pontalba

The one Citizen Sherman, by Michael Fellman is based on Sherman's own diaries. I'm up to page 99, it's been sitting for a while now. It isn't that the book actually drags, but in a way it is starting to be a bit repetitious. Well written though. Hemingway's Boat: Everything He Loved in Life and Lost 1934 - 1961 by Paul Hendrickson is here along with Ernest Hemingway: A Life Story by Carlos Baker, the latter supposedly being the best of the lot. Alfred Hitchcock: A Brief Darkness is an autobio, I can't put my hand on it at the moment, its' already been buried.... I'm sorry to say. Another one I can recommend, although I've been stuck in the middle for quite a while now, is Beautiful Shadow: A Life of Patricia Highsmith by Andrew Wilson.

LOL Ahhh, the mental images that conjures! /much giggling/ Hah. Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. I'm almost embarrassed to admit I have 9 listed as presently reading on Goodreads, and that's not all of them. But not embarrassed enough not to post it.

Handsome fella! You have the right idea, getting him to finally ask for a haircut. /fingers crossed/

Success! Slow is ok, and actually better than a fast weight loss I believe. When it's slow, it tends to stick I've found. Def! All the luck int he world. Thanks! Been on and off diet again, but staying within the 3 pound parameter, so all is ok. Can't stay down in N.O. and totally stay on diet!! lol

(bolding mine) Totally agree. Great way of putting it Gabbie. Just because a book is popular in literary circles doesn't guaranty it's readability, or quality IMO. Readability is all in the eye of the beholder. However, as noted above, just because an individual doesn't like some writing doesn't mean it isn't quality writing. Quality in the language, or flow of the prose. Lots of people speak of engagement or liking of characters in a book......I don't find it necessary to like a character as long as they are interesting in some manner, or can teach me something. I like to see what is on the Booker list, but it doesn't form my reading preferences. It does, however, make me notice something different that I might have missed otherwise. For example, Julian Barnes' The Sense of an Ending. I'd not have bothered with him at all but for the Booker list. And.....it's ended up being one of my favorite reads, ever. /shrugs/

poppy, I've not had to use the customer support for my kindle, but Amazon's customer service is, in general, excellent IMO. I'm glad you are enjoying your Kindle Touch.....we both have the old, original kindle. I don't think we'll upgrade, but ya never know. I'm satisfied with the ones we have, so far. I still read regular books 90% of the time anyhow. I like the kindle for the cheap specials they run, and for a few books that are kindle only that we want to purchase. We probably don't use them as much as we thought to tell the truth. I haven't used the library system for the kindle at all, although it is available here. BTW, Amazon has a freebie service for Amazon Prime members. AP members are able to borrow selected books, one a month for free. Plus, btw, AP members are able to stream quite a few movies for free. fyi

school days

That is wonderful Chrissy! I can imagine how excited you both are! I'm so happy for you. Pickle, gorgeous cake, bet it tasted as good as it looks. Moving is never fun Tim, good luck with everything. Our favorite hotel down in N.O., the Hotel Monteleone has had a summer special on, and we've taken advantage of it several times this summer. What a great hotel. Fantastic literary history, beautiful accomodations and great food. yum. We went for what is probably the last time this summer last week. /sigh/ Only stayed over one night this time.

I've picked up (again) John Banville's Mefisto. His writing is sublime!

I agree with y'all, 100%. Goodreads should not take up any sort of political agenda, and that is exactly what I think they are doing. To compare what "followers" of any political party, person or whatever is totally unacceptable. All I can see it creating is divisions among readers that should not be there. I can see it now.........one constituency laughing at another constituency about what the other is reading, making fun of it, or deriding the choices in some manner. Shame on Goodreads! And that is not even taking on the international aspect of goodreads!

Black and white cookie and a glass of red wine. /happiness/

Thought I'd resurrect this thread to see what everyone is doing, diet or not. So. Howze it going? I've pretty much stalled, on and off the diet. Steady at between 34 and 33 pounds loss all together. Treadmill pretty regularly even when off diet though. Last night I tried a dress on that I had not worn in almost 3 years, and IT FIT! So, I am a happy camper.

Correct and great attitude Laura!! Good show. We had a wonderful day, drove across the lake down to N.O. Shopped, ate, shopped some more. Ate some more. /sigh/ Gorgeous day. Only a few showers while we were driving home on the bridge. Loverly.

I've run into one "goofy" chiropractor, but fortunately, have a good one now. I've not read Coraline, but know I'll get to it at some point, didn't know it was considered "creepy" though. I think the only thing I've read by him is Neverwhere. Loved it. Too many books, too little time. grrrrr!

With pets, it's either feast or famine as far as the vets are concerned! Plus never ending. But well worth it. She'll feel so much better after those teeth are out, it's a drain on them.

Great Pictures Kylie! You too Weave, just adorable! Gotta transfer my latest pics from the iphone!

I've only read three. Mrs. Dalloway, Orlando, and To the Lighthouse. Dalloway is my favorite, and probably her easiest. I have more in the stack, and two bios of her. I actually didn't care for Orlando, and must reread the other two.

I try to keep a running list here on my book blog thread, and a mini review, but that's about it. Ordinarily I mostly remember at least the vague outline of a book, even if it's years ago. Or, lets put it like this, I'll remember the vibes I felt from the story. And if I start to reread, I'll remember as I go along. Usually. At the end of the year, I print out the list and file it here.

OH Hilarity! Love it. I'm a horrible combination of the promiscuous reader, the Bookophile, and Delayed Onset Reader #1. Obviously, no hope for me. Great articles!

If people find it necessary to judge me according to the books I read it's their problem. Not mine. Their insecurity is not something I have to worry about, or deal with in any way. I read what I like, what I have the itch to read, and have on the shelf. Yeah, we're all a bit snobbish about the books we like, and wonder how in the heck "they" can enjoy "that". Pftt. So what. Our differences are what make life interesting. Discussion of our differences is what makes life interesting and lively. How bloody boring it would be if we all liked, for example, Harry Potter, or Nabokov, or Joyce, or mysteries...........whatever! The plays the thing my friends.

Chronological age 62, feel 22.

Fantastic Tim! Good news all around. Happy to hear of it. Well, all I can say is a pox on him. and phooey too. Its good riddance to bad rubbish. You don't need a bum like that, I'm sorry to say. Please know you are better then that, and be happy within yourself.

Laughter is the best medicine! Glad this one is better than that other one.

We went to see Hope Springs the other day, Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones. Both fantastic. The movie could have been sooo soppy, or silly. But it isn't, not a bit of it. It tackles the issues in a manner that is appropriate, and with humor. But real. Totally real. The others in the audience were all around our ages, no youngsters. Although I do believe some young ones could benefit from the lessons in the film.

I hope James gets a piece of that action too!