Karen, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle was one of my favorite reads from last year. I liked the format, with lots of information interspersed with her
family stories, and I like the contributions her husband and daughter made.
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0 Kudo
What I'm Reading Now--July 2009
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 sthurner |
#121 | |||
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07/26/09 07:47 AM |
Sherry in WI
Currently reading: People of the Book, Mockingbird, The Help |
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wernoclue |
#122 | |||
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07/26/09 02:29 PM BCC ZEN Bookie MASTER |
Sherry, I haven't quite finished it yet but I'm certain it will be one of my best reads of this year as well. Five stars is an extreme rarity from me
but this book is definitely getting all five.
DebBee, that's interesting, especially about the positive health changes part. One of the interesting factoids contained in the book is that pasture fed beef and poultry contain significantly less cholesterol and more vitamins and omega 3s than their grain fed captive counterparts. I've really never even looked at the source of meat available in the grocery store but I can guarantee you I will from now on.
Karen
I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. - Anna Quindlen |
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riverblue |
#123 | |||
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07/26/09 02:36 PM |
Just abandoned The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold - anyone else read it? Did I give up to soon, was it worth continuing with? I got up to about page 60
and it was just dreary so I tossed it aside. I have no qualms doing that but I'm always scared in case it turns into an amazing book just a bit further on
- I'm relying on anyone here who's read it to let me know if it did (but I seriously doubt it!)
Barb
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debbieinca |
#124 | |||
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07/26/09 06:41 PM BCC Bookaholic |
I enjoyed the Kingsolver book when I read it a few years ago. I always try to buy locally. We have a great farmers market that sells, eggs, produce, bread
,local cheeses and more. I always have a veg. garden year around. I am lucky in that fact I live in a producing area.
Debbieinca |
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wernoclue |
#125 | |||
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07/26/09 08:33 PM BCC ZEN Bookie MASTER |
It's turned out to be one of those books that I really wonder why I let it sit on my shelf so long? I bought it when it first came out in hardcover and
it's been sitting here for over 2 years.
Actually, I'm finding that to be true with most of the summer reading I'm doing from my own shelves -- I'm enjoying them more than most of the stuff I've been reading earlier in the year! Still 13 books left on that list and nearly half are non-fiction. Not sure what's next... Maybe Back from the Land? That might be an appropriate follow-on to the Kingsolver book.
Karen
I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. - Anna Quindlen |
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bayjoens |
#126 | |||
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07/27/09 12:24 PM |
I am very interested in all you have to say about Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I read the Omnivore's Dilemma last year with the ds and it definitely changed
what we eat, but I am far from growing my own. I am way too far from the family farm life to find it remotely attractive. However, we do now use a CSA service
where we have fresh organically and locally grown produce delivered. It is a lot less expensive than our very gourmet Farmer's Markets.
As for Barbara Kingsolver, I stopped reading her a few years ago when I got tired of feeling manipulated by her and hit over the head with her messages. Is this one better? After finishing Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, which I liked a lot, I read The Help by Kathryn Stockett which I loved. Has anyone else read this one? The characters were wonderful and I liked the story. Sandra |
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wernoclue |
#127 | |||
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07/27/09 01:03 PM BCC ZEN Bookie MASTER |
Sandra, if you're referring to The Prodigal Summer when you talk about Kingsolver hitting you over the head with her message, I definitely
understand what you mean. I felt the same way about that particular book and didn't much care for it.
I think she managed to be *very* even handed in this book -- surprisingly so, IMO. There were only a couple of lines in the last chapter or so that raised my hackles a bit and I doubt they would bother anyone here but me.
Karen
I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. - Anna Quindlen |
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 BCCJillster |
#128 | |||
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07/27/09 01:28 PM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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Re Kingsolver, I had the same feeling of being preached to after a while, and I didn't look into her new one either. I know the message is worthwhile, but
I can 'get it' without hundreds of pages of reasoning and examples that would turn my tummy.
I want to get back to Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie--wasn't Flavia a delight Sandra? She could so easily have been written as a kid you wanted to smack, but she really wasn't. I wanted to applaud her delight in the world and occasionally in herself--great fun.
