OT: From the Bookshelf

[kimmer]

I'm an avid book reader (what's a girl to do without her MAC?) and wondered if anyone else around this wonderful place was a reader. It matters not if you only read gardening books, tech manuals, or romance novels. Reading is good for the brain. On another board (no longer very active and is now into soaps - not Ivory - hehehe), I had a book thread and one of the gals who jumped in was an avid gardener and devoured gardening and plant books. I learned tons from her. It was great. So, if you read - anything - please feel free to jump in here and tell me/us what you read, what you like and don't like, why you read, etc. If not, I'll likely talk to myself for a few months. hehehe


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This month, I've enjoyed some political thrillers, a light mystery, a cookbook (yes I buy and read "interesting" cookbooks) :laffin:  and an interesting "self-help" type of book.

Political fictional thrillers:
Matthew Reilly: got hooked on his writing and his over-the-top hero, William Race, late last year. I searched for and found all his books. I finished the last 2 this month. I can't wait for more to hit paperback status. Reilly's books are super fast paced, and unbelievable in many ways, but I sure do find them fascinating and great books to get lost in for hours on end. My biggest gripe? I find it hard to put them down. hehehe

Vince Flynn: read "Transfer of Power" and found it interesting (sent me online to research a few things), well paced, believable heroes/anti-heroes, and believable endings. I'm now on a hunt for all his books that are out in paperback.


Thrillers/Murder Mysteries:
Not sure I've given this genre the correct label, as I don't read Stephen King type of thrillers (I think of those as horror thrillers) ... but lately I've read:
Jeffery Deaver: I tried his "Coffin Dancer" and hated it! Then I found "The Blue Nowhere" and was totally fascinated with it. So fascinated, I almost unplugged this laptop.  I liked the pace and the plot. I'm now reading "The Devil's Teardrop", and finding it very interesting. Yesterday at the install fest, I sat in the hallway (the place was packed) and read. I wasn't even aware that 3 hours went by! I'll likely try a few more of his - selectively.

James Grippando: I discovered Grippando a year or so ago, and enjoy all his books, although I like the Swyteck books the best. His books are not the fastest paced books, but they keep me interested, plus you see life from a lawyers point of view. Different and intriguing. I found "Hear No Evil" at the store earlier this month, read it and enjoyed it. Now I've read all he has out in paperback. I need a Grippando fix.


Light Mysteries:
Diane Mott Davidson tops my list. I've read all her books, but I gave them away before we moved. Since they all have recipes in them, I've been spending some of my Christmas money adding them to my meager library.  This month I've read "Tough Cookie" and "The Grilling Season". Both excellent mysteries where the bad guy gets his/hers just desserts, and Goldie and her family and friends enjoy great desserts. ROFL!

I'm watching for books by Lou Jane Temple, and possibly some of the PennDutch Inn Mysteries from Tamar Myers.


Self-Help, Motivational, or Inspirational Books:
Well, Sneakers jokingly handed me this book when we were in a lovely bookstore we discovered. "Be an Outrageous Older Woman" by Ruth H. Jacobs was interesting in it's own way, although I have some serious differences of opinions with the author in several key areas.  I did find her chapter on being a "digger-in" or a "digger-out" to be encouraging (and I realized I've now become a "digger-out" - which for me was a good change). Her chapter on things one can do, and the reasons she shares for why "I" could, and should, do ___________ (fill in the blank) was fascinating and very thought provoking. I plan on doing several things that I've always wanted to do, but never tried because I couldn't see any point in doing them. Even with my dislikes, I'm pleased I bought this book simply because I found encouragement in it.


Cookbooks:
I have picked up several of those small "fund raiser" cookbooks in trips to 3 different bookstores. They are the best kind of cookbook.

One I found is German-Russian and has stories, inspirational quotes, and poetry with the great recipes. I found this delightful book the other day when we drove up to Tillamook, stopped downtown at this funky looking coffee shop and across the street was a bookstore.

A new cookbook I bought at the fancy bookstore is "Best of the Best from Oregon" Cookbook. Great recipes and little tidbits about the state. I hope to buy the Illinois edition, and then some of the smaller cookbooks from which these big editions are compiled.

So that's my January reading to date. What's on your bookshelf?

