All About Books discussion

What are you planning to read in September?

My goal is to read & post reviews on all the Netgalley books on my online bookshelf - they are going to "fall over" if I add any more!

Also, I want to start reading my favorite genre, spooky, macabre mysteries again for the Fall season, starting with Six Scary Stories

And group read A Monster Calls
and A Dance with Dragons for another group read.

Catchup:
Cure

On Track:
The Arctic Event
Death Benefit
Nano
Shadow Rites

Read-a-longs:
The Merchant of Venice
The Odyssey
Cujo
The Invisible Man

New Release:
Immortal Nights

Wow, A Game of Thrones has really thrown my Aug reading behind for read-a-longs...and library holds all coming in at the same time or else other patrons don't return them in time for me to join in...

My tentative plans:

Readalongs:

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez
Kaddish for an Unborn Child by Imre Kertész

Group Reads:

A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley (finish)
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Sabriel by Garth Nix
(maybe) Cinder by Marissa Meyer

AAB Poetry

Selected Poems of Gabriela Mistral by Gabriela Mistral

Leftover From Prior Months:

Five Plays: Antigone, Eurydice, The Ermine, The Rehearsal, Romeo and Jeannette by Jean Anouilh (finish)
Amoris Laetitia-- The Joy of Love: On Love in the Family by Pope Francis (finish)

Free Reads

not sure - will see if time permits

This is a working list for September.

From August unfinished:
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate

New Release Fiction:
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Non Fiction:
John Quincy Adams by Harlow Giles Unger Solid 4 * read
The Wright Brothers by David McCullough 4*

Banned - For September Banned Books Week:
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Religion/Philosophy:
Piers the Ploughman by William Langland 4*
A Call to Mercy: Hearts to Love, Hands to Serve by Mother Teresa 3*

Group Read:
Emma by Jane Austen

Business Read:
Fix It: Getting Accountability Right by Roger Connors

Ongoing Slow Live Group Read:
The Pilgrim's Progress in Modern English by John Bunyan 3*

Perhaps:
Finish Purity I set it aside as I got tired of waiting for something to happen. About halfway - perhaps its time to finish it. We'll see.

Group reads -
Between Shades of Gray 3 stars
The Merchant of Venice 2.5 stars

Challenges -
Indiana 3 stars
A Doll's House 3 stars
The Pilgrim's Progress 1 star

My tentative plans are:

Hypatia of Alexandria by Maria Dzielska
Stormbird by Conn Iggulden
The Masterpiece by Émile Zola

Here are a few of the books I hope to read in September:
Novels:
The Movie-goer by Walker Percy
Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood
The Z Murders by J. Jefferson Farjeon

Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore

Plays:
Death and the King's Horseman by Wole Soyinka
Pelleas and Melisande by Maurice Maeterlinck

Leslie wrote: "Here are a few of the books I hope to read in September:
Novels:
The Movie-goer by Walker Percy
Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood.."

Cat's Eye was beautiful but so, so sad Leslie - unfortunately I related to it in a major way in terms of childhood. Curious to see what you make of it. Not fast paced though.

Thanks for the warning Greg -- I will make sure I have a lighthearted book to follow it! I have had mixed reactions to Atwood so I don't really know what to expect (and sometimes that is the best way to approach a book).

Leslie wrote: "Here are a few of the books I hope to read in September:
Novels:
The Movie-goer by Walker Percy
Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood
[book:The Z Murd..."

I was looking to add The Last Gentleman by Walker Percy. Library does not have it. Maybe next month ill find it. I am not buying books right now. trying to kill the current pile.

Good for you, Guy! I am trying to do the same - my actual books will not fit in my shelves anymore, they are on just about any flat surface in the living room. I have also belatedly discovered that our library actually has many of the books on my To Read list. That is another incentive to read & finish because they have to go back. My husband likes the $ saving aspect and less books cluttering the room.

Alice wrote: "My tentative plans are:

Hypatia of Alexandria by Maria Dzielska
Stormbird by Conn Iggulden
The Masterpiece by [author:Émi..."

The Zola book was my favourite of the whole series, Alice. Enjoy!

Leslie wrote: "Here are a few of the books I hope to read in September:
Novels:
The Movie-goer by Walker Percy
Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood
The Z Murd..."</i>


Going for [book:Gitanjali. That is great. Read it long time back when I did not know the value of it. Will have to read it not as a re-read but as a first read. All the best to you.

My certain reads:

1. Kaddish for an Unborn Child
2. Volcano

Probabilities:

1. The Noise of Time
2. Professor Andersen's Night

I will probably read Red Mars and at least one classic, maybe I'll read The Aeneid. I'm not sure if I will do any group reads.

Greg wrote: "My tentative plans:

Readalongs:

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez
Kaddish for an Unborn Child by Imre Kertész

Group Re..."

