Tuesday Book Club
Back to reading three books at once, but at least I finished one this time: The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra. What I love about Deepak’s books is that as a medical doctor he always combines his spirituality with science. As you’ll see from my upcoming novel, I’m particularly fond of that combo.
This is Indian spiritual week for me, because I’m also reading Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda, but I haven’t finished that yet, so I can’t report it.
So let’s hear what you guys have been working on for the past week–what “must reads” must I add to my already ridiculously overwhelming TBR pile?
Technorati Tags: Books, Reading, Tuesday Book Club, Reading Clubs, Book Clubs, Book Recommendations, Book Reviews
Nothing exciting. I started on Fountainhead, ’cause I think it is required reading. I also read parts of a non-fiction history book. Only the parts that interested me though. Rome and pre-Rome civilizations.
Oo, Patrick, The Fountainhead is great, but it really messed with my mind. The heroine is fabulous. Remind me of her name. It’s not Dagny, is it? I think Dagny is from Atlas Shrugged.
I can’t concentrate right now, so I have nothing to report. My mind is in conference and deadline mode. I did pick up a copy of Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz at Walmart that I would like to read. Eventually.
I’m finishing up Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and can’t wait for New Moon next!
I was all excited about the advance reader’s copy of Before I Die that I read (a debut novel by a British author named Jenny Downham) and wrote a glowing review, but I then held off on posting it for several (boring) reasons. Anyway, I dusted the review off and posted it today. Excellent book. Really, just . . . wow, I might just have to read it again.
Wow, The Fountainhead. I read that in high school, and that’s certainly one that should be appreciated again as an adult. I bet it’d be a whole, new book to me now.
I finished up Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and Will the Vampire People Please Leave the Lobby? by Allyson Beatrice. Beatrice’s book is about her adventures as BTVS community board member and all of the people she’s met thru it(including Buffy writer Tim Minear)and things she’s done,like work on the fan campaign to save Firefly.
Oh,and it’s Dominique who’s the heroine of Fountainhead(Rand loved using those D names for her leading ladies there,didn’t she?). Dagny is from AS,you’re right about that. Personally,I like FH better than AS-less pontificating in that one and a much clearer metaphor for the struggle of an artist to keep his/her unique style against the commercial blandness that’s easier for some to market and control in the open mainstream marketplace. Was that a mouthful or what:)?
I don’t know yet. I’ve just started and there is Peter Keating and Howard Roak.
Heather, good luck at the conference! Can’t wait to hear about it!
PJ, I’m a HUGE fan of Stephenie Meyer’s books. Do you know that the third one, Eclipse, is coming out August 7? Can’t wait!
Jules, I’m looking forward to reading Before I Die. Sounds fantastic.
Lady T, thank you for reminding me–Dominique. I agree with you that Fountainhead was a much better read overall–that 40-page speech by John Galt at the end is some kind of torture–but I really love the heroine, Dagny. She’s a fireball.
I’m reading Flora Segunda by Ysabeau Wilce. It’s a copy signed by the author that I snagged at ALA.
The thing I’m enjoying most about it is that the main character, Flora, is the daughter of a female general. And boy, does Wilce get all the details of being a military brat right…even though this is set in another fantasy place and time. So much rings true, like her mom getting “hey sirred”* to death at the Officer’s Club when she and Flora dine together.
*(That’s what we call it in our family when my husband gets recognized by one of his airmen, in a mall, or in a random far away city, or wherever we least expect it. We even take bets on how long it will be before it happens. For Flora’s mom’s case, I guess it would be “Hey ma’ammed.”)
Ok, you guys put me to shame, but I love my no-brainers beach reading. I read:Fern Michaels-Fool Me Once-not very good,Kat Martin-The Summit-not bad-Robin Owens-Heart Dance-loved it and just finished C.E.Murphy-Coyote Dreams-loved it.It is so hard to get into a mediocre book after reading 2 very good books. I always start & stop several books until I can get me teeth into another one.
Nora Roberts’ latest book is on its way to me, so I will just wait for that.
Of course I have pre-ordered Harry Potter-how many other people have done that???
Readerdiane, I might have a week of reading just like yours–light, funny,romantic, whatever. It all depends on what you’re in the mood for. If you look at my list of books I’ve read this year, you’ll see I go from YA to comedy to “deep” back to romance, etc. That’s the whole fun of having such an overstacked bookshelf. So don’t be acting all shy about your beach reads–they sound perfect to me.
And I just pre-ordered Harry Potter last weekend! I’m so excited!
Sara, that book sounds perfect for you. That’s funny about your husband getting “sirred” when you’re just out at a mall. Guess he can never get away with slouching or wearing ratty shorts and flip flops in public. Which is probably okay.
