julie Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 KM It does sound fun to be in a live book group like that. I think you being excited for the box of books to be opened sounds like lots of book-lovers As for the Dr. Seuss books, yes, I mentioned them ,but I think someone else mentioned getting that particular one as a graduation gift. I don't remember who it was . Anyhow, I'll take a tiny part of the credit for bringing up Dr. Seuss . I just love his books. People my age remember them as kids, and kids now still like them . They will be well-loved for many generations to come I think . He was one-of -kind . Congratulations to your daughter on her graduation ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 Congratulations to your daughter ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 Yes ... congratulations to your daughter KM .. exciting times for her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 Congrats to your daughter KM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Just counted up my book total for the year so far....68....which means i'll definitely beat last years total of 72 by the end of the year Good going! It's always great to beat the current record And don't worry about the purchased books, just don't mention it and keep smiling Congratulations to your daughter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 thank you everybody, it was a real proud parent moment Alan & I both left school at 16 so to see our daughter up there getting her degree from the Bishop of York was just fantastic Bookwise things have gone down hill of late i started the final book in the Gormenghast Trilogy, Titus Alone, but couldn't finish it, it started off well & then just got more & more barmy as it went on, in the end with only 150 pages to go i had to give up. In my opinion it was unreadable & should never have been published but i had a look on Amazon & it gets more positive reviews than bad ones so hey what do i know Anyway next up i started on my bookclub read, The Assassin's Prayer by Ariana Franklin, i'm only 100 pages in but not enjoying it at all. However i don't want to give up on another book so shall persevere to the bitter end & then i'm going to start on the English Counties Challenge, i'm really excited about starting the challenge & looking forward to reading some mojo inspiring books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 I hope some of the challenge books will be more fun than the other two books you mention, reading should be fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 I hope some of the challenge books will be more fun than the other two books you mention, reading should be fun! I'm a little over halfway through now & getting into the story a bit more but unless it has a really good ending i don't think i'll be in a hurry to read anymore of her stuff but i'll be interested to hear what everyone else in the book group thinks of it. Last time i was the only one who liked the book, so maybe this time i'll be the only one who dislikes it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted November 24, 2013 Share Posted November 24, 2013 (edited) Just counted up my book total for the year so far....68....which means i'll definitely beat last years total of 72 by the end of the year Now if i hadn't have bought so many books as well then i'd be feeling very smug That is wonderful KM... LOL smugness is overrated, more books are mo'bettah! KM Your in-person book group sounds like it's off to a good start . A couple libraries in our area tried doing one .I went to one of them ,which only had 1 meeting, then it fizzled out. There's a couple other small libraries that have them, I think ,so I should check in and see what they are currently reading and when the next meeting is . I think it'd be fun . I've never been able to find a F2F book club. Earlier this year I managed to google a local listing, but most of them were defunct, and we'd of had to travel to the South Shore for them anyhow. They didn't seem to meet often and cancelled often. Also meant to send a huge Congratulations! to your daughter. Well done! Edited November 24, 2013 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted November 24, 2013 Author Share Posted November 24, 2013 That is wonderful KM... LOL smugness is overrated, more books are mo'bettah! I've never been able to find a F2F book club. Earlier this year I managed to google a local listing, but most of them were defunct, and we'd of had to travel to the South Shore for them anyhow. They didn't seem to meet often and cancelled often. Also meant to send a huge Congratulations! to your daughter. Well done! I was of the same mind Pontalba but now i'm a reformed book addict well almost That's a shame that there's no book groups in your area, one of the women that comes to our group said that she'd had a similar experience with other F2F groups, they'd started well but fizzled out due to lack of attendance. One of the good things about this group is that the library supplies the books so it doesn't cost anything as