Greg - Your list is enticing. Cholera and the Mistral Poems especially. My wife tells me I need to learn Spanish to truly appreciate them. She is Bolivian and they are both required reading I am told.

Gill wrote: "Alice wrote: "My tentative plans are:

Hypatia of Alexandria by Maria Dzielska
Stormbird by Conn Iggulden
The Masterpiece ..."

Good to know Gill. Thanks!

September reads:
Three Complete Novels: The Servants of Twilight / Darkfall / Phantoms
Dune
The Gods Themselves
Chronicles of Avonlea
Spice and Wolf, Vol. 17
Kingdom Come
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

I will finish what I am currently reading: The Dust That Falls from Dreams. NOPE, I finished this in August.

Then The Great Fortune 4 stars read
The Spoilt City 4 stars read
Friends and Heroes 4 stars read
which make up the Balkan Trilogy

Then:
The Johnstown Flood 4 stars read
Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel 4 stars read

See messages 20, 31, 56 and 85 for other books read this month.

I will begin with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone since I missed reading them when the movies were so popular in the theaters, and if I enjoy it continue reading the rest in the series. Kind of a late bloomer to science fiction, fantasy, and horror. The Dark Tower Series Collection: The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Waste Lands, Wizard and Glass, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, The Dark Tower will probably be a second consideration. It depends on library availability.

Chrissie wrote: "I will finish what I am currently reading: The Dust That Falls from Dreams.

Then The Great Fortune, the first of the Balkan Trilogy. I will only continue the trilogy ..."

Johnstown Flood is one I will to read someday. I keep putting it off. I enjoy McCullough.

Guy, yeah, I know, McCullough is great. I figured I should read this too.

The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris is another one of his I haven't yet picked up. Views seem to be split on how good it is. Have you an opinion on it? Some people find it unfocused since it covers so many characters; I think this might bother me..... On the positive side I love everything Parisian. Maybe I should be brave?!

Chrissie wrote: "Guy, yeah, I know, McCullough is great. I figured I should read this too.

The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris is another one of his I haven't yet picked up. Views seem to be s..."

I have read it - I enjoyed it. I thought it was well done. I Liked the fact that it covered many of the folks of interest in the period. It is not my favorite but I walked away very pleased. Still Like Truman Bio best. But Honestly I have not read John Adams so...

Guy, OK, I will have to read The Greater Journey! Thanks for your help. What is it that made you like is less?

I have given Mornings on Horseback, Truman and John Adams all five stars. The Wright Brothers only four. The one about the Panama Canal is good too.

Chrissie wrote: "Guy, OK, I will have to read The Greater Journey! Thanks for your help. What is it that made you like is less?

I have given Mornings on Horseback, Truman and [book:John Ad..."

Chrissie, as you said you heard there was a lot to digest and keep track of. The information was solid. The writing is just as you would expect. The fact that you were following so many story lines is just different than say a Biography on one person or event. I did gave it 5*. I have the Wright Brothers and for some reason I cant get myself to pick it up. The subject maybe?

Guy, ok, as I thought it is that the tThe Greater Journey covers so many people. This isn't what I prefer either. I prefer one person and lots of depth.

Four stars does mean I thought the book was very good! Don't put off The Wright Brothers too long.

Chrissie - You know your correct. I am adding it to my September list. I was trying something different in a Steve Hamilton Book but it just is not doing it for me.

Guy wrote: "Chrissie - You know your correct. I am adding it to my September list. I was trying something different in a Steve Hamilton Book but it just is not doing it for me."

The two authors aren't quite the same!

See messages 20, 31,56 and 85 for other books read this month.

I just picked up two Daily Deals so I will read them this month too:

The Romanovs: 1613-1918 2 stars read
The Lightkeepers 1 star read

Also, I REALLY want to read:

A Gentleman in Moscow 2 stars read

Why? Because It is Amor Towles newest.

Chrissie, I just read Towles new book . I thought it was wonderful. I'll be looking for your thoughts.

I just added a book and finalized my plan. Very excited. I was not buying books but found a 1966 paperback of Piers the Ploughman I have been wanting to find. It was in fantastic condition and it was just a few bucks. Could not pass it up.

Guy wrote: I have the Wright Brothers and for some reason I cant get myself to pick it up. The subject maybe? ] ..."

I'm currently reading The Wright Brothers and agree with Chrissie that it is very good. This is the first book of McCullough's for me and I enjoy his easy-going writing style. I started by listening to this on audio, narrated by the author, and it was really well done. The story is a good one for listening to. I changed to the print copy because I am on vacation and wouldn't have much audio time; I really wanted to continue the story. The book has some photos which are nice.

Petra wrote: "Guy wrote: I have the Wright Brothers and for some reason I cant get myself to pick it up. The subject maybe? ] ..."

