What Are You Reading?

[sachinky 464]

I am about to finish CHASING HARRY WINSTON by Lauren Weisberger. It is absolutely horrid but I needed some chick-lit.

[NBtoPitt 2]

I went through a snooty phase during my final year of highschool and most of university where I only read "literature" that was either a classic or well thought of in academic circles. My husband reintroduced me to reading for the fun of it and reading things I actually like (not that I don't like all the others I've read, it's just that many I read only to be able to say I read them) so after finishing the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind I've begun the A Song of Fire and Ice series by George R. R. Martin.

Really enjoying it so far - Sword of Truth began to get painfully preachy after the fourth or fifth book, but I suffered through all eleven (plus A Debt of Bones) with the hope the series would end as good as it started. Man, was I disappointed. Very happy with A Game of Thrones so far, though!

[ashenflowers 5]

Slightly off topic, but is there also a thread for 'what are you watching?' i.e. tv/movies? Cause I think that'd be fun.

[Pauley 2]

Slightly off topic, but is there also a thread for 'what are you watching?' i.e. tv/movies? Cause I think that'd be fun.

Not that I'm aware of; I don't think you've started it yet.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Well, my Chinese trend continues. I am currently reading Shadow of the Silk Road by Colin Thubron, 2006. Here is the back of the book info: "To travel the Silk Road, the greatest land route on earth, is to trace the passage not only of trade and armies but also of ideas, religions and inventions. Making his way by local bus, truck, car, donkey cart and camel, Colin Thubron covered some seven thousand miles in eight months- out of the heart of China into the mountains of Central Asia, across northern Afghanistan and the plains of Iran into Kurdish Turkey - and explored an ancient world in modern ferment." His narrative is absolutely phenomenal - I wish there were photographs to accompany his journey, but his words paint pictures and bring alive the incredible landscape and adventures of his journey. He is travelling this route while the SARS epidemic is underway, and the effects affect every step along his journey which adds another surreal aspect to the account. Here is an example of his writing:

"For hundreds of miles my bus covered a wind-torn wilderness, its surface glazed with pulverised stone swept down from the Kun Lun. The stillness of the previous night had gone. Somewhere in the desert's core a storm was raging, and soon the sand was streaming over the ground in low, scudding waves, and the sky had dimmed to premature dusk. Objects appeared and melted in the half light - tamarisk trees, an abandoned truck. The sun died to a white stain. Occasionally we stopped at tiny settlements where sheep were grazing on litter, and brushwood fences bent against moving sands." p 113

Edited August 5, 2010 by Kathryn41

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

I still haven't read a book in such a long time.....

But recently I've been more motivated to read to my son, ever since our local library started its children's summer reading program...

Lol..might as well start them young I suppose....It's never too early to start reading!

So I guess that counts in some way or other as 'what are you reading'...lol...

One of the books we can't get enough of (lol..thanks to OBX for that book.....)

"Love you forever" by Robert Munch, who is Canadian.....

And I think at times my son takes this book literally....

As nowadays he's like the boy on the cover...Always getting into things..

Heck, he just got into the bathroom the other day....

And just like the boy in the book, started playing with the toilet paper...Yuck!

Lol..Since then we've locked the bathroom doors...but yeah, it's quite the sight to see!

And who knows maybe he'll find daddy's watch and flush it....lol...

But yeah, this book is a classic! We all love the story and illustrations!

As well, we've been reading

"Goodnight Moon", "Runaway Bunny", and other children's books like that...

Lol..my library card is getting quite the workout too...

Might as well put those property tax dollars to good use too, I suppose..

It's quite funny when we go to the library....baby on one arm, 10-20 books on the other arm, baby bag over the shoulder...

But it's all worth it......Reading to your children...

Happy reading everyone! Enjoy all those books!

Ant

[OBX 51]

Kathryn, I have been following your lead. I finished the Lisa See books and have moved on to Amy Tan.

[Y&E 12]

I just finished The Accidental Bestseller, by Wendy Wax, which I thoroughly enjoyed as it's an accurate description of (my ex-career) the publishing industry. I am now reading The Twentieth Wife, by Indu Sundaresan, which is about Empress Mehrunnisa - the Mughal Empress of India. I am enjoying that one too.

One question that I have that someone may be able to answer: Why do books in America that are fiction often have the words 'a novel' on the cover? Surely it's self-explanatory that it's fiction if that's the section it's in? Maybe that's just me.

[Y&E 12]

Well, my Chinese trend continues. I am currently reading Shadow of the Silk Road by Colin Thubron, 2006.

Kathryn, if you're interested in reading more China non-fiction you should try to get hold of this: http://www.greatwalldvd.com/ (the book, not the dvd). The guy who took the trip / wrote the book was one of my law tutors at uni.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Kathryn, if you're interested in reading more China non-fiction you should try to get hold of this: http://www.greatwalldvd.com/ (the book, not the dvd). The guy who took the trip / wrote the book was one of my law tutors at uni.

Thanks! I'll take a look for that - it sounds interesting.

I just picked up at the thrift store yesterday another interesting book identified as Women's Studies/Asian Studies called Wild Swans "Three Daughters of China" by Jung Chang (Anchor Books, 1991) - a biographical account of the author's grandmother, mother and her own stories starting in 1909. One of the review 'snippets' on the back states " There has never been a book like this. Jung Chang vividly evokes Chiina's sights, sounds and smells to create what must be one of the grimmest, yet most perceptive accounts of growing up middle class in the maelstrom that has swept China since the 1920s". It looks intriguing.

Sachinky - I just saw your question about Marriage Shock - I am still reading it but, yes, I am finding it very interesting and informative. I suspect some of what it discusses is part of my 'problem' as well - parental imprinting at work! I would say it is worth buying, yes.

OBX: Kathryn, I have been following your lead. I finished the Lisa See books and have moved on to Amy Tan.

Hehehe, I don't know what it is but they sure are addictive!

Edited August 8, 2010 by Kathryn41

[arya 22]

I went through a snooty phase during my final year of highschool and most of university where I only read "literature" that was either a classic or well thought of in academic circles. My husband reintroduced me to reading for the fun of it and reading things I actually like (not that I don't like all the others I've read, it's just that many I read only to be able to say I read them) so after finishing the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind I've begun the A Song of Fire and Ice series by George R. R. Martin.

Really enjoying it so far - Sword of Truth began to get painfully preachy after the fourth or fifth book, but I suffered through all eleven (plus A Debt of Bones) with the hope the series would end as good as it started. Man, was I disappointed. Very happy with A Game of Thrones so far, though!

Song of Fire and Ice are my favourite books! Wait till you get to A storm of swords, I couldn't put it down.

[NBtoPitt 2]

Song of Fire and Ice are my favourite books! Wait till you get to A storm of swords, I couldn't put it down.

Ah, hence your username I just finished A Game of Thrones, going to get the second book later this week. I really enjoyed it, and I love how it isn't predictable! My husband is on his way back to the US in a few days, so he'll be taking A Game of Thrones to get all caught up with me, haha.

[Y&E 12]

I just started The Spa, by Fay Weldon. Got to love her feminist outlook on life and love!

[arya 22]

Ah, hence your username I just finished A Game of Thrones, going to get the second book later this week. I really enjoyed it, and I love how it isn't predictable! My husband is on his way back to the US in a few days, so he'll be taking A Game of Thrones to get all caught up with me, haha.

Exactly, she's my favourite character

[NBtoPitt 2]

All done with A Clash of Kings, and now onto A Storm of Swords! Loving this series