Reading: Angel's Game; Murder on the Ballarat Train, Kerry Greenwood (Australia in '20s)
Finished: Secret Scripture; The Nine, Toobin Here's to librariers, our bookateria |
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murraymint11 |
#129 | |||
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07/27/09 03:44 PM BCC Bookaholic |
Barb,
I have found all Sebold's books to be dreary in fact - seems to be her trademark to be depressing!
Jane, UK
Currently Reading: The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon Recently Read: The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry, The Glass of Time by Michael Cox |
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Cierdwyn |
#130 | |||
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07/27/09 03:53 PM |
I picked up Gaiman's Coraline yesterday and finished it in a couple of bites.. TOTALLY awesome
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BCCJillster |
#131 | |||
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07/27/09 04:56 PM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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R3 Sebold, she of the Lovely Bones? That was quite enough for me, thank you.
Reading: Angel's Game; Murder on the Ballarat Train, Kerry Greenwood (Australia in '20s)
Finished: Secret Scripture; The Nine, Toobin Here's to librariers, our bookateria |
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bayjoens |
#132 | |||
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07/27/09 06:39 PM |
Yes, Jill. I liked the way Flavia was written too. She was not annoying at all and quite believably precocious. I also liked how the detective was done too,
starting out skeptical but coming around later. And the relationship with her sisters was also wonderful. I am not sure what kind of longevity the series will
have, because children have to grow up, but I am looking forward to more.
Sandra |
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Olle |
#133 | |||
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07/27/09 10:05 PM |
So is Sweetness a book for children?
Olle
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wernoclue |
#134 | |||
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07/28/09 01:32 AM BCC ZEN Bookie MASTER |
I don't have Sweetness yet.
But, there are no tummy turning moments in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle... unless you have an even more sensitive tummy than mine (highly unlikely) and she honest to goodness doesn't beat you over the head. (although since I don't read much current news, it could feel like that to someone more edificated!)
Karen
I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. - Anna Quindlen |
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BCCJillster |
#135 | |||
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07/28/09 07:16 AM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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I am not sure what kind of longevity the series will have, because children have to grow up, but I am looking forward to more. LOL Sandra, how about Harry Potter? Or Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys? I was wondering, as we did for Louise's books, how many murders could take place in her small town. BTW...the author of Sweetness thanks LOUISE a whole bunch in the acknowledgments. Nice
Reading: Angel's Game; Murder on the Ballarat Train, Kerry Greenwood (Australia in '20s)
Finished: Secret Scripture; The Nine, Toobin Here's to librariers, our bookateria |
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riverblue |
#136 | |||
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07/28/09 02:42 PM |
Jane and Jill, thankyou - the Sebold can stay ditched then. Relieved to know I'm not missing anything good but I'd have been surprised if I was.Trying
a Michael Connelly now and it's much better!!
Barb
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jodijoy |
#137 | |||
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07/28/09 02:53 PM BCC ZEN Bookie MASTER |
I just got The Scarecrow (yippee)!
"You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me" - CS Lewis
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bayjoens |
#138 | |||
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07/28/09 06:46 PM |
Jodi, The Scarecrow just came into the library for me too. I will be picking it up on Thursday, but you will probably be done by then, huh?
Sandra |
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BCCJillster |
#139 | |||
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07/28/09 07:27 PM BCC ZEN BOOKIE COOKIE
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Olle, I forgot to answer your question about Sweetness--I don't know who it's intended for, but there's no sex, little violence, and no cussin, so
I'd say it's safe. The girl is eleven, with two older sisters, and they all delight in tormenting each other. There's interest for boys too in that
part of the setting is a boys school. Can you tell I liked it?
Reading: Angel's Game; Murder on the Ballarat Train, Kerry Greenwood (Australia in '20s)
Finished: Secret Scripture; The Nine, Toobin Here's to librariers, our bookateria |
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Olle |
#140 | |||
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07/29/09 08:32 AM |
Thanks Jill, it'd be nice to have a title or two for under the Christmas tree for my dd. I'll check it out.
Reading a ya book called "Cyborg from Earth." I took it out from the library for my ds as a change from the fantasy books he reads -- get him some mechanical sci fi -- and decided to bring it with me as an easy read. So far it's ok. |
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