JB Book Club

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by mom23kids

YA is my favorite genre too Ironically, when I was a teenager I only read adult books

Have you read "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson? It's a particularly powerful YA book, though it can be a bit difficult to get through, because it's from the perspective of a traumatized teenage girl.

[svenskamae]

Mom23kids, a good friend highly recommended the Laurie R. King books to me, but unfortunately they aren't available as audio books. I'll have to pick up "The Beekeeper's Apprentice" to read while travelling; I have trips to NYC and Seattle and New Orleans coming up this spring, so I need a good paperback book to get me through waiting around in airports.

[TryingJudd]

Dragged out my Kindle and here are some of my top recs for this year -

The Yiddish Policemen's Union - Michael Chabon (re-imagining Jews populating Alaska instead of Israel and a mystery)
Team of Rivals - Doris Kearns Goodwin (about Lincoln)
The Iron Druid Chronicles - Kevin Hearne (fantasy)
The Passage and the Twelve - Justin Cronin (post apocalyptic fantasy)
Wild - Cheryl Strayed - memoir of a troubled woman who hiked a trail alone, gripping
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey (haven't read yet but looks amazing)
Under the Banner of Heaven:A Story of Violent Faith - Jon Krakauer - Mormon history
The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara kingsolver
Mistborn Trilogy - Brandon Sanderson - awesome wizard fantasy
Enders Game Orson Scott Card - a trilogy, sci fi
Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini - awesome fantasy series
The Night Circus- Erin Morgenstern
The Shannara Series by Terry Brooks - not to be missed if you like fantasy
Stones from the River - Ursula Hegi
The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein - story from a dog's POV
Moonwalking with Einstein - Joshua, Foer - true story of memory olympics, fascinating
Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand, WWII story of survival, not well written, but truly compelling story
The Book thief - markus Zusak
The road - Cormac mcCarthy
Guns, Germs and Steel - Jared Diamond
Raising Jake - Charlie Carillo
Infidel - Ayaan Hirsi Ali
The Swetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley

I think that's enough for now LOL!

[sunday]

Originally Posted by svenskamae

Have you read Isabelle Lucy Bird's "A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains"? If not, I think you would love it. It's letters from a clergyman's daughter who rode through the West in the 1870s.

I have not. Thank you!!! It sounds like another must read.

Originally Posted by svenskamae

I found "The Glass Castle" somewhat difficult to listen to, but I felt the author was amazingly fair in terms of her acknowledging advantages as well as disadvantages of having her unconventional parents.

I just added "Liar's Poker" and "Ugly Americans" to my Booksfree queue; thanks. You might like the documentary "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room," which seems like an expose in the same spirit and is really well done (and amazing).

I knew a few that unfortunately worked for Arthur Andersen and also for another famous company that went down in flames much like Enron, "WorldCom" and so anything that documents the dot.com bubble or accounting/financial scandals do interest me. It is almost unbelievable how many scandals happened during the same timespan of late 90's through early 2000's. Now, these same fraudulent corporations are the examples/teaching tools being taught at our University to educate young entrepreneurs and business majors on what can go very wrong and what NOT to do.

[mom23kids]

Originally Posted by svenskamae

Have you read "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson? It's a particularly powerful YA book, though it can be a bit difficult to get through, because it's from the perspective of a traumatized teenage girl.

I haven't yet-will have to look it up

Originally Posted by svenskamae

Mom23kids, a good friend highly recommended the Laurie R. King books to me, but unfortunately they aren't available as audio books. I'll have to pick up "The Beekeeper's Apprentice" to read while travelling; I have trips to NYC and Seattle and New Orleans coming up this spring, so I need a good paperback book to get me through waiting around in airports.

