Book Nook Cafe discussion

This the thread for general book discussions for October 2021.

What book did you select to start the new month reading ?

Tell us what you just read, are currently reading or plan to read. Tell us about your favorite author. Have you read some book news? Share it with the group. Anything related to books and reading, we want to hear all about it !
:)

My first book for the month looks like The Return: Fathers, Sons, and the Land in Between, been on my TBR longer than many others.

My first book of the month will be
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa

He is a brilliant math Professor with a peculiar problem―ever since a traumatic head injury, he has lived with only eighty minutes of short-term memory.

She is an astute young Housekeeper―with a ten-year-old son―who is hired to care for the Professor.
And every morning, as the Professor and the Housekeeper are introduced to each other anew, a strange and beautiful relationship blossoms between them. Though he cannot hold memories for long (his brain is like a tape that begins to erase itself every eighty minutes), the Professor's mind is still alive with elegant equations from the past. And the numbers, in all of their articulate order, reveal a sheltering and poetic world to both the Housekeeper and her young son. The Professor is capable of discovering connections between the simplest of quantities―like the Housekeeper's shoe size―and the universe at large, drawing their lives ever closer and more profoundly together, even as his memory slips away.
200 pages

Alias Reader wrote: "My first book of the month will be
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa

He is a brilliant math Profess..."

Solid choice!

John, I am on page 30 and loving it. I like the writing style and the plot.

That's a good choice, Alias.

I'm going to start the month by continuing with The Madness of Crowds. I'm really enjoying another visit to Three Pines.

I haven't read Penny. However, I know she is very popular here at BNC. Enjoy !

I'm still finishing one from last month. Meanwhile . . .

For such a shy kid, Andy Warhol surprisingly grew up to become a famous Pop Artist and friend of celebrities. Here's another book for kids and their grown-ups. (colourful education!)
4★ Link to my Andy Warhol review with some of the illustrations.

The Rowland Sinclair historical mystery series is terrific. He and friends travel around the world "between the wars" (WWI & WWII), chasing Nazis, dodging gangsters, mixing with the rich and famous (which Rowly is himself). Cameos: JFK, Errol Flyyn, F. Scott Fitzgerald among others.

5★ link to my review of Where There's a Will

(known in Australia as A Testament of Character)

Best in Snow by David Rosenfelt

In this addition to the amusing 'Andy Carpenter' series, set during the holiday season, the defense attorney represents a man accused of killing the mayor of Paterson, New Jersey.

Entertaining as always. 3 stars

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

John, the Hisham Matar book sounds interesting for the story, as well as for learning more about Libya. I hope it's all you want it to be.

Alias, i really liked that book, too. All three characters are lovingly presented. Savor!

Petra, oh, to visit Three Pines in Real Life! I become impatient with the series when little is set there. I keep up with the series by reviews folks post her at Book Nook Cafe. :-)

Warhol would be a great subject for blossoming artists to read about in this series, Patty. What a creative group of books thus far.

The Sulari Gentill series sounds fun for the era of the '30s. I apreciate your note about the title change for other countries.

Barbara, so often books in such a series call to me for the seasonal aspects. This 24th Carpenter mystery sounds fun. Thanks for sharing.

My October begins with a continued reading of Robert W. Merry's presidential biography of President McKinley: Architect of the American Century. It is well written and now that i have a halogen lamp installed, i should be finished before the end of the month!

madrano wrote: "My October begins with a continued reading of Robert W. Merry's presidential biography of President McKinley: Architect of the American Century. It is well written a..."

Funny you should post that as I was thinking of Mt. McKinley vs. Denali earlier today!

madrano wrote: "Alias, i really liked that book, too. All three characters are lovingly presented. Savor!"

Deb, you're the reason I'm reading it ! I noted your recommendation in my TBR notebook. :)

madrano wrote: "that i have a halogen lamp installed, "

Nice !

madrano wrote: "Barbara, so often books in such a series call to me for the seasonal aspects. This 24th Carpenter mystery sounds fun. Thanks for sharing."

You're welcome madrano. I think of these books as easy reading mysteries. 🙂

John, i wonder if Merry will mention the naming of that mountain in the book. We were surprised to drive through McKinley County in New Mexico. I suppose many such names were created because he was assassinated.

