What are you reading? I'm really bummed.

Jedediah · Post by **Jedediah** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 4:11 am

quote:Originally posted by Kitty:I used to have a collection of Gorey books. I found them hilarious but then I am not quite normal. I must have given them all away though. You didn't - that a serious case of ARGH!I came across something else for my reading list: anything by Bill Bryson, but preferrably "A Walk in the Woods"And I second the Erma Bombeck suggestion, I love her books.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 2:38 am

Right now I'm reading "Daughter of Fortune" by Isabel Allende, I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, so I can't guarantee that it won't be sad, but it's great so far. I read "House of the Spirits" a few years ago, and I loved it. I just finished "Choke" by Chuck Palanhiuk, which was... interesting... no, it's great, I liked it... it was just... a bit... mature subject matter. If you have kids, don't leave this book lying around the house. I can see how he's compared to Vonnegut, and I almost wonder if he's trying to be like him, but in my opinion after this book, Vonnegut is better. I also finished Jane Eyre recently, but if I recall correctly, you're an English teacher, so I'm sure you know this book inside and out. haha Finally, I'm reading a few books on demonology. I think it's interesting for the mythological and historical aspects. One of the books I'm reading is called "Carpe Malefactarium" (some Latin title) written by a 16th century Italian monk. This book is interesting because it reminds me of the Salem witch hunts, but in Europe. Some of the things that people claimed to have happened, and some of the things people were accused of doing while being in cahoots with the devil are easily explained by science today. I think it's fascinating on a mythological and historical level, although the stories are a lot tamer than today's silliest horror movies. But I don't know if this is exactly "cheer up" reading either, haha.

kitty_LHC · Post by **kitty_LHC** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 7:05 am

Wow! Thanks for allthe suggestions everyone--I plan to get around to all of them over the summer. I've been out of town and had a chance to go to a Barnes and Nobles. There are no big book stores here so I felt like I was in heaven. Imagine being able to walk into a book store and finding the books you are interested in! What a thrill! hehe One thing I found but did not buy was Aphrodite by Isabel Allende. So what a conincidence that you suggested that lilyofthe valley. I have always wanted to read it but could only find the Spanish version locally. Since my Spanish is limited to items you might find on a restaurant menu, I don't think the book would make mush sence to me in Spanish. However, I have read both Daughter of Fortune and House of Spirits! I loved them both. I think you will like the ending to DOF. I did at least. Have you seen the HOS movie? It's very little like the book.On an odd coincidence--one of the books I picked up at B&N was a nonfiction book about roayal scandals--naughty things the European royalty and popes did. It happened to mention that book Carpe Malefactarium. If I hadn't of just read about it I never would have recognized it. Weird huh?I also picked up two more nonfiction books which I rarely ever read (reality is so boring). However, these happen to be in my areas of interest so what the heck. I got a book on Arthurian legends and Courtesans. If you don't know what a courtesan is I'm not telling. At one point I had a couple of books by Card (The Shadow and the Hegemon which I realized never red and the first Alvin book), a Moon book, an Allende book, A Brave New World (which I have to teach in the Fall but have never read), and a couple more that I can't remember. I had to put them back since it wasn't a library. It was hard making choices. I couldn't remember the romance author but I was in the mood for that too. What I did get was in the children's section where I had to spend a large amount of time because that's where my child wanted to be. So, I got the next redwall book and a book called Charmed Life. I don't know if anyone has read that series as most of you are adults (but adults read Potter don't they?) but it did the trick pretty good. Despite being a short book I found myself captivated and wishing I had bought the next couple in the series. I think the author is Jones. I am getting better about the Potter book. i realized Friday while I was get buried at the beach by my duaghter that I was actually going through the grieving process. I thought "Well why not? I have gotten to know these characters over the years and my mind must think they were pretty much alive. How can you convince your brain that such a significant loss isn't real when it feels real?" You can't I answered myself. Just realizing that made me feel a little bit better.Keep the recommendations coming though. I really plan to read everything!Who wrote Discworld?Fictional characters are not real. Fictional characters are not real. Fictional characters are not real. Fictional characters are not real. Fictional characters are not real. Fictional characters are not real.

KittyCaller · Post by **KittyCaller** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 7:16 am

Discworld's a series by Terry Pratchett. The first is called The Colour of Magic. (Yes, he's a Brit)

hermit_king · Post by **hermit_king** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 10:39 am

I have to read three books for advanced english over the summer; The Count of Monte Cristo about 600 pages, Ender's Game over 300 pages, and Jane Eyre over 500 pages.

kitty_LHC · Post by **kitty_LHC** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 12:59 pm

As I am an English teacher you won't get any sympathy from me. However, as I am a huge Ender fan and rather like old Jane too I would love to answer any questions you might have. Have you read any yet? If not you better get started. What grade are you going into?

hermit_king · Post by **hermit_king** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 2:13 pm

I'm going into 9th grade. I have read Ender's Game already and have about 30 more pages in the Count of Monte Cristo. I don't have Jane Eyre yet. Don't get me wrong, I like to read and I like english (in fact im writing a book (graphic novel)) just not so much in the summer.

kitty_LHC · Post by **kitty_LHC** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 2:22 pm

How did you like Ender's Game? I know you have a lot to read already but I would highly recommend reading Ender's Shadow. It occurs at the same time as Ender's Game but from someone else's perspective. It's really good. I've never read the count. How's that? Jane Eyre is a bit hard to read if you are not used to that type of writing. The story gets more and more interesting though.

jojo7 · Post by **jojo7** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 2:27 pm

Boy, am i out of the adult loop!!!..i'm still reading children's books everyday...well, every now and then i get to read the newspaper and find out what's going on in the world today...I still love going to Barnes & Noble all the time, but i end up coming home with more children books!!...*sigh*

KittyCaller · Post by **KittyCaller** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 3:06 am

Not so bad. There are some terrific kids books out there. (Roald Dahl in particular) A Wrinkle in Time and the sequels were good as well, though the first is my favorite.

kuplakrabs · Post by **kuplakrabs** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 3:49 am

A Brave New World...wow, now there's a blast from the past

TheGreyRonin · Post by **TheGreyRonin** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 5:57 am

The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress....or for the kiddies, Have Spacesuit, Will Travel, or Rocket Ship Galileo. (Podkayne Of Mars, of course, but it was originally aimed at the female teen market. *shrugs*)

hermit_king · Post by **hermit_king** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 6:48 am

I liked Ender's Game. I got another Ender book I forgot what it was called, but it's not the Ender's shadow. I just finished the Count this morning because I had nothing better to do since the power went out (it just came back on). My friend who also got into advanced enligh said Jane Eyre was hard to read. I better get the book soon because theres only a month of summer left and I'm going up north for a week soon, then coming home for a day and going to band camp for a week. Ugh, I'm going to be busy this August.

KittyCaller · Post by **KittyCaller** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 7:44 am

Ummm... Speaker for the Dead? Xenocide? Children of the Mind? Shadow of the Hegemon? Shadow Puppets? Any of those sound familiar?

kitty_LHC · Post by **kitty_LHC** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 7:48 am

Sounds like it. The plot of Jane Eyre is easy enough to follow. It's just the language and era are so different that it's hard to get used to, especially if you aren't used to reading stuff from that time period. Just keep reading even if there's stuff you don't understand. The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is about letters and towns. Back in the day when letters or towns were used in books they didn't use names but blanks instead like this ____________. That was supposed to give it an air of authenticity. Like "Oh! That must have been the name of a real person or town because the publisher didn't want to use the real name." Silly but true.