It's a really great book-would be perfect for reading on a trip

Originally Posted by TryingJudd

Dragged out my Kindle and here are some of my top recs for this year -

The Yiddish Policemen's Union - Michael Chabon (re-imagining Jews populating Alaska instead of Israel and a mystery)
Team of Rivals - Doris Kearns Goodwin (about Lincoln)
The Iron Druid Chronicles - Kevin Hearne (fantasy)
The Passage and the Twelve - Justin Cronin (post apocalyptic fantasy)
Wild - Cheryl Strayed - memoir of a troubled woman who hiked a trail alone, gripping
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey (haven't read yet but looks amazing)
Under the Banner of Heaven:A Story of Violent Faith - Jon Krakauer - Mormon history
The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara kingsolver
Mistborn Trilogy - Brandon Sanderson - awesome wizard fantasy
Enders Game Orson Scott Card - a trilogy, sci fi
Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini - awesome fantasy series
The Night Circus- Erin Morgenstern
The Shannara Series by Terry Brooks - not to be missed if you like fantasy
Stones from the River - Ursula Hegi
The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein - story from a dog's POV
Moonwalking with Einstein - Joshua, Foer - true story of memory olympics, fascinating
Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand, WWII story of survival, not well written, but truly compelling story
The Book thief - markus Zusak
The road - Cormac mcCarthy
Guns, Germs and Steel - Jared Diamond
Raising Jake - Charlie Carillo
Infidel - Ayaan Hirsi Ali
The Swetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley

I think that's enough for now LOL!

I've read the first book in the Iron Druid series-very good!
The Night Circus is absolutely amazing
I started the Book Thief, the the writing style really messed with my head and I never finished it. I was bummed because it's such a highly praised book-but just not worth a headache lol.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is so good-love this series!

Well, I'm now about halfway through The Princess Bride and it's going to be a solid five star read

[Zib]

Originally Posted by TryingJudd

Dragged out my Kindle and here are some of my top recs for this year -

The Yiddish Policemen's Union - Michael Chabon (re-imagining Jews populating Alaska instead of Israel and a mystery)
Team of Rivals - Doris Kearns Goodwin (about Lincoln)
The Iron Druid Chronicles - Kevin Hearne (fantasy)
The Passage and the Twelve - Justin Cronin (post apocalyptic fantasy)
Wild - Cheryl Strayed - memoir of a troubled woman who hiked a trail alone, gripping
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey (haven't read yet but looks amazing)
Under the Banner of Heaven:A Story of Violent Faith - Jon Krakauer - Mormon history
The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara kingsolver
Mistborn Trilogy - Brandon Sanderson - awesome wizard fantasy
Enders Game Orson Scott Card - a trilogy, sci fi
Inheritance series by Christopher Paolini - awesome fantasy series
The Night Circus- Erin Morgenstern
The Shannara Series by Terry Brooks - not to be missed if you like fantasy
Stones from the River - Ursula Hegi
The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein - story from a dog's POV
Moonwalking with Einstein - Joshua, Foer - true story of memory olympics, fascinating
Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand, WWII story of survival, not well written, but truly compelling story
The Book thief - markus Zusak
The road - Cormac mcCarthy
Guns, Germs and Steel - Jared Diamond
Raising Jake - Charlie Carillo
Infidel - Ayaan Hirsi Ali
The Swetness at the Bottom of the Pie - Alan Bradley

I think that's enough for now LOL!

The River of Doubt IS amazing. OH and I both read it and couldn't put it down, although at times I wanted to turn my head away from what was going on. It's impossible to imagine a former president doing this today.

Moonwalking with Einstein - so fun.

The Art of Racing in the Rain - loved it and again so did OH. I think books you both like are rare.

Under the Banner of Heaven - couldn't put it down. Excellent book.

[sunday]

Originally Posted by Zib

The Art of Racing in the Rain - loved it and again so did OH. I think books you both like are rare.

BEST Book Ever! I wanted to read it again over the break. I agree that it is rare when my OH likes anything I enjoy.

Have you read "A Dog's Purpose"? I believe it may be just as awesome.

[ouizoid]

Mom--Listen to The Book Thief as an audiobook--one of the best audiobooks I have ever ever listened to--

[mom23kids]

Originally Posted by ouizoid

Mom--Listen to The Book Thief as an audiobook--one of the best audiobooks I have ever ever listened to--

I might have to try it that way-thanks for the idea!


Just finished The Princess Bride and it's as good as the movie

Next up is Untraceable by Laura Griffin, which I think is a book that was recommended by one of you (or the other book thread in off topic area)

[svenskamae]

Those of you who like animal-centric books might like "Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl," by Stacey O'Brien. It's a memoir of a woman who fostered an injured barn owl and spent many years living with him; she's a wonderful observer, and it's really quite a remarkable book. And it is available as an audiobook.

