|
Post by Gail in SC on Nov 10, 2019 18:46:28 GMT
I have had absinthe, Anne. I love the licorice taste. I have also had Pernod, and ouzo. Not in a while, though. Talking about trashy novels, I did read PEYTON PLACE and saw the TV show. Did anyone else read FOREVER AMBER? I learned a lot from that book. I also read the TRUE LOVE and MODERN LOVE comics (or magazines--can't remember which).
|
|
|
Post by lani on Nov 10, 2019 22:15:37 GMT
Speaking of trashy, did anyone read SWEET SAVAGE LOVE? Bit of a shock after growing up on Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney.
|
|
|
Post by karen8787 on Nov 10, 2019 22:27:35 GMT
Oh my, Connie. Craig Johnson lives in Ucross? That's a wide spot in the road! I grew up in Sheridan which is about 30 miles away! Okay, now I have momentum to read the books. Ucross has a wonderful writers' center. I bet he's involved in that as well. I never read Peyton Place but saw maybe one or two of the soap opera/series. I did read Forever Amber. Not quite sure why I remember the title, but I do. If anyone likes checking out ebooks from a library, which I do, you might be interested in knowing that Macmillan is putting a lid of 1 book per library per 8 weeks. It's clear they want us all to buy the book rather than check it out from the library, but there is a petition going around. If you haven't stumbled across it it's at : ebooksforall.org/. The American Library Association responds when you sign. Not much is requested. I just signed up. Nearly 200,000 have signed. I don't know that it will make a difference, but I do get my ebooks from the library. I'm a real library patron. Now I need to get in line for the Craig Johnson books ...
|
|
|
Post by karen8787 on Nov 11, 2019 16:23:13 GMT
I missed your description of absinthe. That was really interesting, Connie. I just knew it as a poisonous drink without pursuing the intricacies of it.
|
|
|
Post by conniej on Nov 11, 2019 17:34:27 GMT
I just finished THE FRIENDS WE KEEP by Jane Green. I did like this book. Even though I have read a lot of books gaining and losing friends, this one I really liked. I am now a fan.
Sweet Savage Love WHEW!! yep did read it. I used to like Danielle Steele as well but her constantly repeating herself got me down.
I am excited, snow is on the way.!! Really!! I did all my errands just in case and also got gas in my car, it was below a quarter of tank. I am making a stew like veggy soup. and plan on having dumplings with it. One of my winter favorites. Just throw in all kinds of veggies, what I have on hand and whatever else seems like good idea. This time it is baby gold potatoes, celery not much, carrots lot of them, onions, whole canned tomatoes, beef tips, green pepper. It smells so good. use a bit of tomato juice as well as beef broth. Gosh I love winter.
Have James Patterson 18th ABDUCTION started so I am set if I am snowed in !! Will let you know.
|
|
|
Post by gramma15 on Nov 13, 2019 6:17:21 GMT
I just finished reading What Rose Forgot by Nevada Barr.
"In New York Times bestselling author Nevada Barr's gripping standalone, a grandmother in her sixties emerges from a mental fog to find she's trapped in her worst nightmare
Rose Dennis wakes up in a hospital gown, her brain in a fog, only to discover that she's been committed to an Alzheimer's Unit in a nursing home. With no memory of how she ended up in this position, Rose is sure that something is very wrong. When she overhears one of the administrators saying about her that she's \"not making it through the week,\" Rose is convinced that if she's to survive, she has to get out of the nursing home. She avoids taking her medication, putting on a show for the aides, then stages her escape.
The only problem is—how does she convince anyone that she's not actually demented? Her relatives were the ones to commit her, all the legal papers were drawn up, the authorities are on the side of the nursing home, and even she isn't sure she sounds completely sane."
|
|
|
Post by woolworker on Nov 13, 2019 12:42:50 GMT
Good Morning:
Connie: I've been making a lot of soups lately, too. We live on them in the winter. I double the recipes and freeze leftovers for lunches or other dinners. I never get tired of them I've been making Syrian soups from a cookbook my cousin gave me for Christmas last year. The soups are not just Syrian, mostly Middle Eastern. Made a fabulous Indian Lentil soup from that cookbook last week and tonight am making in Iranian soup with split peas, pomegranite juice and ground lamb, sounds so interesting, can't wait to taste it! I could start cooking it right now!