[jcarter]

Our whole family loves to read, and our daughter and family wont have a TV in their house.
My husband is a historian, and nothing can keep him from his reading and buying books.
At the moment I'm somewhat taken up with my Photoshop lessons(Terragen and Bryce too), and my new Mac, so Ive not been reading as usual.  Cant count MacWorld, MacAddict, and MacHome,,,,,,,,,,

I should put together our list, just gotten the "most read" list from our local private school,,,,,,I never really tally up ours.  Should though.  My husband is at the moment studying the history of religion, but I can't deal with that subject, its too heavy for me. I really should say, it gives me bad dreams, no kidding.  I prefer 'lighter' subjects, like cooking and technology, fiction too.

My brother who is a teacher(just retired) and also has been teaching US Navy history and ancient history, is having us go thru his amazing collection and picking out what is to be kept or donated to our local libraries.  
One of his main complaints about his students, was they dont read enough!  He would buy and supply books at his expense for the kids.  
We have a group of people all interested in history and the like, who are all trading books too.  

So much fun!  Just need more time.
Jane

[gunug]

I just finished reading some of David Weber's series about
Honor Harrington which can be thought of as moving
Horatio Hornblower to the far distant future and changing
his gender!  He's good at the space opera genre of scifi.

I have misplaced what I was reading tonight but it was
Robert Heinlein's book about JOB (well a JOB anyway).

As far as mystery is concerned I enjoy Elizabeth Peters
series of Amelia Peabody books.  Egyptology mysteries
by a real Egyptologist are fantastic: my first love was
archeology but I hadn't the brains or stamina to go
for a degree in it.  I also enjoy Patricia Cornwall's
forensic books although her later one's seem to have
gone off the deep end a little bit.

[kimmer]

QUOTE

I should put together our list, just gotten the "most read" list from our local private school,,,,,,I never really tally up ours.

I've only recently started a book journal and I find it's fun to go back and look at my own comments.    Also shows me where I've grown from and how my taste in books changes.

QUOTE

I prefer 'lighter' subjects

Same here, but once in a while I will jump into a "heavier" book.

QUOTE

One of his main complaints about his students, was they dont read enough! He would buy and supply books at his expense for the kids.

Amazing, isn't it? Our oldest niece has all the Harry Potter books, hardbound, bought on release day ... and they are covered in dust. She's never read them. Couldn't be bothered. She reads "People" magazine, and I guess I should be grateful she reads that. Her younger sister won't even read magazines. She's got serious reading/spelling problems and will likely graduate from HS basically illiterate.

My folks read to my brother and I from the time we were born -- okay old enough to listen.  My grandparents and aunts and uncles all read to us (I have pics). I had a collection of Golden Books that I'm told I adored. I do remember all the Nancy Drew books I had, and I read those over and over. I have a wonderful memory of the day I got my first library card. Pop took me. It was this big grown-up father/daughter thing. We had a coke afterwards. So the love of reading was instilled in me at a young age. Nowadays, that is not the norm, and I think it's very sad.

QUOTE

I just finished reading some of David Weber's series about
Honor Harrington which can be thought of as moving
Horatio Hornblower to the far distant future and changing
his gender! He's good at the space opera genre of scifi.

I'm not one to read sci-fi, but I do enjoy these books.

[jcarter]

Hi Kimmer,  Our parents read to us, we to our kids, and our kids always read to their kids.
Our girls could actually read when they were 4, they could sound out most words and if they didnt know the meaning, they would ask.  I used to babysit neighbours children after school too, and read to them also.  And I used to teach "remedial reading" in the first and second grade as a volunteer.  What a thrill to work with a kid who had no clue and, in a few weeks get him reading.
 
Only one of our kids will allow a TV in their house.  We did have TV, but we carefully limited their watching time and what they were allowed to watch.
It is so different nowadays, I have friends who use it as an electronic babysitter, and sometimes their grandkids will be screen bound all day long.

Sometimes this old grandma tends to spend a bit too much time in front of my Mac.
Thats what my husband says,,,,,,,,
Jane

[kimmer]

QUOTE(jcarter @ Jan 30 2006, 2:19 PM)

Sometimes this old grandma tends to spend a bit too much time in front of my Mac.
Thats what my husband says,,,,,,,,
Jane

 Funny. I'm no grandma - but my hubby used to tell me to "turn off the MAC" and go do something else.   Wonder if I'll pick up that bad habit when we get into our own home and I have my MAC back?  

