dtrpath27
-
Posts
917 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Books
Posts posted by dtrpath27
-
-
April 2014
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
Publishing Information: ©2014 by Algonquin
Pages: 273
Genre: Fiction
Setting: Present day in a bookstore on Alice Island
Synopsis: Biding his time in a failing business and a failing life, bookstore proprietor A.J. Fikry is far from living the life he had planned. All of this changes one night when something unexpected is left in the aisle of his bookstore.
Impressions: Okay, it sounds so clichéed, but really it wasn't. I admit, I'm such a sucker for books about books, but this one was done in a different way. I liked reading how books were the thing that sort of tied everyone together. To quote the book, "We read to know we're not alone, we read because we are alone, we read and we are not alone, we are not alone."
-
Just finished The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. Next...
-
We've been really pleased with her English teacher this year. Homer first quarter, Shakespeare second quarter, Dickens third, and then more modern with Harper Lee fourth quarter.
-
Ah, it's a re-read. I found the first 60 or so pages very slow and only kept going because it was a mandatory read for uni. But it was worth it in the end, what a great novel!
I love it that you are reading books alongside with your daughter, I bet it makes it so much more fun for her (and you, of course)
You are such a great Mom!Aww, thanks! You're so sweet.
She's quite the reader, but at 13, needed a little help at first processing the archaic language and unfamiliar historical/cultural references; that's what started it all. Before long, she got the hang of it, but we kept going together because it was so much fun. Such nerds we are! 
For read-a-thon, I wound up reading a couple chapters in A Tale of Two Cities, the short story Gentleman Theif by Goliath Taraghi, all of A Light Between Oceans by M.L. Steadman, several chapters of the Bible, an assortment of book samples, and then finally settled on The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. A bit less than my goal for this time and way less than I read last time, but I had fun all the same.
-
The Day of the Triffids?
-
Dex, you are making some serious progress this weekend!
Eta: Just finished reading The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Steadman.
-
Aww, thanks! I'm in a bit of pain, so I'm just lying here with my ice pack alternating between reading my book and browsing the forums. I had a lovely dinner, though (fajitas!) and church was nice.
-
Maybe the book hasn't yet been read in all the countries of the world who are making mischief; but I think the bigger ones have taken the message and are doing their best to keep the lid on it. Separately, we just watched the Ava Gradner/Gregory Peck/Fred Astaire film. Wonderful performances all around and a credit to the book. Still a weeper.
Shute even had the foresight to address this problem in the book. It wasn't the major players who started the trouble. Unfortunately, once that bridge was crossed, there was no one with sense enough to go back.
-
Lovely evening, Virginia!
-
I hope everyone's been enjoying their read-a-thon
Oooh, A Tale of Two Cities. How are you liking that?
Great; it's wonderfully descriptive. I've read it before, but my not-so-little one is reading it for eighth grade English, so I told her I'd read along with her. We're doing a fair bit of discussion along the way which makes it go slower but makes it even more interesting. Her next assigned one is To Kill a Mockingbird, which we'll also read together. It's a lot of fun -- sort of like our own mini book club.
-
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler, by E.L. Konigsburg about a girl who runs away and hides in the Metropolitan Museum in New York. It was one of my favorite books as a very young reader and just set my imagination on fire!
One of the best children's books ever! My daughter's copy fell to pieces she read it so much, so we had to buy her a new one. I had a copy as a child, and the same thing happened to it. Like mother like daughter!
Hmm...for books from my childhood, probably Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Although, that was more one that held its magic time after time. Absolute wonder.
-
I have only just finished reading the book and am still feeling its enormous emotional impact.
I have finally read through the discussion and can't really add much to what has already been said.
But I did have one immediate reaction when I closed the cover. It seemed to me the book was finally about love.
Love by people for others or for other important things of their life. As each person faced their final moment they embraced who and/or what they loved, to the full extent they could, and some more than others but, still, love.
Which, by free association, brought to mind the words of St. Paul:
"So finally there are these three things, faith, hope and love [or "charity" in the KJV]
And the greatest of these is love."
An insight from 2,000 years ago, or more, and captured again powerfully by Nevil Shute.
All three are reflected in the book, it seems to me, and in the order Paul suggested.
Very well put.
-
Sigh...my goal might have been a bit ambitious. One short story, a chapter of A Tale of Two Cities, about a third of the way through A Light Between Oceans. I'll probably finish A Light Between Oceans and one more short story, but I don't think I'll have time to read a second book.
-
I think so, but it's real, not contrived, you know? I was really impacted by the book, but I felt like it was on my terms, not because the author said, "This is sad so you must be sad." He's a very skillful writer - one I wouldn't have known of had it not been for this reading circle.