Oh, how timely! I just finished the 52-hour audiobook of Atlas Shrugged this morning. God help me, I love that book. I just wanted to be able to sew, so instead of digging into the old paperback I bought the book from Audible.com. (Incidentally, I was amazed at how much more I noticed while listening as opposed to reading it off the page.)
I also finished Ender’s Game Saturday.
Katie, so how was that ridiculously-long speech at the end? Was it okay when you just had to listen, instead of read it?
Austenland was fabulous! So much fun to read. Thank you Shannon Hale! Austenland was the only “grown-up” book that I finished this week, so the rest is kids lit: “Whatever Happened To Janie” by Caroline Cooney (halfway through my goal of reading the whole Face On The Milk Carton series this summer) and “The Broken Bike Boy and the Queen of 33rd Street” by Sharon Flake. My boys requested to read “Please Write In This Book” by Mary Amato again and I enjoy reading it to them every time. I have also been enjoying “Here, There Be Dragons” by the marvelous James Owen.
I preordered Harry Potter and I’m looking forward to picking it up at midnight!
Nice, Michelle! I really enjoyed Here, There Be Dragons, too, and now I’ve managed to snag an advance copy of the sequel, The Red Dragon. Can’t wait to read it!
I’m impressed you’ll be staying up until midnight to get your HP. Does that mean you’ll stay up until the wee hours reading it?
The speech was pretty bearable, although I admit I was doing slightly-higher-concentration-level activities while those three hours played.
Of course! That is why I am excited and yet also apprehensive about the last book finally arriving… I know that it will be loooooonnngggg and I will want to do nothing else but read it until it’s done. But I also know there will be a million other pesky things that will want to get in the way of staying up all night and the next day reading. There’s sleep, and meals, and children, and my husband’s birthday celebrations. I will be forced to shut the book at some point and live real life while THE BOOK is sitting nearby, calling to me, begging to be finished.
I don’t know if I should look forward to this or dread it.
Atlas Shrugged is one of my favorite books of all time. But I haven’t had the nerve to sit down and try to listen to the whole thing on MP3. I liked The Fountainhead, but not quite as much.
I also second the Stephenie Meyer love. Can’t wait for Eclipse. I haven’t pre-ordered Harry Potter yet, because I can’t decide where to get it. But I’m not too worried about finding a copy.
This week I read the first book in John Marsden’s Tomorrow series, the last book in the Gregor the Overlander series, and I finished Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I’m about 1/4 of the way through Order of the Phoenix.
So many books, so little time…
I’ve finished Austenland (I liked the premise more than the actual book) and now I’m reading Queen Bee Moms and King Pin Dads: Dealing with the Parents, Teachers, Coaches, and Counselors Who Can Make–or Break–Your Child’s Future by Rosalind Wiseman and Elizabeth Rapoport. As a child and teenager, I was often the “victim” or the “ostracized” and now as an adult I’m a “floater parent” (i.e. gets along with different groups of people but isn’t looking for queen bee power). I’m a bit concerned that I’m going to spill my baggage onto my daughter, and I don’t want to do that. So, I’m taking precautions.
I’m just starting Harry Potter 1 as a re-read. I hope to skim through the first 5 in the next week or so, and then read #6 for real next Thursday and Friday.
My mom and I preordered HP7 today, but we had to do it by calling the bookstore in Rockland, Maine. We’re sailing out of Rockland at 10AM on Saturday the 21st. We board on Friday night, so I’ll have to run to town early Saturday to pick up our copies before we set sail.
I have a copy of Odd Thomas standing by waiting to be read. I read both sequels already, so I just want to go back and catch up.
Excellent HP plan, Nancy–both of them. I hadn’t thought of doing a skim re-read of the early books–I’ve been thinking I had to make the full-on commitment. But that’s not a bad idea at all to skim the first five, then really read book #6. I also like thinking of you and your mother sprinting into town to buy HP 7 before you set sail! True devotion.
Alkelda, sorry you didn’t love Austenland as deeply as I did! But that’s why there are plenty of books in the bookstore–something for all of us. I’m impressed with your studies into parenting. Your daughter is very lucky to have such a thoughtful mother.
Boy, Jen, you’re reading up a storm. The pressure to finish HP in time! I’m with you! Read on!
And Michelle, your kids will learn from the experience of having you go underground to read HP. You’re teaching them to love books with all your heart and soul. What could be wrong with that?
I’m a day late. It was too hot to do much computer work yesterday.
I finished reading World War Z last week, which wound up having a mention of someone getting killed at a Wal-Mart in Rochester, NY (where I live)!!! YES!!! I know in my heart that if someone got killed in a Wal-Mart it would be the one up the street from me that we refer to as “TPOD” (The Pit of Despair). That place is filled with evil.
I finished Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature the other day, which I loved, and now I’m reading Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume. So far, so good with that one. Next, I think I’m going to start rereading the Potters.