OT- Books

I really enjoyed Life of Pi, everybody in my book group did too, though we all had a difficult time getting through the first section (before they get on the boat). The ending was a little disturbing if you believe "he did" but if you believe his story, not so much. I love that aspect of the book, that reality is dependent on who's experiencing it. I also loved the idea of all the "lost" critters in urban areas. I thought of the book the other night when we heard some LARGE animal crawling through the bushes outside our bedroom window.

I read Wicked quite a while ago. I don't remember being overly impressed. I consider it a good brain cleanser for after a more involved book. Now that the author has a whole series of fairy tale retellings it just seems sort-of gimmicky.

I took the whole tiger business in Life of Pi as metaphorical. Can't remember now why I thought that, because it's been a few years. But I liked it.

Didn't they make a movie of it, too?

Speaking of book group type books, one of my favs that I wouldn't have read otherwise is Gate to Women's Country, by Sherri S. Tepper. Anything by her is thought provoking.

Karen

I just finished Wicked, and I loved it. It was one of those books that I read while doing stuff around the house, read while brushing my teeth, took to work to read in case a patient didn't keep her appointment... I felt like it kept my mind working at many levels at once.

- Comparing the book to the movie as it unfolded. Sometimes this was annoying, such as the passage where the Witch is persuing Dorothy, but has other things on her mind as well, is tired, hungry, and he writes, "...maybe she should surrender Dorothy..." Cute, but not necessary. Still, I immediately saw the scene from the movie.
- Thinking about the politics and religion of that society. Very interesting.
- What's the relation between the worlds? What was it that made her able to read some of that book, but not other parts of it? What would it mean to be of both worlds?
- Who were the dwarf and Yackle? I would've liked to learn more about that story.
- What is the nature of evil, friendship, power, time, etc?
- Animals and animals. Which kind were the monkeys? I would've liked to know more about Dr. Dillamond's research.
- Keeping an open mind--comparing it to the movie, thinking, hmmm, what if it were seen from a different perspective? And how does Elphaba compare to Miss Gulch back in Kansas?

I really enjoyed reading it. Left it at the clinic on Friday, didn't get it back til Wed, finished it last night. In the meantime, I started The Hummingbird's Daughter, by Luis Alberto Urrea. Really enjoying this one, too. A friend brought me the sequel to Wicked tonight, Son of A Witch. Sequels are seldom as good, and in this case part of what I enjoyed so much about Wicked was the parallel Wizard of Oz story running in my mind.

I haven't read Life of Pi. So many books! So many books! This working for a living is really overrated. I waste so much time earning money, when I could be reading. :)

I couldn't finish Life of Pi :( I quit when it got to the part where the tiger (I think) was chewing on one of the other animals in the boat. (I wonder if I remember that correctly?) Anyway, that put me off.

I liked Wicked too Lise! His other book, The Ugly Stepsister (a take on Cinderella) was fun too.

I've been re-reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress at lunch. I only get to read when my lunch partner is gone, so it's very slow going.

I've been on a kick of excellent books the last few weeks:

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro - I loved it! Very ordinary and pedestrian on the surface, and creepy-suspenseful underneath. Man can that guy write a story!

Saturday - Ian McEwan - amazing pacing, very suspensful, interesting moral issues.

Cry the Beloved Country - Alan Paton - I reread this book about every 5 years, to stay "tenderized" to the issues of race, fear, and forgiveness in South Africa - what a wonderful book.

Almost done with Fugitive Pieces - Anne Michaels - very poetic, moving but unsentimental poetic book about the holocaust and its survivors.

Kite Runner, Life of Pi and Wicked I liked as well, but especially Life of Pi - so inventive.

So many books, so little time!

Here are my all time favorites:

Dalva by Jim Harrison. Beautiful story and wonderfully written. The sequel (I think it's called The Road Home) is also excellent.

The Last Life by Claire Messud. Another beautiful book, in every way.

I just finished a totally chick lit read, easy and fast and funny and moving, WHY MOMS ARE WEIRD, by Pamela Ribon. It's a sequel to WHY GIRLS ARE WEIRD, another chick lit book. These have a little more substance than typical chick lit. Why Moms are Weird is about a weird mother-daughter-sister dynamic, and I really did like it bunches.

Just a few-
Beyond Illusions, Paradise of the blind,Memories of a pure spring-all by Duong Thu Huong

Keep the aspidestra flying, Down and out in Paris & london, Coming Up For Air-George Orwell

The True History of The Ned Kelly gang-Peter Kelly (ned kelly was an Australian Outlaw/cattle rustler)

Roses are Difficult here & Who has seen the wind-W.O Mitchell

Why I hate Canadians-Will ferguson(Canadian author & humorous!!!)

