flight paths discussion

Share what you are reading during the week of Aug. 7-13.

Still reading .

We found some of my daighters books and so I am reading .

Trying to read before/during holiday so we can leave them at the library including





Moving further from my usual genre's.

Tbr still less than 100 - just !

At a most exciting part of

A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush

Newby is a bit of a comic,rather deadpan, not exploited.The picture he describes, of himself and his friend scrabbling around this massive intimidating mountain looking for a way up, is quite hilarious.

Have a bit more Greene to go, and I am grateful to those who recommended him and pleased with the book of short stories I chose as an intro to his work, as it gives me a good idea of what he is on about. Not all the stories were of equal interest but all were well written and well crafted.

Did not have the chance to search more for the Roessner sequel,but thats a goal for this week, to find the book even if I have to buy it new.

A few years ago, I tried to read Death and the Penguin & was bored stiff. For some reason, I Kindled it today & this time I absolutely love it. I'm finding it extremely funny in a very morbid way.

I do think that have gotten through The Master and Margarita has made a huge difference in my being able to enjoy Death and the Penguin, although I'm not exactly sure how. It's as though some unknown Russian satire muscle in my brain has been activated and at least slightly developed.

Anyway, I absolutely adore it this time.

Of course, another question might be why, with hundreds of TBR books on my list and 30 currently reading books going, I suddenly a propos of zilch decided to buy the Penguin again.

I think I've been feeling the need for a change of pace read-I kept saying "light" but then realized that "light" was boring me & realized I wanted something of some substance. Plus I've spent all summer adapting Mr. Popper's Penguins for my class & I think I was somehow more interested in the penguin.

Whatever. Synchronicity. Good luck. I feel better than I have for weeks.

I hope you do-it would be such fun to share this with someone.

Just finishedThe Cellist of Sarajevo- LOVED it. In progress: Infinite Jest,The Lonely Polygamist, andThe Story of Mankind (I have a goal of reading all the Newberry Medal Award winners - this was #1, published in 1922, with an update in 1984. It's pretty dry, but interesting in parts).

Judy wrote: "Ice, I read somewhere that Forrest Gump is the modern-day version of The Idiot. Would you agree? (I've never read it.)

Tbr still less than 100 - just ! I'm jealous!

Looking forward t..."

Yes FG is a great analogy. I had Anna Karenin meets Willy Wonka.

Ann wrote: "Just finishedThe Cellist of Sarajevo- LOVED it. In progress: Infinite Jest,The Lonely Polygamist, andThe Story of Mankind (I have a goal of ..."

rather daunting list there Ann to be reading at the same time, tho I can imagine needing respite from both Infinite Jest and the Van Loon, which I used to read aloud sometimes to my little son.We both found it rather obscure and preferred the Hobbitt

DATP sounds like a must read for sure.

I've had Death and the Penguin on my TBR list for awhile. It sounds interesting, but the Russian/surrealism combo intimidates me a bit!

@Ann - Look forward to what you think of The Lonely Polygamist. I really enjoyed it, but it seems to me that it takes a certain mindset/perspective to appreciate it. Like, it's one of those books where you need to be able to relate to the characters, or they're just annoying and incomprehensible.

I'm sorry, HRO, I can't remember if you read The Master and Margarita or not. Anyway, after that, D&P is a snap!

No, I haven't yet read M&M. (I just eat them. Ha!)

Kinkajou wrote: "Just started something lighter - Michael Connelly's The Reversal.

I was pleasantly surprised by my first Michael Connelly (The Lincoln Lawyer). I liked the movie, too. I found Connelly to be like John Grisham with a little more substance. Will definitely read more by him.

Lost in a Good Book Jasper Fforde

I am recommending this or any other of his books for a lighthearted romp. Also Christopher Moore
(see our laughable shelf)

I have the first in the series - The Eyre Affair - on my shelf. I'll get around to it someday.

Yesterday I finished


Lives of the Monster Dogs by Kirsten Bakis

I think some of you in this group would enjoy it. Very interesting plot and a very thought-provoking exploration of various ethical questions. And the construction is unusual as well, using journals, letters, news articles, narrative, and even an opera to present the story.

It was shortlisted for the 1998 Orange Prize, but it seems to have escaped the attention of most of the reading world. And the author has never written a second book, which is most regrettable.

Thanks YRO for the heads up about this oddly obscure book ( I never had heard of it) I looked it up and have added it to my virtual tbr list.