So, we are back from a great weekend in New Jersey. My grandson was the stage manager in the play, Our Town. He gave an amazing performance. I am so proud of him. He really has a talent as an actor. AND, I brought three books with me to choose to read on the plane...it is a 50 minute flight from Portland to Newark, but there is all that time in the airport. Anyway, in my typical style, I covered my bases with lots of books, never know if there might be a major snow storm, etc. We got to the airport with time to spare; the Portland, Maine airport is rarely crowded, a lovely little port. I wandered around the book kiosk and saw The Library Book by Susan Orlean who also wrote The Orchid Thief. It is my book group's choice for this month so I bought that and read it. Susan Orlean is a staff writer for the New Yorker and the book reads a bit like a New Yorker article, lots of research, lots of background and lots of detail. Central to the book is the major fire at the Los Angelos Central Library in 1986. However, the book is really about libraries in general. The book opens with Susan's reminiscence of weekly trips to the library with her mother. There are many other beautiful sections in the book highlighting the importance of libraries. Approximately every alternate chapter offers DETAILS about the Los Angelos public library fire. These details include job descriptions of everyone working at the library, where they were at the time of the fire, how they responded during the fire and their reactions after the fire was over, then moving on to the aftermath of the fire. Lots of details about the young man who was accused of starting the fire and his background. Somewhere in the middle of the book, Susan confesses that she had decided not to write books anymore. However, her mother was fading into dementia when Susan began researching the Los Angelos library fire. The book became a way for Susan to try to preserve her relationship with her mother. Lots of details and many of them very interesting. For me, the philosophical and memoir sections of the book made it really worthwhile.
Not sure what I will pick up next to read. I have about 8 books on my nightstand and a house that needs my time constantly!
I love reading everyone's entries on this thread: the soup stories, weather reports, family gatherings; it is an ideal reader's exchange!
Ann
Ann
|
|
|
Post by Gail in SC on Nov 14, 2019 4:33:45 GMT
I heard the author of THE LIBRARY BOOK interviewed, Ann. It sounded fascinating.
|
|
|
Post by conniej on Nov 14, 2019 8:15:03 GMT
I just finished THE 18TH ABDUCTION by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. I really liked this one of the Women's Murder Club although there was not a lot about the Club this time.
I have just started the FESTIVE IN DEATH. by J.D. ROBB this is an old one I missed and love the futuristic things in J.D ROBB'S books. have a couple more to catch up on and will make sure I have my list in my library bag.
Glad you had a great time in New Jersey, Ann. My house is calling to me, needs sweeper run etc. I have been very lax!! Shame on me.
I wanted to read WHAT ROSE FORGOT and am going to try again at the library.
|
|
|
Post by Gail in SC on Nov 16, 2019 17:23:09 GMT
I finished OKSANA, BEHAVE! by Maria Kuznetsova. It is about a Ukranian-American who was transplanted from her home in Ukraine with her parents, grandmother and brother to FL. It tells the familiar story of an immigrant never feeling quite at home and follows her life from her youth to her life with her husband. She acted out a lot during her life, hence the title. I must say I did not love it, but there were parts of it that stood out for me. Her grandmother was quite a lusty soul and I enjoyed reading everything about her. The author also described the feelings of not fitting in very well. It is for my book club and I look forward to the discussion Tuesday evening.
I met a friend for lunch yesterday and she told me about a terrific book club she has joined. The leader is a retired Literature professor and they read books...and plays...aloud together. Many of the classics. I am curious. How many of you belong to book clubs and what do you like about yours?
Gail
|
|
|
Post by conniej on Nov 17, 2019 19:50:27 GMT
There is a book club at the library but it seems to be for young women with children. so no I am not in book club. Not sure how they are run but I like to read the books I want to, and love all of your reviews but don't like to "have" to read a book for a discussion but then I am not much of a joiner either.
have a book waiting on me at the library and will take back the ones I have. Will have to be Tuesday as they are not open on Monday.
Right now am reading an old James Patterson NOW YOU SEE HER picked it up at the library sale.
I am going to start the new thread on Tuesday the 19th. Will have more information for you then.
|
|
|
Post by Gail in SC on Nov 17, 2019 20:32:04 GMT
I just started listening to ASK AGAIN, YES by Mary Beth Keane and really enjoying it. It is about the families of two NYC policemen who meet at the police academy, become partners on the beat for a while, and eventually move next door to each other in a NYC suburb. Keane gets the period right. I was living in a NYC suburb then and am familiar with all the references and the culture, including not talking about a lot of what was going on in our private lives. I am thinking in particular about how no one really talks about how one wife is mentally disturbed, which wreaks all kinds of havoc with their son. I recommend this one!
|
|