Alias, it makes me even happier that you learned about the Ogawa novel from my reading.

Yes, that halogen lamp has improved my "real" book reading enormously. It heats the room, too, of course, but it's worth it to read without tearing up due to print size.

I read a quote recently, "Getting old isn't for the faint of heart, but it is for the lucky." This is particularly true in the modern era where so many tools are available to continue to make life pleasant.

Good a halogen lamp is making your reading more comfortable madrano. They are pretty bright. 🙂

Last Seen Alive by Joanna Schaffhausen

Police detective Ellery Hathaway confronts the serial killer she escaped from years before.

Plenty of suspense and surprises. 3.5 stars

My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

madrano wrote: Getting old isn't for the faint of heart, but it is for the lucky."."

Truth !

I´m also starting in october with a book I begung in September: Infernal Devices, book three of the mortal engine series. After that, I want to read the fourth book and then I´ll see with what I´ll continue. I´ve bought Oscar Wilde´s The Picture of Dorian Gray for a group read in another group and then I have to see how much I can read as I have to start studying then for may exam.

Good review, Barbara. It conveys the awful anxiety Hathaway must feel. Stories like that can jar a person and put readers in rapture! ;-)

Florian, i've heard of the Mortal Engines series but didn't read further about them. Now that i have, thanks to your post, i can see why they would draw readers to them. Thanks for the introduction.

Dorian Gray is such a classic than i almost envy a reader's first reading. I hope you are able to make time for the book but exams are more important!

madrano wrote: "Good review, Barbara. It conveys the awful anxiety Hathaway must feel. Stories like that can jar a person and put readers in rapture! ;-)"

Thank you madrano.

(I often ponder about victims in real life, like the girls who escaped from Ariel Castro, and think they must be traumatized for the rest of their lives.)

Finished Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

My Review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/4240988514

Barbara, i agree. It means much to me when authors try to depict some of those after-trauma moments and ways toward recovery.

Dem wrote in her review: "I do enjoy novels with well crafted twists and turns. Having said that, I think lately authors are trying way too hard to impress their readers with twists that sometimes just come across as overkill

Dem, it's affirming to hear someone else voice this thought. It's almost as though authors aren't willing to trust their writing alone but most go overboard with "surprises". Thanks for this well thought out review.

@madrano Yea, that´s true. Twists can be good, but when they feel forced, it´s mostly worse for the book.

I have now finished Infernal Devices. I feel a bit ambivalent about the book.
This third book of the series starts 18 years (give or take) after the second book. That was a nice idea as in some book series I have the feeling that the authors are sometimes a bit overattached to their protagonists. Sometimes the story of a character is told and youn notice when the author trys to drag the character further in the series just for the sake of a new book. By starting the third book several years later the author could easily introduce new characters, and so the book starts with one that wasn´t born in the books before.
And now I come to the "But": The new character didn´t catch me that well. It was nicely written, the plot was okay, but the story didn´t get me really involved. I think the main reason for that is the new character that starts well, but doesn´t make a big development.
Another point is the atmosphere: In the first two books you felt that (kind of) "steam-punk" world with the traction cities. In the third this unique atmosphere was a bit missing. It was a bit different, but I wouldn´t say that this is a major problem as the book most of the part doesn´t play in one of the traction cities.

Ah, and the book has quite a bad ending. But it´s written in a way where the fourth book directly follows up, so it makes you want to read further.

Finished My Sister, the Serial Killer. This was an interesting book with a few different dynamics. Korede gets a phone call from her sister as she killed her boyfriend again. There is the story about how Korede's family life is, especially the relationship between her and her sister, but also the story about what happens in their lives. This was an interesting, quick-read.

Finished Can't Tie Me Down!. This book was an okay, quick-read, but not much really happens. Mairi has fake boyfriends online for a job and they show up trying to marry her after her website is hacked. The entire story is basically what happens over these few days, but nothing exciting. I am usually a thriller person, so for me this was lacking, but might be a good story for someone who likes more romance. It just wasn't for me.

I finished The Madness of Crowds.
I enjoyed the main characters again (this is 17th in a series). In this episode, one of them struggles with a moral conflict within his being. It's one of the things I like about this series; the characters are real and struggle with moral issues, demons, jealousies, etc. Their inner turmoil is a large part of this series.

