What are you reading this week of February 12, 2017?

[hermetic]

............................................... ..............................

Finished The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. Beautiful love story/fantasy, perfect for Valentines Day. Then I felt the need for some gripping crime solving so I just started Val McDermid's Splinter the Silence. (No pun intended there. It just happened )

What books are appealing to your heart this week?

[Squinch]

1. An Agatha Christie. And I keep thinking, "Wow! She's a total racist AND she hates women!"

[TexasProgresive]

4. A woman of her time and place.

[hermetic]

6. Evidently

we think alike.

[hermetic]

5. Interesting

She WAS born in 1890 into a wealthy family so no doubt was simply a product of her times. I've only ever read And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express and that was back in the 60's. She has been called out for stereotyping a lot.

[onecaliberal]

2. Got Grit.

[hermetic]

8. Made me look

Got Grit? - Why You Need It, How You Get It and How You Pass It On to Young People

A young person's grit (hard work, determination, perseverance) combined with effective social skills is a better predictor of future success in life than IQ, grade point averages, and standardized test scores.

Are you a teacher?

[onecaliberal]

9. Program manager

I've read it a few times. I'd recommend it to anyond working with young people in any field.

[TexasProgresive]

3. I just downloaded "Cat's Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut free to my kindle

I finished reading Name the Dead by Ian Rankin which is a very good read. But I was thinking it was time for a change from British mystery/police procedural and so turned to a different genre. I was really wanting to read some Spider Robinson's SciFi books but not at the library and not willing to buy at full price either. So Mr. Robinson will have to wait.

[hermetic]

7. I think you're gonna love

Cat'sCradle. I sure do. Hey, there is a website called Alibris where you can get books for .99. Someone here mentioned it a couple of weeks ago and I plan to order a bunch of Spider's books later today. Funny thing, I joined a Facebook page not knowing exactly what it was about and it turned out to be a fan page for Spider so I am already getting a taste of what to expect from his books. I think they're going to be great fun.

[TexasProgresive]

16. hermetic. I just ordered 4 Spider Robinsons and 2 Peter Robinsons at .99

I would like to warn you that the S&H runs the total up a bit, 6 books for $28.88. That works out to about $4.81 per book. I went a head an ordered. It works out to about what I would pay at Half Priced Books but they don't have the titles I want. Thought you would like to know.

[hermetic]

18. Thanks

I discovered that myself. I had to do a bunch of quick figuring because I wanted to get 8, a couple of which were more than the .99. Thriftbooks.com gives free shipping when you spend over $10 but their books run a little over $3 each. Plus they give coupons after you order so many. So between the 2 sites I'm getting all 8 at just over $4 each with shipping. Seems a fair price for what looks like months of enjoyment. Get it while you can, right?

[sagesnow]

10. If you will indulge me...

In December I picked up a copy of "E=MC2 The Autobiograpy of the World's Most Famous Equation" at a Bizaar for $0.75.
It was well worth the money, as Author David Bodanis set out to explain the most important equation in the world to the general public and succeeded. It really surprised me that two women were among those who made large contrinbutions to the body of science behind this universal law. One, Madame Emilie du Chatelet's story had me in tears. Voltaire's lover, she funded and ran a scientific lab at her villa in France. Another more recent woman, Cecelia Payne never received credit or acclaim for her discovery of the chemical make of of the sun.
This book, though technically non-fiction, makes me want to write or read more about the lives of women living and working in the realm of science.

[hermetic]

12. Nice

"Already climbing the bestseller lists-and garnering rave reviews—this "little masterpiece" sheds brilliant light on the equation that changed the world."

If you are looking for similar books you might take a look here to see what others felt similar. https://www.amazon.com/mc2-Biography-Worlds-Famous-Equation/dp/0425181642
Also, go to GoodReads.com and plug in the title.

"Deciding what to read next?
You’re in the right place. Tell us what titles or genres you’ve enjoyed in the past, and we’ll give you surprisingly insightful recommendations."