Also, consider reading Virginia Woolf's "Flush: A biography" (about Elizabeth Barrett Browning's cocker spaniel).

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by ouizoid

Mom--Listen to The Book Thief as an audiobook--one of the best audiobooks I have ever ever listened to--

Thanks for the recommendation, I've queued that one, too, as an audiobook.

[Yvonnem2000]

Just adding my recommendations for Unbroken and Half-broke Horses. Thanks for all the great suggestions!

[sunday]

Unbroken is downloaded, but I have never been able to finish. It is excellent and as YamYam says it will make you re-think hunger.

[ouizoid]

sunday--unbroken is another book that was fantastic as an audiobook

[sunday]

Originally Posted by ouizoid

sunday--unbroken is another book that was fantastic as an audiobook

Thanks! I will move it up to the top! I have it downloaded on Audio and have yet to listen all through. Unfortunately, I have DL'd more than I have had time to listen to.

[Joyjoy]

David Mitchell: Black Swan Green
Cloud Atlas (catch an interview with him if you care to re: the construction of this novel -- very exciting)
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
Joyce Carol Oates: A Widow's Story
Patrick deWitt: The Sisters Brothers
Michael Ondaatje: The Cat's Table (and anything else he writes)
Ian McEwan: Sweet Tooth (on my bedside table, next to read)
Saturday (also any of his early stuff)
Richard Ford: Canada (also on deck. His short story collections are also fabulous.)
Colum McCann: Let The Great World Spin
Ann Patchett: Bel Canto
Peter Carey: Parrot And Olivier in America
Barbara Kingsolver: anything (I've got Lacuna in my stack)
Anne Lamott: Bird by Bird (for any of you who want to or like to write)
Stephen King: On Writing (ditto)

Love these lists. Thanks.

[mom23kids]

I'm participating in a classics readathon today and I'm going to try and read all of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee One of my reading goals this year is to read more classics!

[ouizoid]

my audiobook trick is to keep a little ipod hooked up in my car that is dedicated to audiobooks. Thus I only "read" audiobooks when I am driving. However, you would be surprised at how many books I go thru doing it like that.

[ouizoid]

joy joy--your list and my kindle could be twins, lol!

[sunday]

Originally Posted by ouizoid

my audiobook trick is to keep a little ipod hooked up in my car that is dedicated to audiobooks. Thus I only "read" audiobooks when I am driving. However, you would be surprised at how many books I go thru doing it like that.

Do you use Audible for your books? Or Itunes? I am a member of Audible and I get 1 book each month free. So I have quite a few DL'd that I have yet to hear. During academic year, I will listen while getting ready for bed and then just a bit before sleep. I also listen at my office, because mine is on the cloud. Now and then, I will listen on road trips, but just recently had satellite radio installed and have been enjoying a few of the stations. My work drive is not long enough, to hear much, but I think it is a great idea.

The great thing about Audible is that after listening to a book that I thoroughly enjoy, I will then purchase the hardback version to add to my library or to loan to family.

[ouizoid]

yes--I use audible and download from there to itunes--

I don't have a long drive to the office either--but somehow or another, between errands and this or that, a book gets listened to and because I too have a bunch downloaded, I just move on to the next one. I definitely have my "car books" versus my "walking books" that I listen to when I walk. the beauty of multiple devices and multiple books, lol!

[krow134]

everyone else is putting up thier book lists, so I will too


Beautiful Disaster- Jamie McGuire
Bared to you & Reflected in you series(books 1-2 so far)- Sylvia Day
Divergent & Unsurgent- Veronica Roth
Matched & Crossed- Ally Condie
Fallen & Torment & Passion & Ratupture- Lauren Kate
Hush, hush & Crescendo & Silence & Finale- Becca Fitzpatrick
Delirium & Pandemonium- Lauren Oliver
The Hunger Games & Catching Fire & Mockingjay-Suzanne Collins
Ps I love you- Cecelia Ahern
The Mortal Instruments series (Books 1-5 so far)- Cassandra Claire
The Infernal Devices series (books 1-2 so far)- Cassandra Claire
Safe Haven- Nicholas Sparks
Fifty Shades series- E.L. James

My most favorite of all of them is Ps I love you. Its a book I can read over and over and over and still laugh and cry and laugh and cry again!

