Annie, Orphan Keeper was for my book club and I loved it. Definitely save it for when you can enjoy. I know we don't live near each other but Radium Girls is also my next book club book. I am trying out 3 book clubs (we moved, so seeking out people in all fashions) so for one other one, the book next month is Pachinko and the other is Educated. I want to read them but I am very far down on the list at the library, and neither one is a good promo for a kindle version so we shall see.

I did just read the One in a Million Boy and thought it was quite good but troubling.

I am trying to squeeze in Before We Were Yours right now. It's really good and hopefully I can finish it this week.

The library just notified me that Fear is waiting for me.

I’m finishing up YOU by Caroline Kepnes. I’ve passed my copy of THE POISONWOOD BIBLE on to someone else as my 4th try to read it will forever be my last. Next up is KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON (the story of the Osage murders and the birth of the FBI) by David Grann.

I just started The Girl With Tfe Red Balloon by Katherine Lock, it is a “Big Library Read” at our library.

My Goodreads "Wants to Read" list thanks you all for filling her up again!

Am I the only one who reads biographies, past and present?

I'm reading Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. Not far into it but I like it well enough so far. This is her first book.

Oakley - I sometimes read bios. Do you have a recommendation?

Finished Less earlier this week. It is clever and was an enjoyable read. Did not, however, think it great.

Now about 1/3 through Washington Black by Esi Edugyan. Short listed for this year's Man Booker prize. Liking this one very much.

Oakley, that reminds me,if you like bios, have you read Katherine Graham's? It is very good. I also liked Trevor Noah's Born a Crime.

Jumping back in after a busy summer of home renovations & mostly not very memorable books. I just finished Red Notice by Bill Browder. It's a must read if you want to understand a bit about about the corruption of Putin's Russia. It also jogged my memory about some of the murders Putin ordered. Sergi's story is truly horrifying & the author's pursuit of justice for him is commendable. FYI saw in an online article this week that one of the Putin stooges died in a mysterious helicopter crash this week. Putin has a long reach & is very vindictive.

I bailed on How It Happened. I just didn't care that much. Today I picked up Fear.

I'm about 2/3 through Olive Kitteredge by Elizabeth Strout, which won the Pulitzer in 2009. I love it so far. I am working my way through all the Pulitzer winners that I missed, unless it is a book I think will be too upsetting. I realized how many of my favorite books were prize winners or finalists when I recently went through the list.

I just finished The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine. Con woman insinuates herself into an ultra-rich family intent upon stealing the husband away. It's a psychological thriller which I found very entertaining. With whats been going on in politics this past few days, I really needed a good book to escape to. This was just the answer.

Finished Washington Black yesterday. Hmm. A good adventure tale. An interesting look at the relationships involved - slave, slave owner and family, the people they interact with throughout the adventures. Some preposterous situations - but it's an adventure, right? I don't usually comment on the book clubabilty of books but this one seems like it would be good. There were a lot of "Why that?" and "What?!" moments that I think would be good for discussion. The ending could keep you going for a long while.

Bestyears, thank you so much for mentioning The Widower's Notebook: A Memoir. It really resonated with me. He writes about so many things I can relate to and have been going through and it really helps to read how he dealt with (or not always dealt with) the grief. He was 100% correct. If you have not gone through it, you have no idea what it is like. He made me feel like everything I've been experiencing is "normal." Excellent book.

I just finished A Gentlemen In Moscow and wonder why I waited so long. A delightful book.

I am about to read An American Marriage for book club and Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

I just read Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher and literally laughed out loud through the reading experience. It’s an epistolary book that consists of letters of recommendation from a quintessential university professor of English to a variety of recipients and its hilarious. Especially for someone working in academia, it’s easy to recognize the character; her portrayal is pitch perfect. HIGHLY recommend this one especially if you want a quick and fun read.

