ANA Book Club?

[Jim Scott]

Hi, all ~

I don't consider myself a part of the ANA Book Club because my reading tastes are quite different from what most members like to read.  Case in point: I'm currently reading Condoleezza Rice's account ('No Greater Honor') of her tenure as National Security Adviser and then Secretary of State in the Bush administration.  I find it interesting but others may well find it boring.  Oh well.   

However, for Father's Day, my adorable wife, the lovely and gracious Tina, gave me a copy of the new Stephen King novel "11/22/63" which is very long (800+ pages) but offers an amalgamation of historical facts and settings with a time travel story that I find irresistible.  I also like Stephen King's writing style.

It may be some time before I can get to the King novel but I thought I would mention it on this thread (where else?) and I promise to post my observations on the book when I finish it, for anyone who may be interested.

Jim

[Kaybo]

Jim - sounds interesting! Let us know...

Jan-
They are all named after drinks because they are about a female dectective named Jack (short for Jackqueline) Daniels. A little graphic at times but funny too...I think you might like them!

K 

[cindyj]

which is very long (800+ pages) but offers an amalgamation of historical facts and settings with a time travel story that I find irresistible.  I also like Stephen King's writing style.

Jim

The longer, the better well, if it's a good book...for all the reading I have done over the years, I have actually never read a Stephen King novel...but this one and another one I heard about the other day (but can't remember the title) sound interesting, so I'll have to give them a try, especially since Jan thought it was a good read.  Thanks for stopping in, Jim!

I just finished the 4th book in the Brotherhood of War series - they are good, but wouldn't put them on my all-time favorite list...am just reading them in between all the Song of Ice and Fire series (Game of Thrones), which is so good!

cindy

[leapyrtwins]

Jim -

11/22/63 is long, but well worth it.  Believe it or not, it's a pretty fast read; don't let the 800+ pages scare you.

I'm currently reading a book that my dad gave me - Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard.

The book isn't something I'd have chosen on my own, but I'm really enjoying it.  If you like historical books, you'd enjoy it; lots of facts about the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln that I never knew.

Kay -

thanks for the Jack Daniels series suggestion.  Can you start with any book in the series? or is there a particular order I should follow?

Jan 

[Kaybo]

Jan~
They definitely build on each other...but you "could" read them in any order (they are written where you don't HAVE to read them one after the other) - I just like to read series in order!  The first is Whiskey Sour then Bloody Mary, Rusty Nail, Dirty Martini, Fuzzy Navel, Cherry Bomb and one more that I know of but don't know the name...another reason why I thought of you was because they are set in Chicago... 

K   

[Jim Scott]

Jim -

11/22/63 is long, but well worth it.  Believe it or not, it's a pretty fast read; don't let the 800+ pages scare you.

I'm currently reading a book that my dad gave me - Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard.

The book isn't something I'd have chosen on my own, but I'm really enjoying it.  If you like historical books, you'd enjoy it; lots of facts about the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln that I never knew.

Hi, Jan ~

Thanks for the suggestion.  To be honest, I received 'Killing Lincoln' as a Christmas present last year and really enjoyed it.  Well written and a fast read.  As I commented to my wife (who gave me the book), even though you know how the story ends, the detail in the book makes the people involved and the events leading up to the assassination fascinating.  Dramatic devices were adroitly employed.  I'm paraphrasing but I liked the way one chapter ended with the observation  "Lincoln sat down to write what would be the last speech of his life" and the next chapter opened with "John Wilkes Booth loaded his gun".  Well done.  The author (Bill O'Reilly) has a new book about the 1963 Kennedy assassination ("Killing Kennedy") coming out in the fall.  I expect that will be one of my Christmas presents this year.  Because I was a young adult (20) at the time of the Kennedy assassination, I have vivid memories of the day, the shock that ensued and the national grief that was felt.  That kind of nationwide shock and mourning wasn't seen again until the horror of 9/11/01.  Still, I enjoy reading about history and the JFK assassination remains fascinating as a part of American history, replete with numerous (and unproven) 'conspiracy theories'.  I look forward to reading 'Killing Kennedy'. 