i should imagine that a lot of people are put off if they have to buy books that they're not sure that they're going to enjoy reading Thanks, we're so proud of her At the moment we're waiting for the framed picture of her receiving her degree to come so it can take pride of place in the living room Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted December 13, 2013 Author Share Posted December 13, 2013 I'm having an enforced lazy day today due to having pulled the muscles in my forearm vacuuming the starirs, see housework is bad for you so i plan to catch up with some reading which i haven't managed to do much of in the last week or so due to the madness of the season. I finished Snowflower & The Secret Fan Lisa See which i highly recommend i found it fascinating reading about the Chinese culture & they're superstitions, it was certainly a hard life for women in nineteenth century China & it really made me appreciate the freedoms we take for granted as western women today. So a big thank you to Marie H for praising the book otherwise it might have remained a hidden gem on my TBR pile for quite awhile Also read A Christmas Carol & Other Christmas Writings Charles Dickens, this was a bookgroup choice & we only actually had to read A Christmas Carol but seeing as i'd only just finished reading that a few weeks ago i decided to try the other stories and to be honest they were all a bit dull. The best of the bunch was The Story Of The Goblins Who Stole A Sexton and although most of them were thankfully quite short the last few of the book i don't think i took in properly as my mind kept wandering off in more interesting directions So at the moment i'm about 30 pages into 1356 Bernard Cornwell, this is also a library book & so far it's been a great antidote to the Dickens as your straight into the action. I'm hoping to get a big chunk of it read today as i already have my next few books planned out for the rest of the month, i'm going to be rereading Secret History Donna Tartt for next months Reading Circle & i also want to read The Thirteenth Tale Dianne Setterfield, i've had it on my shelves for quite awhile but according to the Christmas TV Guide they've adapted it for television & the wonderful Olivia Colman is in it so it's a must see but got to get the book read first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 (edited) so i plan to catch up with some reading which i haven't managed to do much of in the last week or so due to the madness of the season. I finished Snowflower & The Secret Fan Lisa See which i highly recommend i found it fascinating reading about the Chinese culture & they're superstitions, it was certainly a hard life for women in nineteenth century China & it really made me appreciate the freedoms we take for granted as western women today. Phew, I'm really pleased that you enjoyed the book! . It has got me interested in Chinese history too. It really made all of our reading group (the female ones, anyway), say "Thank goodness I wasn't born as a female then! Edited December 13, 2013 by Marie H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 i'm going to be rereading Secret History Donna Tartt for next months Reading Circle & i also want to read The Thirteenth Tale Dianne Setterfield Oh blimey, thanks for reminding me, that has come along fast! I read The Thirteenth Tale last year and really, really enjoyed it. I hope you like it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 KM I also have The 13th Tale, plus her new one ,both on my kindle. Good grief, I have a ridiculous number of books stacked up on it . All a lot of really good sounding ones . I'll be watching for your review. It sounds as though it's a well liked book . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Ouch! Sorry about the arm, but at least there is an up side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Oh, meant to add. If you're interested in Chinese history, an easy and interesting book to read would be Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted December 14, 2013 Author Share Posted December 14, 2013 Phew, I'm really pleased that you enjoyed the book! . It has got me interested in Chinese history too. It really made all of our reading group (the female ones, anyway), say "Thank goodness I wasn't born as a female then! It was a great read Marie, i shall be looking out for more of her books It's strange isn't it what some people find attractive, i mean 3inch feet how is that appealing & who decided that this was beautiful in the first place Have you read Memoirs Of A Geisha Arthur Golden ? That's a really good read & i enjoyed Amy Tan's The Bonesetters Daughter as well. Oh blimey, thanks for reminding me, that has come along fast! I read The Thirteenth Tale last year and really, really enjoyed it. I hope you like it too. Your welcome..... I think we're all in christmas mode at the moment so it's hard to think about anything else after that Good to hear you enjoyed it, Bobbly, i haven't read anything else by her so she's a new author to me, i can't even remember buying