I just devoured Waiting for Eden. It's a small novel, but I rate it 9 out of 10. From Washington Post review "classic triangle story of love and friendship, a ghost story, a captivity narrative and a study of human endurance and suffering". I couldn't put it down. The narrator is the dead fellow soldier/friend of Eden. It is his story, Eden's story& his wife, Mary, story. I can't adequately describe the characters pain or choices or how much I disagree with the book's ending. A must read.

I just finished The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. I was expecting less so I was pleasantly surprised. This was for one of my book clubs. I'm new to that group so I haven't got a handle on what would constitute a good discussion with these members.

Just finished The Radium Girls for our book group and it was excellent... 5 stars. I'm sure it will lead to plenty of good discussion. It's nonfiction story of the girls who painted the luminous paint on clocks and other dials. The paint contained radium (radioactive) which they actually ingested as they used their lips to clean and make a sharp point on their brushes. It goes through their physical ailments/early deaths and the many court cases to try to find justice for them from the firms that employed them. Stunning insights into corporate behavior.

We had a rather lively discussion at book club about The Memory Keeper's Daughter. Not all agreed about many points but that's what makes it good, and everyone is polite and respectful. Nice. Currently reading The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop by Lewis Buzbee. This is a memoir, a history. (says the cover). I started it last night and got halfway through when I looked at the clock and it was 2:45 a.m.! Obviously I'm loving it, and learning a lot. Up next will be Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips. A thriller about an active shooter event that takes place in a zoo. I'm looking forward to this for a change of pace. It's been on my list and I found this copy on the sale shelf at the Library.

I have read going on four historical books on the civil war.

My brain needs something light next. Maybe something funny and light. I'll look through this list and last months.

Annie- I also just finished The Radium Girls and am just dazzled by it. In the beginning, I was a bit put off with how many "characters" there were but stuck with it, and am glad I did. In the end, there are really only a few I can identify, but man oh man oh man what a story. What totally amazed me is that I had never heard any of this. When I had mentioned the book to a few people, several of them had a vague recollection of the story about painting watch dials. I am really surprised it never was mentioned in school or anything like that. What an incredible story. Worth reading. Truly.

On a historical fiction note, I was also impressed with Before We Were Yours, but I thought the ending and the suspense were a bit too contrived for my taste, but still a worthwhile read.

I am just starting the Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper ( I think IdaClaire recommended, saying it was along the lines of Harold Fry and Queenie) and it seems really good so far.

After trying to wade through Life After Life, feeling like I was living through bad dream, I gave up 3/4 of the way through. I almost never do that with a book, but this was my 2nd try with it and only lasted as long as I did because it's my book club choice this month. It was a relief to admit defeat and put it down.

In a totally delightful contrast, I'm now savoring each word of Less. What a gorgeously written book. I don't even care about the story (although it's fine) because his writing and imagery is completely mesmerizing. I think it's going to be one I don't want to end, but I'll get some of his previous books to try, too.

Finished a book of short stories: The Mountain by Paul Yoon. Each of the stories had a good core but each also felt like it was missing something. I gave it 3 stars.

Next up is a classic that I've never read: Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston.

The Man Booker prize winner was announced today. Milkman by Anna Burns. On my TBR list but the library system doesn't have a single copy so I haven't even been able to reserve it. They'll most likely order copies now. I could buy it....... but I won't.

My book club love Less. Now we are reading Mrs. Osmond by John Banville. It is supposed to pick up where Portrait of A Lady left off. It is a total slog and I am not enjoying it at all. Not sure I will even finish it even though I will get a demerit at book club.

Finished The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper . I think I read it in either 2 or 3 days. Could not put it down. So good!!!! Really so sweet and such a good good book.

Next up Educated

I can't get into Fear. It's interesting, but it feels like a compilation of all the news and articles and TV I read and hear every day. I enjoyed Comey's book a lot more.

I’ve been a bit out of the loop lately and haven’t even read too much. I have finally started Eleanor Oliphant and am enjoying it. As quirky as everyone has described it.

