Author Topic: What are ppl reading now???  (Read 5475 times)

Offline Kd5000

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What are ppl reading now???
« on: December 06, 2006, 09:02:43 pm »
I'm halfway thru THE WAR OF THE WORLD, The Descent of the West. It's basically about how the west (Europe) nearly destroyed itself in the 20th century with it's world wars, communism, fascism.  NYTIMES says it's one of the 100 best book of 2006.

HOWEVER, after reading all about carnage  and the inhumanity that occurred, I was in the mood to follow this up with some holdiay reading. Does anyone know of any good Christmas short stories? And yes I've read THE GIFT OF THE MAGI.  I think the tv movie version had Marie Osmond.  ;) Anyone ever read Capote's Christmas short story?  Is it depressing? After seeing the film Capote, I just associate him with bleakness.   Any suggestions would be appreciated. Nothing too saccharine, but moving none the less.


Offline Meryl

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Re: What are ppl reading now???
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2006, 01:40:12 am »
Hi KD, thanks for the nice new topic!  8)

Right now I'm reading The Unknown Shore by Patrick O'Brian.  It's the forerunner to the wonderful series of novels he wrote about the British Navy during the Napoleonic period, the same series the film "Master and Commander" was based on.  I highly recommend these books for a glimpse into a fascinating world that has gone forever, peopled by richly drawn characters.  I like to call it Jane Austen for guys, but plenty of women love the books, too.

I wish I could recommend some Christmas books to you, but I can't think of any at the moment.  If I come across something, I'll let you know.  :)
« Last Edit: December 07, 2006, 01:10:06 pm by Meryl »
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Offline kirkmusic

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Re: What are ppl reading now???
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2006, 07:30:59 am »
Outside of self help books, I don't think I've read anything for years in which the characters didn't speak in word balloons.  I just read a collected edition of Supreme #41-52, titled "Story of the Year," which very intelligently and entertainingly turned the charater of Supreme into a Superman tribute.  I don't know what he was before, but in this story every aspect of the Superman mythos from the 40's to the 60's was given a modern twist; Superboy, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Smallville, Krytonite, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, the Justice League and Society, his friendship with Batman, Krypto, Supergirl, the Fortress of Solitude, the Superboy robots, Lex Luthor... everything!  Great fun, especially for a long time collector like me who knew what was being referenced.

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Re: What are ppl reading now???
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2006, 07:49:59 am »
Great thread!

I am reading Bill Bryson's Down Under about Australia and Eckart Tolle's a New Earth, as well as Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything. Bill Bryson is my hero, he is the funniest writer ever, I get belly aches from reading his stories. Anyone else familiar with his work?

Mel

Offline Kd5000

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Re: What are ppl reading now???
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2006, 11:52:22 am »
Well I've heard of a collection of "gay" Christmas stories.  My library doesn't carry it. I think the cover-art would sink it. Now maybe the library in San Francisco or West Hollywood might have it.  I know the author.  The book might be more erotic then seasonal...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1560234679/ref=sib_dp_pt/102-0718695-7505726#reader-link    :o 

Can just see the librarian's expression if I could check it out.  They never look up when your checkin out books, however, that might do it.  ;D

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: What are ppl reading now???
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2006, 12:11:33 pm »
Christmas stories? Does anyone ever actually read A Christmas Carol anymore? I have. It's quite good, if you like Dickens. It's also short, a plus at this busy season. (And there's always Brokeback Mountain Christmas fanfiction. ...  ;D )

Meanwhile, got two books goin' at once:

Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings, by Amy Kelly. It's 50 years old, but it's the classic treatment of Eleanor of Aquitaine and the four kings in her life, her two royal husbands and her two royal sons.

