Readwine

SueK, thank you, thank you, thank you. I don't have Starz but do have Encore and it is starting in ten days. I am ready

Odd and the Frost Giants - Neil Gaiman

Old Yeller

Anchee Min

Silent Night - Joseph Mohr

Diana Descartes - that really does sound like a porn star

Neither have I. I've never been in the middle of the ocean and seen the stars.

Don't you think it would be in the best interest of the hospital?

Tracy Chevalier

The Hours - Michael Cunningham

Road House

naked....

spare key is hidden in

When Will I See You Again - Three Degrees

Totally agree. I've also finished Sovereign and Revelation and they are just as good if not better. Now I have to wait until September when Heartstone comes out . I miss Shardlake and his adventures. It is amazing how the portrayal of Henry VIII in the novels has inspired me to really find out more about him. He was such a narcissitic figure.

If only we could get British TV here

Sounds lovely. On my wish list

Both the movie and book were brilliant. It is amazing to me that it was written by a man and he was able to capture the torments and trial of the Geisha lifestyle. Wonderful job Mr. Golden. And kudos to the film's photographer. Beautiful

I agree with you Vodkafan. It was a bit of a struggle to finish The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. Briefly, the storyline is set in two different time periods: 2005 (or thereabouts), and 1870-1908 (or thereabouts). The modern day storyline involves a young man who grew up in a compound of a renegade sect of the Mormon Church, which defiantly still practices polygamy (or the art of plural wives). As he reaches his teens, he is promptly excommunicated for being gay and expelled from the compound. Several years later, his mother, one of at least 20 wives, is accused of murdering her husband (the young man’s father) and placed in jail to await trial. Her son returns to Utah to help his mother prove her innocence (?). The second storyline presents the biography of Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of Brigham Young (the leader of the Mormon Church during its establishment in Utah). According to the research presented in the book, Ann Eliza could actually have been the 52nd wife. Regardless, Ann Eliza seeks to divorce her husband (unheard of at that time) and launches into a fervent nationwide crusade to abolish polygamy. Prior to reading this book, I must confess my knowledge of the Mormon religion was naught, so I can only assume that the biographical data in the book is true. It is very interesting, though its presentation in the book is quite dry and repetitive. I am glad, however, to have read the book. I found the modern storyline a little more gripping, but not very satisfying as a murder mystery. It shown a bright light, however, on the destructiveness of polygamy. All in all, though I struggled to get through the book at times (pretty hefty tome), I am glad I read it; it presents a very interesting topic. On a scale of 1-10, I give it a 7.

I highly, highly recommend it. Here is my review. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese Brief Summary from Amazon: This is a magnificent, sweeping novel that moves from India to Ethiopia to an inner-city hospital in New York City over decades and generations. Sister Mary Joseph Praise, a devout young nun, leaves the south Indian state of Kerala in 1947 for a missionary post in Yemen. During the arduous sea voyage, she saves the life of an English doctor bound for Ethiopia, Thomas Stone, and experiences an awful assault. Later on, these experiences becomes a key moments in her destiny when the nun arrives in Addis Ababa. Seven years later, Sister Praise dies birthing twin boys: Shiva and Marion, the latter narrating his own and his brother

Is it fiction or non-fiction. Unbroken by Tracy Elliott ?

Try The Descent by Jeff Long or Event Horizon by Steven McDonald.

When I was about 12, I read The Iliad and The Odyssey in prose translation and they were wonderful. My recommendation is to get the revised translations by E. V. Rieu (Penguin Classics) as these are geared more towards young adults using modern English. In fact, they are going on my TBR pile again for a reread

I usually look up the word as I read to ensure I get the context of the meaning as used by the author. I have the OED on my iphone so it is very quick to look up. I am not good at remembering meanings, so it helps me a lot to look it up as I read.

SK, you are in for a treat. I just finished the last book of the Millenium Trilogy and I think it was the best of all three. All three are superb. I shall really miss Lisbeth - fantastic character. Such a pity there shall not be any more