I had downloaded several cheap reads recently for $2.99 or less from Goodreads deals. One was a mistake. Turned out to be a romance novel that didn’t sound like a bodice-ripper at all from the description. I should have looked into the author’s bio. It wasn’t that bad, and parts were truly fun, but I’ll be more careful in the future. A couple of others were actually pretty good, including one about the great fire of 1910 that precipitated the US Forest Service being formed. A bit detailed but interesting, and entitled The Big Burn, by Timothy Egan.

Another couple I haven’t read yet is a Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories, and also The Hobbit, which I might get around to reading one day.

Outside - O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories is great. I wrote in my Goodreads review: Wonderful and disturbing. After reading many of the stories I thought "I need to read this again." because I was sure that I'd missed some nuance. I'm sure I did. I will read it again.

Finished Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, first published in 1937. A powerful 5 star book to me. The dialect was a bit hard to read initially but I soon got used to it. Wonderful human insights - not surprising since Hurston was an anthropologist. And wonderful images brought to mind by her writing.

Last night I finished Less byAndrew Sean Greer. I was totally mesmerized by this book. The story was good, but the writing was amazing! I read and re-read so many sentences and paragraphs, because I just couldn't get enough of the imagery and philosophy contained within them.

Love, love, love it.

I have a note in my phone where I keep favorite sentences from the books I read. I don’t always record a great sentence because I might not have my phone or a piece of paper nearby when I’m reading.

From Less: Either Less is an a—hole, or the heart is a capricious thing. It is not impossible both are true.

From A Gentleman in Moscow: If patience wasn’t so easily tested, then it would hardly be a virtue.

From My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry: Never mess with someone who has more spare time than you do.

From The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend: Don’t ever argue with an idiot. They’ll drag you down to their level and beat you with their experience.

Hhireno, what a great idea. Thanks for sharing it.

Roses, I’m glad you enjoyed ‘Good Man’, so I will probably read that next. Sorry I bumbled the title, and I have since corrected it in my post. Everyone’s reviews are so welcome to read here, especially when it’s a not-so-familiar book.

Huh, I posted in this thread a few days ago but it's not here. I'll try again!

Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley - enjoyed it but probably would only give it about 3 stars. I love her writing style, but the plot was just okay. It was one of those novels set in different time periods. I preferred the one set in the past, rather than present (which was predictable), but felt there were too many characters and they were not well developed.

Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder and One Man's Fight for Justice by Bill Browder. This was an audiobook. Great narration, but at times got bogged down with extraneous detail. The second half was much more interesting to me personally, perhaps because international relations and human rights was the focus of the latter half. I was less interested in Browder’s business dealings that he went into painstaking detail about in the first part of the book.

The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni. While this book was very readable for me, at times I felt like it was more like a young adult novel, though it is not classified that way. Perhaps this is because it is told in the first person, and starts when the main character is only six. Characters were too stereotyped. I don't regret the time it took me to read it, but not one I'd go out of my way to recommend.

I haven't anything since Sam Hell which I finished last week and am unsure what to read next. I leave at the crack of dawn on Saturday for a flight to the west coast and have a bunch of books on my kindle to choose from but I will probably also pick up at least one book from the library. Oh wow, I just looked at my library account and see that I have two books ready for pickup, one that I have been waiting for forever and thought I was still pretty far back on the wait list. Hurray!

So it looks like next up I have Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. I have heard such great things about this book. Has anyone here read it yet? I almost broke down and bought it for my trip, but now I don't have to.

The other book that came in is Less by Andrew Sean Greer

Olychick, just saw your comments on Less - I'm picking it up today! I hope I enjoy as much as you did. The last few books I've read have just been average.

4kids, I hope so, too. The story was enjoyable enough, but mostly I just couldn't get enough of his writing! Just beautiful and funny and descriptive in unique ways that really spoke to me.

Radium Girls - a reminder of the need for OSHA.

I just finished How to Grow an Addict, it was good but not great, a bit juvenile in my opinion.