I checked out the Doomsday Clock information. Very interesting. I'm sure the climate of unrest/impending nuclear destruction did come into play. Perhaps this also served as a cautionary tale? I found an interesting blurb from his daughter, Shirley Norway on this very topic. She seems to feel that the book ignited a movement for nuclear disarmament/peace, not the other way around. Here are the site and the quote:
http://www.nevilshute.org/Reviews/shirleynorway.php
Incidentally I do believe that On the Beach started the CND ( Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament ) in England and the Peace movement in the US. I may be wrong. It was indeed a very powerful book when it was first published. It was also the book which seemed to me to absorb him more than any other. It certainly absorbed me. I first read it in manuscript. - Shirley Norway
-
Edit: I've just been to read all her reviews on BD, and boy does she hate the books she's read and reviewed on there
They are all like that?? Wow.
Yes...
They are all well-written and the fact that she doesn't like it is neither here nor there, but the universality of her contempt is astounding. -
So, I didn't answer this one initially, but have given it some thought and come back to it. It's a little late to the party, but that's okay!
How does Shute's writing style affect the mood of the novel?
Shute's writing is matter of fact and unemotional, serving to underscore the inevitability of the situation. With the given subject matter, it would have been far too easy to overplay things in an attempt to elicit a certain emotional response from the reader. Shute's narration takes a step back, passing no judgement and allowing the reader to make up his or her own mind. I think that's one of the things that makes this book still relevant today and makes it such an interesting one to discuss.
-
Nice! Our azaleas just finished blooming. I need to prune them now. It wound up being rainy and dreary all day, so we didn't get any gardening done. It's supposed to be more of the same tomorrow and next weekend, too, so I'm hoping to find some time during the week.
Maybe if I pick up the flowers tomorrow, we can do the hanging baskets and potted things indoors. Then all we'd have to do is set them outside.One job I'm not looking forward to is thinning the bamboo. Sigh...I think I'll just do it a bit at a time.
-
Hello and welcome!
In terms of mystery, you night want to try the Charles Lenox series by Charles Finch. The first book is A Beautiful Blue Death. Male protagonist in your target age range, historical, whodunit-style detective story. Very enjoyable.
A book that many of us have read recently and enjoyed is On the Beach by Nevil Shute. Written in the 50s and set in the 60s, it is still relevant and thought-provoking today. Again, male protagonist in the target age range, simple writing style but heavy subject matter, quite a bit of drama, and a great deal on human relationships. Five stars, in my opinion.
A third book I recommend is Lexicon by Max Barry. It's a psychological thriller set in the not-so-distant future where words have actual physical control over the minds of people. One of the main characters is female, but she is not the sole focus of the book. It is definitely not a chick-lit sort of book, if that's a concern.
In fact, I would describe it as a bit gritty. My husband also really enjoyed it. Action, psychology, creative premise - definitely a don't put down, read again sort of book.You'll be able to get some great recommendations from everyone here. Feel free to stop by the Introductions thread so everyone can get to know you. Happy reading!
-
Debated about debate. Lol.
-
Ok, I can't find the reference. Account, where???
Right, sorry! Here are the related posts. :/
Thanks for the ISBN, I've written it down for future reference!
But holy hecks, when I googled the ISBN, and saw the Bookdepo link and then went and checked it, I saw that the book was given only 1/5 stars. And then someone had written a review on it. And it was not a very flattering review! "Anyone who knows someone with Asperger's Syndrome will recognise the impossibility of the story". I thought the whole review was quite harsh! Of course people are entitled to their opinions ...
I've just read that 'Rosie Project' review and then looked at the reviewer. She's reviewed 3 books, all with only 1 star! Maybe some of those of you who've read it should counter it with your own reviews?
I still haven't bought it but I definitely intend to. I read all of her reviews as well. :/ They were a bit tiresome and quite transparent all stacked up like that. I doubt that much but the heaviest and dreariest of classical literature would pass muster with her. I wonder why she bothers with contemporary novels at all?
At any rate, I signed up for an account so I can post a review later today when I have more time.
-
It just cracks me up every single time! -
Yay!!! I feel technologically savvy.
-
Hmm...I know it's probably user error.
How about this?
-
So funny! I wonder what the event was.
Probably some of you have seen this one, but if you're a cat person it will crack you right up!
http://m.youtube.com/?#/watch?v=PKffm2uI4dk
I tried to put the video in, but I couldn't get it to work. :/
Dtr's 2014 Booklist
in Past Book Logs
Posted
April 2014 - Short Story
The Gentleman Thief by Goli Taraghi
Publishing Information: ©2010, anthology ©2013 by Norton
Pages: 32
Genre: Fiction
Setting: Iran
Synopsis: The Gentleman Thief tells the tale of a once-wealthy family living in Iran during the early days of the revolution. With lives already turned upside down by social and political upheaval, the family is sent into further confusion by the unwelcome visit of a surprisingly gentlemanly thief. This one evening serves as the catalyst for a chain of events that will change the family forever.
Impressions: Translated from Persian, this story offers a perspective I haven't really read much about -- that of an Iranian family. It was amusing, poignant, thought-provoking -- in short, a very many things for a very little story to be! It's part of a collection of her stories that I picked up at a book sale for $1.50. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of it.