[jcarter]

Tis January here on Cape Cod, and the weather usually is horrid, but its been unseasonably warm.
Today we walked thru an exclusive Golf Course, (yeah we did sneak in, nobody there after 2), and its just beautiful, the views of the ocean way above where we live closer to the coast.  We do live in an area that was really glacier sculpted, so the walking in the woods can be really lovely.
We got lost in the woods, which is fun, and finally got back to our truck.  
Thank goodness there are still very nice places to winter-walk near us.
Wonder why not many other people take advantage of it.

Back to the Mac,,,,,,,and reading indoors, rain coming tomorrow, and it wont snow!  We hope.
I am way OT here, but its been a lovely day when we expect not to have weather like this.
And some of our birds are singing spring songs, I hope Feb wont be bad for them.
Jane

[Paddy]

I love to read - fiction mostly. Unfortunately, I seem to have little or no time for it during the school year these days, between all the web work, kid ferrying to and fro etc. Vacations are when I gobble books - I've been known to read until 3 or 4 in the morning when I'm at my parents' cottage with the kids (hubby is back at work in MA - I don't get away with reading in bed until the sun comes up with him!) I'll read just about anything as long as it's well written. Anne Tyler, Alice Hoffman, Alice Munro, Anna Quindlen, Jane Smiley, Armistad Maupin, Wallace Stegner, John Irving, Doris Lessing, Edward Abbey...are just a few of the authors gracing my overloaded bookshelves. My best friend in Canada keeps me supplied with interesting Canadian authors every Christmas and birthday too - I try to do the same with lesser-known American authors for her. The semi-annual library book sale here in North Andover is usually good for 25-30 books! Yes, a lot of those are STILL unread.

We've read to our children ever since they were a few months old. Our ten-year old is still read to almost every night. OUR Harry Potter's were consumed by the entire household the moment the UPS man left the doorstep! All four of us have read them all - mostly aloud. Both of my boys found reading to themselves "hard work" (ie: something they'd rather not do) until the beginning of fourth grade, at which time both of them became AVID readers. (Very odd - both of them were exactly the same age when this happened) My 14 year old loves fantasy fiction and is now reading adult novels, as well as those geared to young adults. My 10 year old seems to be having some sort of competition with his father to see who can get through the second book in the Phillip Pullman "His Dark Materials" trilogy first. They started off reading the Golden Compass together, but about halfway through that, Jeff finished another book he was reading at school and picked up the the Subtle Knife. He took great delight in reporting his progress every day - by the time Richard finished reading The Golden Compass aloud at home, Jeff was 200 pages into the Subtle Knife and Richard had to catch up! It's wonderful to see - especially in a kid who wasn't all that interested in reading a year or two ago. The only downside to all of this is that his teacher reports that he tends to race through his schoolwork so that he can pull out a book, and she's had to sneak up on him and tell him to put his book away when he's been blissfully oblivious to whatever he was supposed to be doing with the rest of the class.

[MamaMoose]

Kimmer,

I am an inveterate reader - about 4 books a week. I am thinking seriously of buying stock in Barnes & Noble. I read mostly new fiction: techno thrillers, World War II stuff, mysteries, and noir detective stuff. My favorite non-fiction this year is David McCullough's "1776" - reads like a novel! I also read technical books (am now writing one) - right now I amreading Brian Greene's book on String Theory (A theory of everything) written for "lay persons".  I give, for tax purpose, about 150 books/per year to the Beaverton library. If you get into town you might try to see what they have as the books sell for just a few dollars. I will let you know when I will be taking a load of books over.

Reading has been a great joy and escape in my life. I do not know if I could keep my sanity if I did not have a book to read.

MamaMoose

[kimmer]

Jane wrote:

QUOTE

Back to the Mac,,,,,,,and reading indoors, rain coming tomorrow, and it wont snow! We hope. I am way OT here, but its been a lovely day when we expect not to have weather like this. And some of our birds are singing spring songs, I hope Feb wont be bad for them.

We had a day like this today. Rain early this am, then the sun came out. It was grand. Tomorrow another storm is due in, with the traditional 65-70mph wind gusts.  