I'd love to read Burmese Days-George Orwell
The Satanic Verses-Salman Rushdie (bought it when it first came out-i was 16 & curious but couldn't get into it...)
The Book of Salt-Monique Troung

If you're looking for a good site for fiction books try www.mostlyfiction.com

I'm still looking for a perfect site for non fiction

I'm more of a non fiction girl-what are some of your faves???

c

I love non-fiction too. Especially natual history or travel writing.

I'm reading Animals in Translation by Temple Grandin (an autistic woman who was featured in one of Oliver Sacks' books.) It attempts to explain how animals think and why they act the way they do. Very interesting.

Some of my favorite non-fiction books:
A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman;
Teaching a Stone to Talk by Annie Dillard (both essay-type books);
The Happy Isles of Oceania by Paul Theroux (travel essay by kayak)
Songlines or In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin (fictionalized non-fiction)
Tracks by Robyn Davidson (travel essay about a solo trip with camel across Australia)
A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby (mountaineering in Afghanistan-- very harrowing story)

I can't wait to hear about more good non-fiction books to add to my list!:D

Non-fiction--

Almost anything by Karen Armstrong. I especially liked Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths, A History of God, Muhammad, and Holy War (about the Crusades). She has two volumes of autobiography, which I really enjoyed. Fascinating woman.
Color: A Natural History of the Palate,Victoria Finlay
Reading Lolita in Tehran, Azar Nafisi
Lise Meitner, A Life in Physics, Ruth Lewin Sime. A biography of the "mother" of nuclear fission.
Marie Curie, A Life, Susan Quinn. Mdme. Curie was an early hero of mine.

Hmm..Non fiction-I could spend days at a particular bookshop's History section

SIx Days or Forever-Ray Ginger (read it for uni..not bad)

Right now I'm reading "Pity the Nation"-Robert Fisk

Shake Hands with the Devil-Ret Lt Gen Romeo Dallaire (to understand PTSD but don't read it if gory details bother you)

Hitlers Willing Executioners-Daniel Jonah Goldhagen(This one has to be read just for the arrogant nature of the Author-I forced myself to continue reading for some reason)

In Retrospect-Robert S MCnamara-(did you see the film about him??)

The Lost Executioner-NIc Dunlop(author went on a search for Duch-Head of S21 prison in Cambodia)

Bright Shining Lie-Neil Sheehan

The Downing Street Years-Margaret Thatcher(have only read a bit of it so far)

CHallenge to Civilization-History of the 20th Century-1900-1933, 1934-1951, 1952-1999-Martin Gilbert

I really want to read Martin Gilbert's biographies on Sir Winston CHurchill

I know most of my books are on war but that's one of my main interests-History/War/Conflict

These are just some of the books on our bookcases but have many more stored in Canada...

c

Lise- Reading Lolita In Tehran -tell me your thoughts

c

CC-- Reading Lolita in Tehran was like peeking in through a magic window. Lives of women we'd otherwise never know anything about. Ah, I just remembered, The Hemmingway Club of Kosova, something like that...I must've given it to somebody...similar book, but an American who lives in Kosovo during the Balkan war, and teaches English via The Old Man and the Sea.

You have a strong stomach, by the books you read. Have you read Rising Up and Rising Down, Some thoughts on violence, freedom, and urgent means, by William T. Vollmann? I bought it, but haven't brought myself to read it yet. It's a 705 page abridgement of his 3,500 page, 7 volume work on the history of violence.

Lise-I will def try & find The Hemmingway Club of Kosova, & Rising Up and Rising Down, Some thoughts on violence, freedom, and urgent means


Do you ladies have a favourite non fiction book shop? I have one down from my work & can't go in without spending $.....It's not one of the big chain book shops and am oh so happy to go there...:D

c

Favorite non-fiction:

Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down - Anne Fadiman (this book has a string TE fan club, as I recall) - also by her - Ex Libris - a must for book lovers!

I'm a big Karen Armstrong fan (Lise, were we twins seperated at birth?) - I just read her Biography of Muhammed, which made me want to re-read Satanic Verses (an "all-time top 10" book for me)

I liked Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel, and have almost finished Collapse (sort of depressing...)

I haven't unpacked my non-fiction, so not much more is coming immediately to mind - oh, except essays by Joan Didiion and Barbara Kingsolver (esp. High Tide in Tucson)- I love a good essay.

Ok - off to bed to read -