The length of the Stephen King novel doesn't bother me at all.  I'm a very fast reader.  However, finding the time to read for long periods is sometimes a hassle.  However, I intend to carve out 'reading time' when I get to the King book because, based on my past experiences reading Stephen King novels, it'll be a 'page-turner' and hard to put down. Frankly, I can't wait. 

Jim   

[JW123]

I'm currently reading a book that my dad gave me - Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard.

The book isn't something I'd have chosen on my own, but I'm really enjoying it.  If you like historical books, you'd enjoy it; lots of facts about the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln that I never knew.

After seeing that, I would recommend Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard to you. It all about President Garfield and his assassination . Its full of interesting facts, but more importantly just a really good read. Was hard for me to put down.

Heres an interview with the writer on NPR, its what convinced my to read it.

http://www.npr.org/2011/10/15/141385086/james-garfield-and-the-destiny-of-the-republic

[Soundy]

someone gave me a book " My Nest Isn't Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space " by Lisa Scottoline... it is a mom / daughter project with their look back on their lives and experiences they have had ...  only read about 20 pages so far ... can't get into it but friend said it was great so gonna give it a go...

[leapyrtwins]

JW -

thanks for the book suggestion.  Will have to check it out after I look into the Jack Daniels series. 

Jan

[saralynn143]

So, I have a recommendation for our next read: Hell in the Head by David Douglas Shannon. Available here: http://www.amazon.com/Hell-Head-Brain-Tumor-Things/dp/0615642012/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1

[leapyrtwins]

Just finished it.

Jan

[saralynn143]

Me too!

[cindyj]

Read mine last week - well done, David!  I never read non-fiction, but enjoyed this one (for obvious reasons )...

cindy

[leapyrtwins]

Am now reading The Next Best Thing by Jennifer Weiner.  Too soon to say if I like it or not; haven't gotten past the first couple of chapters.

Recently read Peace like a River by Leif Enger and really liked it.

Jan

[Soundy]

someone recommended Peace Like a River to me ...with your mention I might just check it out

been reading a Christian romance series that I was asked to read by a teacher who is trying to divert girls from reading trash ... they are set in hte late 1800s into early 1900s ...set in Colorado and follow a family through several generations focusing on the women ... the Brides of Culdee Creek series ... I honestly don't think many of the girls will switch to them ... they want the racy stuff and will tell you so ...

my youngest is still locked in battle with lit. teacher over Hunger Game series ... they had to read the first one last year and were to read Catching Fire over the summer ... Hunger Games gave Sarah nightmares and she refused to read it over the summer... she was given an ultimatum to read it over last weekend or face after school detention until it was read ...still didn't budge and teacher didn't keep her after... some other kids that didn't read it but said they did and are not being ridden ... some told Sarah to lie about reading it but she refuses to do that ... and when the test comes over the book they will be found out ... some say they are reading it now so they can pass the test ...Sarah says she will take a zero ...we have asked for an alternative book to read and teacher won't back down ...so I guess Sarah's 98% in lit is going to be reduced to a 49 ...

Sarah is not disrespectful to the teacher in her refusal ... she has stated why she will not read it and was told she was not a baby and get over it ... she said she doesn't want or need to read teen on teen violence and was told she didn't live in the real world because teen on teen violence was here to stay ... she told the teacher that she realized that it is a real thing and that putting it in a book was not the real world and didn't contribute anything good to the real world ...she also stated that she thinks it is un-Christian ... The teacher tossed some papers in the air and rolled her eyes and said "just read the damn book" ... Sarah told her that she was not going to and to please just give her a zero ... I sat quietly through this and left with my child ... she got to the truck and then  got the shakes and cried ,  but is not going to back off her beliefs or be bullied by this teacher into reading it

I try to teach my kids to respect and obey adults put into charge , but at same time not be taken advantage of or let an adult put them in a position to do anything they think is wrong ... the whole situation is keeping me tied in knots as much as it is Sarah ... principal asked the teacher to assign her a different book but she refused ... I honestly think she is pushing Sarah trying to break her ... when Hannah was reading The Good Earth in 7th grade and didn't like some of the subject matter the same teacher allowed her to change books

any suggestions???