What are you reading tonight DU? Me Elizabeth George "What Came Before He Shot Her". It is a really

[applegrove]

different book for her. It has followed a family living in a crime ridden neighbourhood in London. It is really upsetting because the main characters, all kids, are often not safe. Seems to be going on forever. I would reccomend it to anyone who wants to know more about what it is like to be traumatized by poverty and crime.

What are you reading?

[hippywife]

1. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson.

It iz teh funny. :rofl:

[intheflow]

2. This is my son's favorite book

and has been for several years. I haven't been able to get around it reading it, but now I suppose I'll have to . :)

[hippywife]

3. You'll enjoy it, I think.

Especially if you are a camper/hiker. :hi:

[intheflow]

4. I'm a book junkie so am reading four books currently.

Fiction:
Green Angel by Alice Hoffman
A very short young adult novel about a teengirl who survives alone after her family dies in a September 11th-style disaster. Hoffman can be hit or miss to read but this book's writing is haunting and evocative yet very simply written.

Starting tomorrow and very excited about it:
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Anything by Gaiman is amazing but Gaiman examining how spiritually bereft Americans are as we obsess about money and power via a contemporary Norse god? OMG, count me in!


Non-fiction:
Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold Story of English, by John McWhorter
Pretty funny for an academic book on etymology.

On Writing by Stephen King
About half way through this, and it's far more about Stephen King than it is about writing. (I read a lot of books on how to be a better writer even though I don't write.)

The Mental Floss History of the United States: The (Almost) Complete and (Entirely) Entertaining Story of America by Erik Sass, Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur
It's also about half way through. It's okay though Zinn spoiled me for all other writings on American History.

Just finished today and HIGHLY RECOMMEND this non-fiction book on cd:
Why My Third Husband Will Be A Dog: The Amazing Adventures of an Ordinary Woman by Lisa Scottoline
I've never read Scottoline's fiction, but the title of this was just too good to pass up! Read by the author, this was a very funny series of essays on everything from cougars to wireless bras to why no woman over 50 should go to an emergency room braless under any circumstances. Just skip the essays written and read by her daughter, a Harvard grad whose essays sound like... earnest and humorless college essays.

[tigereye]

7. lots of cool books- some of which I have heard of

nice to see some other good suggestions...

We started American Gods for family reading and then kind of ran out of gas... currently reading the book 4 of Michael's Scott's Flamel series for family reading.

[intheflow]

9. Just started American God and it's already darker than

anything I've read by Gaiman so far. But engaging on tape! My Gaiman rec for family reading would be the young adult novel InterWorld. Action-packed and lots of fun!

I've seen the Flamel books. Have you been enjoying them?

[tigereye]

10. the characters are very engaging.

Lots of non-stop action, very short chapters. Clever premise.

[NV Whino]

5. That is an excellent book

One of her best.

[tigereye]

6. love George's books and had a very hard time reading that one

I was unable to finish it since i was still kind of pissed at her about the previous book. (sorry probably ranted about this before...) ;)


Currently am reading The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson, very interesting and funny book dealing with questions about Judaism and identity, for my book group. Also reading Cotswold mysteries and about to start A Long and Happy Life by Reynolds Price, who recently died. Sadly I had never read any of his books previously.

[Odin2005]

8. "The Next Decade" by policy analyst George Friedman.

Also, Wisdom, From Philosophy to Neuroscience by Stephen Hall.

[Gormy Cuss]

11. Maybe I will read another George novel.

"What Came Before He Shot Her" was really depressing.

[applegrove]

12. Yeah I found it really depressing too. But I finished it and I'm glad I did because

it has me thinking about crime and poverty.

[pitohui]

19. whew glad to see you have got to the end

i am a HUGE ruth rendell/barbara vine fan, and while i've not read much by george, this particular book is almost or truly in the same class

wonderful wonderful read, i just love it

previously ( a few months ago) i read "deception on his mind" and she is not afraid to discuss race/gender issues in her stories

i now realize this author has been around for a long time and i WILL be looking for more

[eyepaddle]

13. On Seas Contested.

It is a book that compares the seven largest navies in WWII, and how they were each set up, how they viewed their mission and what tools they'd need to complete that mission and how well the fleets they actually possessed fit in wth those goals.

I'm a sucker for history and this book provides a lot of context for the events of 1939-1954--and why those events often seem to make no sense now, but make a lot of sense without the benefit of hindsight. I'll give an example: the French spent a lot of time eyeing Italy as a potential foe, and in light of Italy's large navy they built aa large navy of their own (as the Italians spent a lot of time building a force to take on France. Germany's rapid land based defeat of Frace rendered all of that planning (on both sides) moot. The planning and commitment of resources in advance left both countries relatively unprepared for the war they actually found themselves in.

I know it isn't very many people's idea of a good read but I love it.

[nolabear]

14. Kingsolver's The Lacuna. And a bunch of papers for a paper I want to write.

[JitterbugPerfume]

16. The Lacuna

is one of her best! I loved it.

[rrneck]

15. A Lesson Before Dying nt

[pitohui]

17. just read that one, really great read!!!!!

if you have not got to the end yet i will say no more

wonderful story, really catches your heart

when i was younger i could have easily been nessa, i suppose many of us could have...

[applegrove]

20. I related more to Joel. Always trying to find a way to a safer life.

[bigwillq]

18. Will finish "The Perfect Husband"

by Lisa Gardner, when I get home from work.

Will then start "The Next Accident", also by Gardner.