My list is short but this is my kindle list so far. I have only had it since christmas. I have all those books on my bookshelf plus atleast 100 more! I do love my kindle so much more!!! I will eventually get alot of the books I own on the kindle. I have a few that have release dates for march, april, may etc....so I have been re-reading alot so not to buy a bunch of books before the others release. I have to re-read each of the series books before I get a new one when they are series. I know them like the back of my hand, just want to read from begining to end each time lol!!

[sunday]

Kristin,
Have you read Kingsolver's "Poisonwood Bible"? Another that I recently added to "waiting to read" list.

Sarah & to any others who love the classics. I personally believe that classics must be read not listened to. Because the masterpiece can be re-read over and over.

Wonderful classic reads.

Of Mice & Men - John Steinbeck
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Duma (Unabridged)
To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee * required reading in high school, but I have re-read and enjoyed much more several years ago. This is one that I loved the movie as well.

[Zib]

I've read most of Steinbeck, but not all.

Highly recommend "Cannery Row" and "Sweet Thursday". Great fun and great characters.

Also would recommend his "Travels with Charley" about driving cross country with his standard poodle. The dog would make a pfffft sound when he needed to go and John would stop for him. I'm particularly fond of this book because my late mother, when we took a road trip to visit my brother, would "pfffft" at me when she needed a bathroom break. Broke me up.

And of course, "East of Eden". The Steinbeck family and their house are a part of the story and if you are visiting Salinas, you can have lunch in the house, now run as a non-profit restaurant benefiting local charities.

[C'Marie]

Yes, thanks for expounding on her. I loved reading her factual tone and the fact that the victims are honored. Although, about the time I read her book about the Green River killer, my daughter was about the age of most of the victims and it really creeped me out!

Originally Posted by sunday

I am intrigued w/ forensic science and enjoy non-fiction true crime mysteries. Rule is particularly good, because she ensures the victim is not forgotten. Ann is a former police detective who now also testifies before the Senate and regularly presents seminars to law enforcement agencies and the FBI.

[Kissa]

The Poisonwood Bible is a powerful read. I will never forget it.

[svenskamae]

For those who use audio books, you might want to check out Booksfree. It works like Netflix, so you pay a monthly fee to have x number of books out at a time and keep them as long as you want. The books come on CDs or in Mpeg format on a disc, and I play them on my computer with headphones, on my stereo with speakers, or on a portable DVD player. I gave a 6-month subscription to a friend, who listens on an ipod; he manages to make a copy that's readable by his ipod. I have a one-book-a-month Audible subscription, too, for things I really want to hear but aren't at Booksfree, but that subscription seems much more costly per book than Booksfree is. For example, I'm listening to 4 Nero Wolf mystery collections via Audible (1 per month), but I've managed to listen to all the other Wolf mysteries (Rex Stout is the author) from Booksfree for about the same price.

[Joyjoy]

Originally Posted by sunday

Kristin,
Have you read Kingsolver's "Poisonwood Bible"? Another that I recently added to "waiting to read" list.

Sarah & to any others who love the classics. I personally believe that classics must be read not listened to. Because the masterpiece can be re-read over and over.

Wonderful classic reads.

Of Mice & Men - John Steinbeck
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Duma (Unabridged)
To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee * required reading in high school, but I have re-read and enjoyed much more several years ago. This is one that I loved the movie as well.

Sunday, I'm with Cindy - loved Poisonwood Bible. But have also loved everything else she's written. You'd swear a different author wrote each of her books.
Love Of Mice and Men, too, although I love it most on stage.
And To Kill A Mockingbird! That was her first and only book, wasn't it?

[KeirasMom]

How could I forget anything by Patricia Cornwell? I just adore Kay Scarpetta!

[ouizoid]

Dawn--I used to love Kay Scarpetta as well--but those books seem to have taken a left turn into weirdness and crazy writing over the last couple of years.

If you all have not read The Sweetness of Tears--highly recommended

Just finished Where Are You Going Bernadette and couldn't stop laughing--


Almost done with Julian Barnes Sense of an Ending and thoroughly enjoyed it--

The Art of Fielding--so so good--