the book i've had it so long, so it's well overdue for a read KM I also have The 13th Tale, plus her new one ,both on my kindle. Good grief, I have a ridiculous number of books stacked up on it . All a lot of really good sounding ones . I'll be watching for your review. It sounds as though it's a well liked book . I have so many books like that, i have them for years & when i finally get round to reading them i think, why did i leave it so long that was such a good book Of course the answer is i have too many blinking books to choose from that i can't see the wood for the trees I'm sure i've read lots of good comments on it too which is probably why i bought it in the first place, i'm a sucker for a book recommendation Ouch! Sorry about the arm, but at least there is an up side. That's true i had a lovely afternoon just reading yesterday, it's not often i get to put my feet up like that & chill out on the sofa with a book, perhaps i ought to make it a new years resolution....more me time Oh, meant to add. If you're interested in Chinese history, an easy and interesting book to read would be Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck. Ooh thanks!!!... i shall check that one out. I have Wild Swans Jung Chang on my shelves which i bought ages ago. I quite fancy reading Shogun James Clavell as well, although i know it's Japan not China i don't think their cultures are that dissimilar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 It's strange isn't it what some people find attractive, i mean 3inch feet how is that appealing & who decided that this was beautiful in the first place Have you read Memoirs Of A Geisha Arthur Golden ? That's a really good read & i enjoyed Amy Tan's The Bonesetters Daughter as well. Ah, the sways of fashion . But foot binding (as well as corset wearing, extreme boob-jobs etc) really are insane, IMO. I'm always dubious of Arthur Golden's MoaG, ( I just thought how a man might be titillated by geishas too much ) I will look up The Bonesetter's Daughter. Thanks . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Hi Guys Just a note about one of Amy Tan's book. I have yet to read her others ,but I read The Hundred Secret Senses several years back and really loved it. Such a magical telling of a story . You might want to look it up sometime ,too . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 I'll second both the James Clavell books and Memoirs of A Geisha. All excellent! I've read several of Clavell's, and was never disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Hi Guys Just a note about one of Amy Tan's book. I have yet to read her others ,but I read The Hundred Secret Senses several years back and really loved it. Such a magical telling of a story . You might want to look it up sometime ,too . Julie, I now have The Hundred Secret Senses (ebook), so I can have a taster of Amy Tan's style. Thanks . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Hope you love it as I did, Marie . It's magical . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted December 17, 2013 Author Share Posted December 17, 2013 I'm always dubious of Arthur Golden's MoaG, ( I just thought how a man might be titillated by geishas too much I promise there is nothing salacious in Memoirs Of A Geisha, Marie It's similar to the Lisa See book in that it gives an insight into a closed world , fascinating stuff IMO Hi Guys Just a note about one of Amy Tan's book. I have yet to read her others ,but I read The Hundred Secret Senses several years back and really loved it. Such a magical telling of a story . You might want to look it up sometime ,too . Woohoo!!! I burrowed down into my book mountain after i read your recommendation Julie & came back up with The Hundred Secret Senses, i must have bought it a while back & forgotten about it so i've moved it nearer the top. Thanks for reminding me I've read several of Clavell's, and was never disappointed. Good to hear, my hubby read Shogun & King Rat years ago & really rated them but at the time i just thought they'd be too blokey for me but since then as i've got older my tastes have broadened & i like trying things that used to be out of my comfort zone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 KM ( and Marie ) I'll second your opinion of Geisha. It's really nothing graphic at all, just the story of the girl who becomes one ,but it's very tastefully done ,so no worries there . THIS is where I saw people talking of Snow Flower, so that's why I bought it yesterday ! Knew I saw it someplace ! I'm glad you found Hundred Secret Senses , KM . So magical. It reminded me a BIT of House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende ... same TYPE of storytelling, although totally different cultures . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 More on the wonderful Amy Tan ; there`s a collection of her essays called The Opposite of Fate which I was so impressed by, I gave it out as Xmas presents a few years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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