Paddy wrote:

QUOTE

I'll read just about anything as long as it's well written.

I don't go quite that far, but close.    One of my pet peeves is starting in on a good book, only to have it go south. Sometimes it's because the author lost a cog while writing, but lately it's because the book takes a turn that I can't handle and then I'm faced with finish to find out what happens, or dump it and never know how it ends. I've gone the never know route 5 times in the last 6 months!   Today I gave a book to Bev at the credit union, with the promise from her that she'd tell me the story on the rabble-rousing woman at the lecture.    I just couldn't handle the violence that showed up in chapter 4 of the book.

I love the story of your kids, and how you all read HP together.

MamaMoose wrote:

QUOTE

I am an inveterate reader - about 4 books a week. I am thinking seriously of buying stock in Barnes & Noble.

Wouldn't stock in Powell's be better? hehehe

QUOTE

right now I amreading Brian Greene's book on String Theory (A theory of everything) written for "lay persons".

Oh, I need to look into this - I bet Sneakers would enjoy this book.

QUOTE

I give, for tax purpose, about 150 books/per year to the Beaverton library. If you get into town you might try to see what they have as the books sell for just a few dollars. I will let you know when I will be taking a load of books over.

Oh yes, please do. The Waldport library had a fund raising book sale and I came home with 4 new books. Sadly most of what they were selling was out of date - even the fiction.

QUOTE

Reading has been a great joy and escape in my life. I do not know if I could keep my sanity if I did not have a book to read.

Same here. As a teenager, books got me through many tough times. When Sneakers met me, I had enough books in my cardboard box book shelves to be my own lending library. He was surprised, and fortunately understanding. He gives me "guilt free book money" for Christmas every year. I love it - and him!  

I picked up 2 new books at Fred Meyers today. I couldn't help myself. Honest.    A David Baldacci (been wanting to read one of his books), and a Matthew Reilly that I'd missed. Don't know how I did that. hehehe[

[kimmer]

I finished "The Devil's Teardrop" last night. I guessed a few things near the end, but for the most part it was all a surprise. Good book.

Now I'm reading "Passing on the Comfort, The War, The Quilts and the Women Who Made a Difference", written by, and about, Lynn Kaplanian-Buller and An Keuning-Tichelaar. Heart-warming, touching and worth the read even if you aren't into quilts. I discovered it by chance at this bookstore we found. Someday I'll have to share about that small adventure.

[jcarter]

My brother just gave me a couple more boxes of books that he used for his history classes.   I wonder if schools really know how much of their own money that the teachers use to buy books for their students.
I know our local libraries are very good, but my brother always bought a lot of great books to lend to his kids.  Most got returned too, and he would just lend them out again.
He, my husband, and my best friend just can't get enough history and good novels.  So we swap them.

There are 2 more boxes in the back of our truck to go to the library for their upcoming sale.
Ive got some software for the school library and books too, since they still use OS 9.

I am guilty of not supporting our local bookstore, as they just decided not to honor gift certificates over a year old.   Weren't very nice about it either.
But when you can get the used books from Amazon vendors, its a great savings. And I dont feel loyal to that store any more.  I had misplaced the certificate.

Anyway, I am on Amazon right now ordering more books,,,,,,,,,,,
Jane

[kimmer]

Do I dare ask what you are buying, Jane?  

I opened an acct at ABE books yesterday.  

Oh, and I read my book by flashlight last night since the power was out. It was like being a kid again. hehehe

[kelly]

gunug. If you're going to read David Weber.

Try:

In Death Ground and it's sequel The Shiva Option.

http://www.baen.com/chapters/indeath1.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Weber#Steve_White

Then the ones with John Ringo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Weber#John_Ringo

And then John Ringo's Books.

http://www.baen.com/series_list.asp#GF

And David Drake's Lt. Leary books are pretty good also.

[dakota]

Mostly archaeology, Biblical archaeology, anthropology, etc.  However, I am on a mission to find all the books I read as a kid so I can buy them to read to my grand children, such as The Water Babies, The Dolls House (no, not Ibsen) and Now We are Six.  Am I dating myself?  Am so tired of my grand kids watching Dora the Explorer, Sponge Bob Square Pants, and loading the DVD player with all kids of supposedly "educational" DVDs, to teach phonics, and the like.  How about some good old fashioned reading???