Florian wrote: "I´m also starting in october with a book I begung in September: Infernal Devices, book three of the mortal engine series. After that, I want to read the fourth book and then I´ll see ..."

I think you will enjoy The Picture of Dorian Gray

Best of luck with your exams !

Ashley wrote: "Finished My Sister, the Serial Killer. This was an interesting book with a few different dynamics. Korede gets a phone call from her sister as she killed her boyfriend again. There ..."

Again ! Yikes !

I see it has over 10,000 reviews on Amazon.

Petra wrote: It's one of the things I like about this series; the characters are real and struggle with moral issues, demons, jealousies, etc. Their inner turmoil is a large part of this series."

I can see how that makes a big difference.

I just finished reading The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa

Deb and others thank you so much for recommending this poignant novel. I am mathematical challenged to say the least, but even I was drawn into the beauty of prime numbers ! LOL Seriously, this book is a perfect gem and I highly recommend it.

I am hoping my next read will be Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson.
I am next to get the eBook from the library.

I read this Pulitzer author's other excellent book, The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration and I am sure this will be just as good.

Don't forget to remember! Having said that, you're probably remembering it all wrong anyway.

Neuroscientist Lisa Genova has got it all covered in Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting, which explains a lot about why we argue about memories and worry about dementia.

Interesting, easy read and excellent resource.
5★ Link to my review of Remember

Florian wrote: "That was a nice idea as in some book series I have the feeling that the authors are sometimes a bit overattached to their protagonists...."

This is a good way to put it, Florian. I've felt that way a time or two myself. As a reader, i'm ready to move on but the author still seems to want to continue beyond my interest. Sometimes i wonder if i'm the only reader who feels that way.

I also become frustrated with cliffhanger series. While i understand why authors and publishers relish this idea, to me, i tend to not read a series for this very reason. Even if life doesn't always go that way, i want my books to do so. :-)

Ashley, two very different books, i must say. Both of them sound as though could be fun to read but i'd prefer the first, written by Oyinkan Braithwaite. Sisters! LOL

Petra, that's an interesting premise for Penney's detective. And all set in Three Pines! Double plus. Thanks for keeping us posted.

Alias, i'm glad you liked the Ogawa novel as much as i did. I suppose those who have read the book will understand when i say i see prime numbers all the time now. 71 used to be just a number, now it's more!

I remember how much you liked & learned from Warmth by Wilkerson. I hope this new book is as rewarding for you.

Patty, you wrote a fascinating review of this book, which sparked all sorts of memories for me. I have only recently accepted the last principle you mentioned in the review, "Who’s right? Who knows? Who cares? You’re probably both wrong.

Let it go.”

Seriously, why fight about it? I'm not going to change my concept of the memory & neither is he. Sadly, he isn't as wise as me, so he has yet to get to this point. (Written knowing he doesn't read this board!)

For me, though the most important part, and why i'm adding the book to my TBR, is about Paying Attention. When younger, i didn't pay attention but my memory was so sharp that things came back to me quickly. Now i must Pay Attention, so that i am assured i will remember. Thus far, it's a lesson well learned and often rewarded.

Thanks for sharing about this gem.

PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Don't forget to remember! Having said that, you're probably remembering it all wrong anyway.

Neuroscientist Lisa Genova has got it all covered in [book:Remember: The Science of Me..."

Good review, Patty. Though I don't know that it will make me feel any better. It seems according to the author what I do remember may be wrong and my chances of forgetting everything as I age are quite good. Yikes !

madrano wrote: Seriously, why fight about it? I'm not going to change my concept of the memory & neither is he. Sadly, he isn't as wise as me, so he has yet to get to this point. (Written knowing he doesn't read this board!)"

:)

At the End of the Day by Liz Byrski
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

madrano wrote: "Patty, you wrote a fascinating review of this book, which sparked all sorts of memories for me. I have only recently accepted the last principle you mentioned in the review, "Who’s right? Who knows..."


Alias Reader wrote: "PattyMacDotComma wrote: "Don't forget to remember! Having said that, you're probably remembering it all wrong anyway.

Neuroscientist Lisa Genova has got it all covered in [book:Re..."

At least she gives us the excuse to forgive our families for misremembering everything we're convinced is true, right? 🤣🤣