Outside - I hope you enjoy A Good Man. No need to apologize about bumbling the title. I have to second and third check almost all titles because I'm "sure" I have it right but often don't. I too appreciate reviews of lesser known works. It's great when I read a title here and think "Ooo. What's that?". The Big Burn is on my TBR list so I'm glad to see that you liked it.

Next up for me is Golden Hill by Francis Spufford. It won or was shortlisted for a number of obscure (? - to me) European literary prizes so I'm looking forward to it.

I had to interrupt reading THE KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON by David Grann to quickly read DEAD MAN WALKING by Sister Helen Prejean. I’ve been invited to hear her speak next week and don’t want the Hollywood movie to be my frame of reference.

Just finished reading The Child Finder, which I think someone here might have mentioned? I had a little trepidation - I don't usually like crime books and especially about children, but I really enjoyed this, as difficult as it is to think about the reality of missing children. The writing was good enough, the story was pretty good; I thought she stretched it a bit far trying to create the "inside her head" dialog a young child might have about her future, but that's nitpicking. (not sure still what I think about the foster brother aspect of the storyline, either) It was a fast read and I enjoyed the Oregon forest/mountain setting and her characters.

Finished We Were The Mulvaneys, by Joyce Carol Oates, last week; I really enjoy her writing but nothing daunts her, so one must be prepared for where she will go (anywhere). Am now about to finish The Last Mrs. Parrish, by Liv Constantine. I think it might have been recommended here; it's a good read, described online as "wealth porn", since it's about greed for what money can buy, and not very skillful writing, but who cares, as long as Mr. Parrish gets what he deserves.

Next up will be a book about Franklin D. Roosevelt and the women in his life. What a fascinating man!

I just finished Widow's Point by Richard and Billy Chizmar. A spooky ghost story set in Nova Scotia in a lighthouse. Perfect for this time of year. Beginning Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern, a Vermont author. Too soon to tell much about it as yet.

Our next read for our book group is a memoir... We Are All Shipwrecks. I'm about 1/3 into it and am *still* waiting for something to happen. I hope it gets better...

I'm reading If You're in my Office, It's Already Too Late: A Divorce Lawyer's Guide to Staying Together and it's great! I've never been divorced, and read a review of this one in the NYT I believe so decided to check it out and am enjoying the author's voice very much as well as the advice. Most of it is pretty standard (communicate, have sex LOL) however hearing it from the frame of someone who is intimately familiar with what happens when people don't follow those rules is interesting.

I'm also completely addicted to the Joanna Brady series of books from JA Jance. Someone, forgive me for not recalling who, recommended these on this monthly topic and I am SOOOO grateful! I've been inhaling them in sequence; am about to start book #6 and they are excellent. Luckily my library seems to have them all available as Kindle editions so as soon as I finish one I fire up my online portal, download the next one and I'm off.

I think I recommended The Child Finder; read it last year and liked it. Sometimes I get into a genre rut and unfortunately there have been quite a few books out recently with the theme or subplot dealing with child abduction or abuse. It's such a dark topic and yet some authors do amazing work in exploring the psychological after effects.

My next novel is Where the Crawdads Sing which has gotten rapturous reviews including an eye-popping 4.8/5 stars from 800+ Amazon reviewers. Hope it's as good as the folks praising it say!

I'm currently reading "The Cowboy and the Cossack" by Clair Huffaker for the third time -- the first was when I saw it listed on Nancy Pearl's Book Lust and the nest two times because it has been chosen as book group reads. I've loved it every time.

Finished Golden Hill by Francis Spufford. Interesting tale set in 1746 New York City. The descriptions of, at that time, a city of 7000 souls in comparison to what we know as NYC was great. It's bit of a mystery with a lot of twists and turns. Pretty terrific ending. I liked it.

Next up: Life and Death Are Wearing Me Out by Mo Yan.

Salonva, I'm so happy that you enjoyed The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper! I thought it was a delight.

I'm currently reading Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI for bookclub, and finding it quite interesting and infuriating at how Native peoples have long been treated in this country.

Just getting near the end of Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes, which seems appropriate to the season.