magical happened and all of a sudden I was sucked in. I think it is absolutely charming and I love a number of the quirky and down-to-earth characters.

And really, how can you not love a book where a jar of sourdough starter is an actual living, breathing character!

Funkyart, that book sounds great and the Amazon reviews are stellar! I'm preparing my submissions for this year's book club (we each provide 3 recommendations and pick from those for our schedule) and I think I'm putting this one in as one of mine. Like you, didn't care for or finish Penumbra for reasons you listed, but this one sounds very intriguing.

dedtired - is it Shakespeare "Saved" My Life by any chance?

I am reading Happiness: A Memoir now and loving it. I've been annoyed today because I've been busy and all I want to do it hide in my room and read my book! I'm about halfway through.

Sueb20, I had every intention of spending 2 hours reading today, but got sucked into some work for a volunteer organization I belong to and never even cracked my book open today. Hoping I can read for at least 45 mins this afternoon but need to prep dinner first. I'm still reading Beartown, which I should conceivably be finished with but haven't had significant chunks of time to make any headway. :(

I'm currently reading "The Ship Killer' by Justin Scott. It's about a sailboat that was run over by a mammoth freighter during a storm. I'm a Kindle reader, so I download 4 to 6 library books at a time.

On planes to/from Iceland I read The Art of Hearing Heartbeats and Commonwealth. Both were wonderful and I'd highly recommend both!

My dd recommended to me 'Days of Abandonment' by Elena Ferrante. She read it as part of a feminism class. I finished it yesterday. It's a novel written in the 1st person almost stream of consciousness by a wife and mother whose husband leaves her for another younger woman. She thought it was one of the best books she ever read. Me... not so much. It got great reviews on goodreads and amazon. Not very easy to read IMO.

I also finished 'The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane' by Lisa See. Love her books.. this one about a remote village in China. I was interested to read about how tea is grown and harvested. Also how it is traded as a commodity. The book also features international adoption.. a subject I am very much invested in.

'Faithful' by Alice Hoffman. I always enjoy her writing. Story of a young woman who struggles after a devastating accident. I didn't want to put it down and didn't want it to end.

"Ripper' by Isabel Allende. Another of my favorite writers. Different from her other books, this one a murder mystery. Very good!

I also read Gentleman in Moscow from recommendations by this group. Not what I expected in a good way! Really enjoyed the writing style and always interested in Russian history.

A Gentleman in Moscow was such a wonderful read! I was transported into a magical world and was so sorry to have to leave the Metropole at the end of the book :)

I'm reading it, too, (Gentleman in Moscow) and wish I could just stay up all night and finish it. It's an amazing book!

Eta, I finally finished it this morning...sigh! Lovely, lovely book!

Oh, I am so glad you all liked Gentleman in Moscow. I was the first in my group to read it.. and one of the first, if not the first here. I read it almost a year ago and it was the thing that saved me through all the debates and the horrible campaign goings on. It was my perfect escape each night and, yes! it was charming and enchanting!

I recommended it to anyone who would listen-- something I rarely do-- but alas, a few people here and one in my real world didn't love it the way I did.

I will say this.. I think the ending could have been much much stronger.. but I so loved the book, I can't bring myself to call that a complaint.

"The Couple Next Door " by Shari Lapina was handed to me the other day. At times overwheleming with the twists and turns. Interesting story that could happen, or could it?

I also loved "Happiness". Thank you to those who suggested it.

ML

Lisa, thanks for catching that. It is Shakespeare Saved My Life.

I am reading A Piece of The World by Christina Baker Kline. It's very good and moves right along. It is the fictional story of Christina Olson and Andrew Wyeth. She is the woman in his painting Christina's World. The author also wrote Orphan Train.

Ded, I've had my eye on that for weeks now. I am eager to hear what you think as it continues.

Just finished A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles. It's one of the best books I've ever read. It had a slow (for me) start but it developed and I found myself totally engaged. It wasn't over until the final sentence. And then I wept, but in a good way.

I'm sorry if I've already mentioned this in a previous "What Are We Reading" post, but I wanted to mention that my book club is reading "The End of Your Life Book Club," by Will Schwalbe. I've already read it, as has one other member, but we love it enough to read it again. There is so much to love about the book, which is a memoir of time shared between a mother and her grown son as she battles cancer. The mother is an inspirational character in her own right, Will Schwalbe is a fabulous writer, and the book becomes a wonderful resource for other books you will want to read. Don't take desperate notes throughout as I did -there is an index at the end.

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

With all the love for A Gentleman in Moscow expressed here, I was wondering if anyone has read the author's other book: Rules of Civility?

eta the correct title!

Funny you should ask.. I just started Rules of Civility last night. I have a lot going on this month so I will be reading it slowly but I'll let you know how it goes.

Oly, do you mean Rules of Civility? I just put a hold on it at the library.

Funky, I'm going to disagree with you on the ending. I did not see it coming. It had never occurred to me, and yet, it was so perfect and complete. I started getting fearful and imagined it turning out differently. Trying not to give any spoilers here.

At the beginning of the book, when I was trying to decide if I liked it or not (!) I went to Goodreads, where I'd gotten the original recommendation, and scanned a review or two. There was one who said she wept at the end. That was enough for me and I stopped reading the reviews and committed to the book. However, I began to dread what caused her to weep. With those very final words, I sat back, and my own tears appeared and they surprised me.

There were times during the book when I kinda wished I was reading on my iPad so I could find an exact spot earlier on when a person or small incident was mentioned so I could refresh my memory. Nothing mentioned was unimportant; it all came together.

And if you love the movie Casablanca, you'll be richly rewarded.

Thanks, yes Rules of Civility...I edited my post. Please report on how you like it.

Funky, which one? Shakespeare or Piece of the World?

Sorry, Ded.. I should have been more clear. Piece of the World!

Linelle, a college friend had the same reaction to the end that you did. I don't want to say too much about it because I want everyone to read it but I felt like he didn't put as much into the end.

That said.. I agree with everything else.. it's charming and enchanting. One of my favorites of all time.