What We're Reading Now: September, 2014

I'm alternating between two books: A Walk With Mary by Canadian Jennifer DeBruin, and Just Babies: The Origins of Good and Evil by Paul Bloom

I am reading A Feast for Crows

I'm reading Robert the Bruce by James Robertson

The Red Road by Denise Mina-- the 4th in a rather gritty crime fiction series set in Glasgow, Scotland. I always like Mina's novels.

I'm reading Welcome to the Broadcast by Don Newman.

It's been a while since I've posted anything but after having read The Summer Book which reminded me so much of my summers in Canada (although it's a Finnish book), I feel I can't stay away any longer!

Currently, I'm reading Longbourn by Jo Baker, Pride and Prejudice recounted through the eyes of Longbourn's servants. It's much like Downtown Abbey and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

I'm reading After Hamelin by Bill Richardson, which I picked up while at the Stratford Festival.

And, I'm re-reading (after 7 years) Giraffe by J.M. Ledgard.

Just finished Tempest-Tost by Robertson Davies that I loved.

I'm reading The Plague and I by Betty MacDonald

I just finished listening to The End of the Affair by Graham Greene, read by Colin Firth. It was outstanding and may be the best book I've read this year.

>10 Nickelini: I have a copy of that audiobook too! Glad to hear it was so good.

Currently reading Dead Souls, by Ian Rankin, as well as A Briefer History of Time, by Stephen Hawking.

First time I've ever read anything by Bill Bryson-don't know why I waited so long! He's hilarious. I just finished Notes From a Small Island and loved it.

I'm reading The Bone Clocks.

>12 ted74ca: - try the audio version of his stuff. He reads most of it himself and it's hilarious.

#12 - I really enjoyed Notes from a Small Island, and I read it before I'd travelled outside of London. Have to read that one again now that I've seen a bit more of that small island. The one he writes about Europe (can't remember the name right now), is too funny as well.

I'm reading Bluebeard's Egg by Margaret Atwood. I've read lots of her stuff and usually really like it, but so far this one is not doing it for me.

If it wasn't promoted as such a great book, I'd quit right now. Atwood and Louise Penny are tempting me.... Bone Clocks is becoming a chore. Well, I must say there were some intriguing ideas and characters, and I'm almost at the end....so onward. Sigh.

Having enjoyed Gone Girl, I've started Dark Places by the same author, Gillian Flynn

@#14 I've never tried listening to audio books-maybe I'll have to give it a try with one of Bryson's.

Finished 2 books this week:
1. the 1st in a new-to-me detective series: The Burning by Jane Casey. Fairly decent-not outstanding but not bad.

2. The Quick by Lauren Owen-maybe I'd read too much of the hype about this novel, but while I enjoyed the Victorian setting, the Gothic tone, I found it dragged on far too long. I felt it needed some serious editing.

So, how does one pronounce the name Aoife? This is seriously hindering my enjoyment of Bone Clocks.

>20 loosha: Aoife is pronounced Ee-fa. Tricky, isn't it?

Finished A Feast of Crows while camping only to learn that A Dance with Dragons is set at the same time... so I went straight onto it

My book club's selection this month was The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland. I am really interested in Emily Carr, but didn't care for this fictionalized, romantic style version of her life story.

I'm reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for a book club....not sure I'll finish on time!

Finished and loved Jamaica Inn, by Daphne du Maurier, and will now start reading Rob Roy, by Sir Walter Scott.

It's International Translation Day on September 30, so I'm reading Le poisson et le bananier, a fabulous history of translation, by David Bellos.

23. ted74ca
If you're interested in Emily Carr, did you read Klee Wyck? I loved it.

#23 & 27 -- I really disliked the Forest Lover, but reading it inspired me to read The Book of Small by Emily Carr. She is a much better writer than Vreeland. I enjoyed it so much and was so impressed that I went and bought the whole series of Emily Carr books, including Klee Wyck.

#25 - Rabbitprincess - I am interested in both those books, and am wondering how similar Rob Roy is to the movie starring Liam Neeson (sp?)

>26 Cecilturtle: Hurray! I read that one last year and really liked it. I'll probably be celebrating Translation Day by reading La grammaire est une chanson douce, by Erik Orsenna.

>29 Nickelini: I've heard that the Neeson movie is not very historically accurate and has more of a soap opera feel, but I haven't seen it myself so can't confirm. It sure looks nice though ;)

#30 - cool! I really enjoyed La grammaire est une chanson douce. It's part of a series, l'Île de la grammaire (http://www.erik-orsenna.com/ile-de-la-grammaire), but it's my favourite of the ones I've read. I also recommend Deux étés, which is specifically about translating Ada by Nabokov.

@ # 27 and #28: No, I've never read Klee Wyck but I'm thinking now I should!

Speaking of Emily Carr, have any of you read Sister and I In Alaska? It looks like a lovely book but a bit pricey for me. I'm wondering if it's a nice as it looks.

I'm reading The Origins of the Korean War by Peter Lowe because I know virtually nothing about this subject.

I recently finished Bluebeard's Egg, a short story collection by Margaret Atwood. Some great characters and lovely writing, and lots of literary complexity, but ultimately it was disappointing as it wasn't much fun or very interesting. Now I'm starting Marion Engel's Bear, and I don't think boredom will be an issue with this one.

Bear is er, rather interesting. I wasn't quite expecting what happened to happen. But I quite liked it overall.

I am reading Stone Mattress by Atwood.

I just finished The Stone Mattress as well as Penny's The Long Way Home, and started The Children Act.

Bear is er, rather interesting. I wasn't quite expecting what happened to happen. But I quite liked it overall.

I finished it today and I'll have to think for a couple of days before i write any comments. I really like how Bear subverts CanLit cliches, and I love that it won the Governor's General Award. But it was definitely odd. Not for prudes.

Suffering a sudden onset of severe lower back pain, so have to do my reading lying on my yoga mat on the floor. Read a rather implausible, and a bit of a "cozy" mystery novel this week, the 8th in a series I've never read before: Buried Angels by Camilla Lackberg. I liked the main characters and this story, so I'll probably read more of this series.

I'm continuing to learn about the Korean War, reading The Korean War by Max Hastings

A surprise favourite: a psychological horror/thriller tale that I thought really gripping, albeit with quite a few implausible scenarios. Bird Box by Josh Malerman.

I am mid way through A Dance with Dragons and just started A Room with a view which I am really enjoying