Just a suggestion. There's possibly nothing else quite like it out there, yet. Happy hunting and let us know what good things you do find.

[murielm99]

11. Jane Casey's Maeve Kerrigan series.

They are British crime novels, and very good.

I accidentally read number 4 in the series first. It was okay to do it that way, because it got me hooked. I read book one in the series, and am now reading "The Reckoning," book two.

The main character Maeve Kerrigan is Irish, but was born in England. She does not really belong to either place. She is a good murder detective, but she has to work with some men who are real dicks. Interesting reads!

[hermetic]

13. Thanks

U.K. crime novels are pretty popular with this group. Always nice to learn about another series.

[Goblinmonger]

14. Finishing Norse Mythology (Gaiman) then on to Jude the Obscure

Love Hardy and I'm teaching Ordinary People again this semester after many years not teaching it. Jude the Obscure is one of three novels Conrad has to write an essay about. I haven't read two of those novels, so time to cross those off my list (Lord Jim is the other).

[hermetic]

21. Were you pleased

with Norse Mythology? Evidently not everyone is. Can't please everyone, of course.

[Goblinmonger]

23. I was. One of the best mythology books I've read.

I've read some of the negative reviews. My impression is that people were expecting another American Gods or Sandman and that was never going to be what it was. I read one review that said they didn't like short stories. Um, it's a mythology book, what did you expect?

As an English teacher that has read a number of mythology books, this one is one of (if not) the best. I laughed a lot. He completely nailed the not-so-smart Thor. Loki is awesome.

[hermetic]

24. Excellent!

[northoftheborder]

15. Just finished "Gentleman in Moscow"

High on my "favorite book" list. Rated it 5 stars on Audible. Russian history, unique interesting characters, good narrator, satisfying ending, creative plot details.

Still reading alternatively: Alan Furst, "Mission to Paris" and biography on RBG, "Free to be Ruth Bader Ginsberg".

[hermetic]

19. Would that be

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles? Because, Wow!

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. He must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.

Holy War & Peace, northoftheborder! What a terrific find, which may be of particular interest to those of us following along with the daily War and Peace blog (mentioned down-thread).

[northoftheborder]

22. Yes - "A Gentleman in Moscow" by Towles

Much, much, much easier to read than "War and Peace". I can't even remember if I actually finished that - long, long, ago.

[japple]

17. Happy Valentine's Day to all DU book lovers. Thanks, hermetic,

for hosting the weekly thread.

I'm still reading Louise Erdrich's book, LaRose, which is mesmerizing, as is all of her writing.

[hermetic]

20. Yep

That is one truly enchanting story. She is a national treasure.

[Paladin]

25. "Moonglow" Michael Chabon's new novel.

It is, predictably, superb.

[hermetic]

27. Cool!

I love Chabon and will for sure be reading this, someday.

[Paladin]

29. I've become a real fan of his work, over the years.

So nice to encounter writing of such deliberate art and intellect.

[matt819]

26. A few

Just started reading:
Home Body by Gerry Boyle - Jack McMorrow series, about mid-way through. Worth reading the series from the start.
Kill the Father by Sandrone Dazieri - Italian author, first book in the American market, reported the first in a series. Just read the first 30 pages last night. Tightly written, great characters. Looking forward to continuing.
The Broken Shore by Peter Temple - audio book. As above, great characters, great dialogue, captures the essence of place, people, complex issues in very few words. Narration first rate.

Just finished:
Rather be the Devil, by Ian Rankin - I swear, Rankin can do no wrong. I could have sworn that he said years ago that he was going to stop writing Rebus novels. I'm glad he didn't.

[hermetic]

28. A new Rebus?

Hot dog! Thought Even Dogs in the Wild was the final Rebus. This is good news.

The Broken Shore sounds like a good one, too. Will have to seek that one out.

Thanks for joining in.

[Paladin]

30. Just reserved the new Rebus at my library. Thanks for the word. (nt)