The Reckoning, by Charles Nicholl, about the somewhat mysterious circumstances surrounding the death, in 1593, of the playwright Christopher Marlowe in what the coroner ruled was a fight over "the reckoning," or the tavern bill.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Online southendmd

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Re: What are ppl reading now???
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2006, 01:08:03 pm »
Hi Kd,

I can definitely recommend Truman Capote's "A Christmas Memory".  I wouldn't call it depressing, but it's also not sentimental.  It's one of his most famous stories.  I posted on David's favorite holiday movie thread that I also love the black-and-white film version done in 1967.  It stars Geraldine Page as Capote's eccentric cousin/aunt.

One of the things I'm reading is actually a collection of Capote's short stories which happens to include "A Christmas Memory". 

There's always "Close Range" to see what else Annie P was up to. 

Offline MaineWriter

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Re: What are ppl reading now???
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2006, 01:13:45 pm »
I actually like John Grisham's Skipping Christmas and read that annually.

L
« Last Edit: December 07, 2006, 01:20:17 pm by MaineWriter »
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Offline Meryl

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Re: What are ppl reading now???
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2006, 01:15:58 pm »
This is great!  I've already got some intriguing authors to check out.  Mel, I haven't heard of Bill Bryson, but I'll look for him.  I like your idea of putting the name of the book in boldface, too.  I went back and modified my post to do the same.

Jeff, those books sound interesting to an anglophile.  Are they historical novels, or are they non-fiction accounts?
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Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: What are ppl reading now???
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2006, 01:30:22 pm »
This is great!  I've already got some intriguing authors to check out.  Mel, I haven't heard of Bill Bryson, but I'll look for him.  I like your idea of putting the name of the book in boldface, too.  I went back and modified my post to do the same.

Jeff, those books sound interesting to an anglophile.  Are they historical novels, or are they non-fiction accounts?

Definitely nonfiction. The Kelly is the classic historical study of the life of Eleanor. The Reckoning is a little on the odd side, not a straightforward narrative, but fascinating for its study of domestic and foreign espionage in Elizabethan England.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Kd5000

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Re: What are ppl reading now???
« Reply #10 on: December 07, 2006, 04:32:08 pm »
Yes, there have been some newer books on Eleanor of Aquitaine, but I'm familiar with the one you mentioned. 

The LION IN WINTER  (1968 film) where Eleanor is played by Kate Hepburn (newer one has Glenn Close, pass) and Peter O'Toole is great. It's set during the Christmas court.  Not much holiday cheer in the film as it's more about intrigue, sibling rivalry, and a very very dysfunctional family.  I think Kate's "Eleanor" sums it's up best when she says "It's 1183 and we're barbarians!"

I've read A CHRISTMAS CAROL and love the musical version with ALBERT FINNEY.  The film was titled SCROOGE. "thank you very much, thank you very much."  It really puts me in the holiday spirit. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066344/

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI was written by O.Henry.  BBM won the O. Henry prize for best short story. The O. Henry Prize is the equivalent of the Pulitzer for short stories.  SO there is always a BBM tie-in somewhere.  ;)

I'll check out Capote's story based on SouthendMD's recommendation.  I'm sure they will have a copy of it at the library. I've met John Grimsley and heard him read from and discuss his book BOULEVARD. He was a very nice and personable.  I wasn't familiar with COMFORT AND JOY, but I will look into it. 

Thanks for your advice.

Yes Jeff, I've read your  BBM X-mas fanfiction . Quite good. 

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: What are ppl reading now???
« Reply #11 on: December 07, 2006, 04:40:23 pm »
Yes Jeff, I've read your  BBM X-mas fanfiction . Quite good. 

Well, thanks much, but I didn't or just necessarily mean mine. I read jpwagoneer's story last night. Real nice!  :D
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline delalluvia

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Re: What are ppl reading now???
« Reply #12 on: December 07, 2006, 07:14:19 pm »
Hey, don't forget the Book Thread over in 'Anything Goes':

http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php?topic=1059.0

Offline Meryl

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Re: What are ppl reading now???
« Reply #13 on: December 07, 2006, 09:28:30 pm »
Thanks for the link, del.  That's a cool thread.  8)
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