I'm currently reading The Wright Brothers and agree with Chrissie that it is ve..."

Petra, I too took Chrissie's advice. It was on my bookshelf too long unread. Love McCulluogh. Read the first chapter last night. He is like comfort food. Love his smooth style of story telling.

Petra wrote: "Guy wrote: I have the Wright Brothers and for some reason I cant get myself to pick it up. The subject maybe? ] ..."

I'm currently reading The Wright Brothers and agree with Chrissie that it is ve..."

Petra, he does great biographies. They are simple to read and really engage the reader. My first by him was Mornings on Horseback, about Theodore Roosevelt's early years.

Angela M wrote: "Chrissie, I just read Towles new book . I thought it was wonderful. I'll be looking for your thoughts."

Great! I have high hopes since I loved Rules of Civility. I thought it wasn't going to be that good and put it off for years. When I finally read it, I loved it.

Chrissie, hope Towles' new one is as good for you.

Angela M wrote: "Chrissie, hope Towles' new one is as good for you."

Angela, I haven't bought it yet but will as soon as those I have are read. It is the one I will get next. I am dying to pick it up. :0)

Chrissie wrote: "See message 20 for other books read this month.

I just picked up two Daily Deals so I will read them this month too:

The Romanovs: 1613-1918
The Lightkeepers

Als..."

I'd like to read Amor Towles' new book too. I loved Rules of Civility.

Greg wrote: "My tentative plans:

Readalongs:

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez
Kaddish for an Unborn Child by Imre Kertész

Group Re..."

Can't wait to see what you think of "A Monster Calls", Greg!

Chrissie wrote: "See message 20 for other books read this month.

I just picked up two Daily Deals so I will read them this month too:

The Romanovs: 1613-1918
The Lightkeepers

Als..."

The Romanovs looks interesting.

Shirley wrote:"Can't wait to see what you think of "A Monster Calls", Greg! ..."

I'm looking forward to it Shirley!

I don't have any solid plans for my reading in September (like to just read whatever I feel like at the time) but I'm thinking of reading more "underhyped" books as there is a readathon going on between 3-9 Sept. I'll try and read more books that have under 1000 ratings on Goodreads as part of that. The ones I have on my bookshelf, that I'll try and get to, are:

We Of The Never-Never
The Underground Man
Empress of South America
The Virgin's Knot

I'll also be finishing up:

The Rehearsal (loving this so far!)
Pied Piper and
Bullfighting: Stories

Shirley,

yes, yes ,yes Rules of Civility was fantastic. It is kind of spooky reading another by an author who has done a fabulous one first; you don't want to be disappointed.

Guy, I read another by Montefiore, Jerusalem: The Biography and it was a disappointment so I am a bit scared. I fear that it is predominantly about Nicholas II and little about Alexander the Great or Catherine the Great. I have read several of Robert K. Massie on Russia and he is so superb; you get spoiled. I only picked it up because I will keep wondering if should read it or not....until I have read it.

Chrissie, I have not read Massie. I have pondered a few of his books, Catherine the Great and Nicholas and Alexandra. I would love to be pointed in the correct direction. I have a good pile to read so I am not in any hurry. I have some big reads on Americans I need to get to as well. Franklin a Life, American Lion , Unger's JQ Adams, and Morris' Colonel Roosevelt. And I still haven't Read 1493 and want to.

Guy, I gave Nicholas and Alexandra five stars and Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman four. Both are definitely worth reading. I have reviews for both of them.

Have you read the first two of the trilogy by Morris on Theodore Roosevelt? They are all very good but the first is best. Well, that is what I thought. Are you referring to Benjamin Franklin: An American Life? This I gave four stars.

American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House I haven't read,and it looks good. Thanks for the tip. Could you give me a link to the book you are referring to by Unger? Thanks.

You have some great reads ahead of you.

Right now I am reading The Raven Boys followed by Between Shades Of Gray and The Time Traveler's Wife. Then I'll either read Cinder, Crossed, or City Of Heavenly Fire. I'm also reading some textbooks for school.

Chrissie wrote: "Guy, I gave Nicholas and Alexandra five stars and Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman four. Both are definitely worth reading. I have reviews for both of them.

..."
Chrissy, I have not read the first two Roosevelt's. I did read The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism Loved it. Yes on the Franklin book and Last is John Quincy Adams

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley (started today)

Broken Promise by vLinwood Barclay

Far From True by Linwood Barclay

The Twenty-Three by Linwood Barclay

Hangman's Holiday: A Collection of Short Mysteries Dorothy L. Sayers (the only one from last month's list I never got to read)

Secrets Room by

Highway 7: 4 Dark Tales by

The Woman in Blue by

Where I Lost Her by

Daisy in Chains by