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Post by alias123 on Feb 16, 2017 0:17:31 GMT
I just finished the audio of Journey of a Thousand Miles: My Story by Lang Lang and David Ritz
Lang Lang is a world-renowned classical pianist. I thought it was very good memoir.
Some may think someone like Lang is just a lucky and gifted person. However, when you read this memoir you learn he practices the piano 8 hours a day, almost every day. His father was certainly unbearably at times pushing Lang harder and harder almost to the breaking point. His mom made huge and painful sacrifices, too. The family will not accept anything other than being number one. Though he reaches that goal, one has to wonder was it worth it.
This reminded me of another terrific book Open by Andre Agassi. His father also pushed him to greatness. However, Andre came away hating the game. I know nothing about tennis or Aggasi but gave the book a top rating.
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Post by lmenglish on Feb 16, 2017 0:54:06 GMT
Listening to Rogue Lawyer by Grisham, and starting a Gentleman in Moscow, boring so far.
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Sandy
Epic Member
Posts: 16
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Post by Sandy on Feb 19, 2017 4:14:22 GMT
I just finished Lord of the Flies. Hadn't read that since high school. DD is reading it now for her high school lit class and she wanted me to read it so we could discuss.
I'm also in the middle of a fluff series - Miss Fortune Mysteries. I love reading cozy mysteries at bedtime.
I've been wanting to start Lilac Girls. I think I'll pick that up next. Everyone who's read it seems to love it!
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Post by bee on Feb 19, 2017 15:07:33 GMT
Last night I finished When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. This was a marvelous book to me, as it was written by a man as he lived out his last days with cancer. He was a neurosurgeon student, who graduated before he passed, but was too sick to attend. There were tough places in it, places that caused me not to want to go on --- but most of those places good or bad made me ask the question --- how would I handle this? The downside of this book was the use of so many medical words that the NOok didn't have definitions for.
I am also reading The Emerald Comb by Kathleen McGurl. Some days it is good, and some days not, but has had more good days than bad.
I also bought Atmosphere by Joshua Mills. He is a christian speaker.
Also I bought Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference by one of my favorite christian writers, Philip Yancey. The first book I ever read by him was The Gift of Pain written with Dr. Paul Brand a doctor who treated leprosy patients. It absolutely gaveme another view of a gift none of us want. At that tiem I was still in great pain, and the book gave me lots to ponder.
This morning I downloaded Thunder and Rain by Charles Martin. It was on sale for $2.99 --- can't pass that up. LOL
The only genre I haven't hit this week is romance.
Hope you all have a great reading week!
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Post by sullicat1 on Feb 19, 2017 15:21:59 GMT
Sandy, Lilac Girls is great. Just finished The Paris Architecht. Again, takes place in France during WWII. So much suffering. So it's back to fluff, reading a Temperance Brennan book .(tv series Bones) by Kathy Reichs. Alias, glad you mentioned Open. I was a huge fan of Andre Agassi but never read the book. I'm going to see now if I can get it from my library & download to my iPad.
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Post by sullicat1 on Feb 19, 2017 15:24:09 GMT
Shoot, they only have it as an audiobook. May have to buy it.
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Post by alias123 on Feb 19, 2017 16:07:48 GMT
Open really is an excellent book. Agassi collaborated with the author J. R. Moehringer to write the book.
I really enjoyed the excellent The Tender Bar written by Moehringer. I highly recommend it.
Here is a NY Times article explaining how the two came to collaborate on Agassi's book.
www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/books/12agassi.html
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Post by sullicat1 on Feb 20, 2017 18:19:32 GMT
Thanks Alias
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Post by wwlurker on Feb 20, 2017 19:10:22 GMT
I feel like the world's slowest reader. I finally finished Bossypants and just started the Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck.
In the background, I've been reading trashy romance novels (my guilty pleasure). I still have House Girl on the go as well and will pick that back up after I finish the most recent trashy novel.
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Post by sullicat1 on Feb 20, 2017 21:41:53 GMT
Alias, good article. Just ordered the book on Amazon along with Working with your Guides & Angels by Ruth White.
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Post by zazzles on Feb 20, 2017 22:05:55 GMT
I started British Manor Murder by Leslie Meyer the other night.
Interrupted that yesterday to start reading Hollywood Madonna, a biography of Loretta Young; however, I found the type face and font size to be too uncomfortable, so I'll be returning it to the library unread. I've requested that the library purchase the book in Kindle format; if they do, then I'll be able to adjust the font size to what is comfortable for me.
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Post by alias123 on Feb 21, 2017 0:32:21 GMT
I'm almost done reading The Price by Arthur Miller. I'm going to see the play in a few months. Mark Ruffalo and Danny DeVito are in it. The play is a Roundabout Theatre production on Broadway. I am a season subscriber to the Roundabout in NYC.
Synopsis When the Great Depression cost his family their fortune, Victor Franz gave up his dream of an education to support his father. Three decades later, Victor has returned to his childhood home to sell the remainder of his parents’ estate. His wife, his estranged brother, and the wily furniture dealer hired to appraise their possessions all arrive with their own agendas, forcing Victor to confront a question, long-stifled, about the value of his sacrifice.
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Post by alias123 on Feb 21, 2017 0:38:39 GMT
I started British Manor Murder by Leslie Meyer the other night.
Interrupted that yesterday to start reading Hollywood Madonna, a biography of Loretta Young; however, I found the type face and font size to be too uncomfortable, so I'll be returning it to the library unread. I've requested that the library purchase the book in Kindle format; if they do, then I'll be able to adjust the font size to what is comfortable for me.
That is definitely one of the pluses of having a Kindle. I hope they get it for you, Z.
Though I find if I am reading serous non-fiction, which is my favorite genre, then I seem to grasp the material better when reading on paper. I find it easy to flip back and forth. Also I write in my books. I am big on marginalia. I underline, highlight, write comments and definitions. All that helps me to absorb the material better. On the other hand, since I like to read history and bios , which tend to be big door stop tomes, sometimes I'll go with the kindle version. That is what I did with Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. I haven't read it yet. I hope to get to it this year.
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Post by donnacri on Feb 21, 2017 20:13:23 GMT
I'm reading 1984 by George Orwell, for the first time. I'm a little too old to have been assigned it in school...LOL. But certain things have been in the news lately that made me really curious about it. So far, interesting but oh so bleak!
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Post by 100gone on Feb 21, 2017 21:15:17 GMT
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