ANA Book Club?

[cindyj]

Hello, out there!  Awful quiet here...what's everyone reading?  I've been back deep in my historical stuff (reading about Alexander the Great at the moment) since I finished The Passage...odd, but good - well written, but I was not satisfied with the ending...

I see that Water for Elephants, the movie, is coming out.  Did anyone read the book?  I have not, but think I may read it after I finish my current book.  But, maybe I'll see the movie first?  I had judged it "by its cover" and the title and didn't think I wanted to read it...

Did you find a good non-teen book to read, Soundy?

cindy

[Jeanbean]

Hi,  I read "Water for Elephants" a few years back and thought it was powerful and moving.  I prefer to read the book before I see the movie.  My imagination is usually better than what they can do in the limited time a movie has to work with.  Read "Scorpions:  The Battles and Triumphs of FDR's Great Supreme Court Justices"  Very interesting and learned a lot of history.  Also, just read "An Object of Beauty" by Steve Martin.  A quick read and a whole other world from mine.  Jean

[Kaybo]

We read "Water" a while back...Thought that it was OK but not great...

K  )

[Keeping Up]

I check out this thread every now and again to get new ideas of books to read.

A few I have read recently - none are hot off the press, some are rather old.

1) Sweetness of the Belly by Camilla Gibb - probably best to read the Amazon reviews because it has a bit of an odd plot to get the main character Lily into Ethiopia as a white Muslim.  Probably one of my favourite books of recent.
2) The Outlander series by Diane Galbadon - I am on book 3 after a bit of a hiatus.  The first book was awesome.  It too as older (mid-90s) but I was surprised once I started reading it how many people were also reading it on the subway.  I suggested it to one of the university students who was a book hound, and she covered off the entire series in a matter of weeks.  She loved the books.

Water for Elephants - I read it a few years ago.  I liked it - didn't love it, but is a quick read.

I know we have some teacher and parents of older kidlets - what would you recommend for an almost 9 year old girl.  We have read the Spiderwick series (both of them), not quite ready for Harry Potter or the Lightning Thief series.  Any other good series to read?

I too will be an old school girl for a long time to come.  The Kindles (and other products) but I just not into them quite yet.  However, with the thickness of the Outlander series books, it might come in handy on public transit.

Ann

[Kaybo]

Ann-
My girls LOVED the "Peter & the Star Catcher" series - it is the prequel to Peter Pan. They are co-authored by Dave Barry & ? And the other guy (that I can't think of his name rt now) wrote the Kingdom Keeeper series about Disneyland. My 9 year old is reading them right now & loves them. She's really into fairies so we've read LOTS of fairy books - LMK if you are interested in any of those. Also, both my younger (8,9) younger girls are reading Nancy Drew - good ole ND!!

K 

[saralynn143]

I read Water for Elephants but do not remember a thing about it. I will probably not see the movie until it comes out on DVD so plenty of time to reread.

I have recently read the memoirs of the three girls who starred in Little House on the Prairie. It is no wonder that child stars grow up into troubled adults. The three books are quite different in style, but unfortunately I would not really recommend any of them.

[msmaggie]

Hi Ann,
For your daughter I would recommend Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke.  The characters really come alive.  Kaybo's suggestion for the Peter and the Starcatchers series was a good one, too.  The Penderwick series is another one that is totally charming. The Charlie Bone series is similar to Harry Potter, but kinder and simpler.  My kids at school loved it. Lots of good books out there for kids!
Priscilla

[Soundy]

I spent last week setting up and prepping for school book fair and have worked every day this week at the book fair and don't really want to see anything that resembles a book for a while ... maybe next week 

"Peter & the Star Catcher" series is some that my girls enjoyed ... I have started at thousands of books all week and I think my brain is numb to books ... dragons and vampires seem to be the big rage right now from about 3rd grade up ... and we had books on those topics for all grades ... one that does stick out that we sold several of is Igraine the Brave also by Cornelia Funke

[cindyj]

hmmm, not rave reviews of Water from you guys...maybe I'll keep it on my list, but move it way down.

2) The Outlander series by Diane Galbadon - I am on book 3 after a bit of a hiatus.  The first book was awesome.  It too as older (mid-90s) but I was surprised once I started reading it how many people were also reading it on the subway.  I suggested it to one of the university students who was a book hound, and she covered off the entire series in a matter of weeks.  She loved the books.


Ann

Ahhhh, Jaimie...I read them all!  Read the first one a couple of times!  There are several of us here who are Outlander fans - some brief discussion about it quite a few pages back, so don't go look   Check back in once you finish and let us know your thoughts.  I won't say anything til you've let us know you've finished  

Cindy

[dalern]

Well, I REALLY liked Water for Elephants!  I thought it was great and very meaningful.  Perhaps because I am older than many of you, but I thought the topic and the messages were powerful.
~Dale

[leapyrtwins]

Water for Elephants was great; so was the Guernsey/Potato Pie book.

I just finished Tara Road by Maeve Binchy and am on to 2 Harlan Coben books that I've been dying to start.

I love Harlan Coben 

Jan

[Kaybo]

I love Maeve Binchy!!  I've read almost all of her stuff - has she had any new in a while, though?  I liked WfE - but anything dealing with dementia or Alzheimer's is kind of a tough subject for me...
I read a book titled "Roses" that I really liked - it has been compared to Gone with the Wind as far as it follows a family thru the generations.  I really liked it!

K   

[G_Man]

Don't know how relevant it is to this thread but I've just finished reading "Too Big to Fail: The Inside Story of How Wall Street and Washington Fought to Save the Financial System---and Themselves" by Andrew Ross Sorkin.  I read it as an audio book.  It's over 22 hours long.  I only read audio books now and it's by far the longest book I've ever read.  Talk about a brain book.  It goes through every one of the key people in the financial melt down and explains who they are and what part they played.  So my take on it was, the answer to the question "Who's guilty?" is EVERYONE.  I have about 5 books on this subject on my book player for a year or more and I finally got the stomach up to read this one.  Don't know if I'll read the others.  Another book that's on the machine and yet-to-be read is "100 questions and answers about brain injuries".  It is the closest thing I could find from NLS on the subject of brain issues.  It's gonna' take me a while to get up the strength to read it.  I think I'll read something with more "fun" in it next like "American on purpose.  The improbable adventures of an unlikely patriot".

[leapyrtwins]

G-man -

your response is very relevant and the book sounds very interesting.

I'm currently in a reading mode of "fluff" - my life can't handle any other mode right now - but once I get over a few "issues" I'll have to pick up "Too Big to Fail". 

I've also heard that Rudy Guliani has a new book that is worth the read.  I might check it out at some point.

Thanks for the input and the suggestion.

Best,

Jan

[Lynn Mc]

Just finished a "serious" book.  Not sure if anyone has read it as I don't get here often.  It is "Over My Head" by Dr. Claudia Osborn.  It is her story coping with her own head injury.  I usually read a lighter book but someone suggested I read this.  I found it very good but a little depressing also ( I could see the new me in a little of it).  Not sure how to describe it.
Happy Reading