1. In the Garden of the Beasts: Love, Terror and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson. I could not put this book down and read it over a weekend. A great story well written.
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I chose this one to discuss with one of my book clubs. It was better the second reading.
3. Middlesex by Jeffery Eugenides. The choice of my other book club. Wonderful writing. Themes include immigrants, gender, assimilation, so much more.
4. Sweet Judy Blue Eyes: My Life in Music by Judy Collins. Lots of sex, alcohol and more sex.
5. America and Vietnam: The Elephant and the Tiger by Albert Marrin. I retrieved this one from the bookshelf for Noach to read but I read it first. Good review. I was not so familiar with the early history of Vietnam, especially its colonial history. The French were brutal colonial masters. PRM
Monday, April 2, 2012
Yakov on Daily Forward front page
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Shoshie on HuffPost
She has been active in Hillel at UNCA. Last weekend they had a dinner with the Muslim Student Association and this picture was taken, seen at the Huffington Post. That's my baby on the end.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/22/faith-inspires-muslim-student-association-unc-asheville_n_1373768.html?ref=religion&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008
PRM
PRM
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
February reading
1. Billy Bathgate by E.L. Doctorow. JP and I stumbled onto the movie a few months ago and I began looking for a copy of the book to read. Much better than the movie. Beautiful writing.
2. Packing for Mars by Mary Roach. This was the choice for my old book club. The first 80 pages were quite fascinating, a history of space travel, picking astronauts for their program in Japan (origami)and other topics. Have you ever heard of Roger Babson, who held a grudge against gravity after his sister drowned as a child? He established the Gravity Research Foundation to study ways to implement gravitational shielding. The last 3/4 of the book detailed body functions in space. This could have been interesting for about 50 pages maybe but not for the 250 pages alloted.
3. Swamplandia by Karen Russell
4. Tinkers by Paul Harding
5. Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy. This was my first Ebook. I am withholding judgement for now. PRM
2. Packing for Mars by Mary Roach. This was the choice for my old book club. The first 80 pages were quite fascinating, a history of space travel, picking astronauts for their program in Japan (origami)and other topics. Have you ever heard of Roger Babson, who held a grudge against gravity after his sister drowned as a child? He established the Gravity Research Foundation to study ways to implement gravitational shielding. The last 3/4 of the book detailed body functions in space. This could have been interesting for about 50 pages maybe but not for the 250 pages alloted.
3. Swamplandia by Karen Russell
4. Tinkers by Paul Harding
5. Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy. This was my first Ebook. I am withholding judgement for now. PRM
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
January reading
1. Middlemarch by George Eliot. Loved it and can't wait to read more Eliot.
2. The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obrecht. TWB Challenge, Balkans. This was the choice of one of my book clubs. Very rich, perhaps too rich.
3. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley. This was my choice for my old book club.
4. A Bitter Truth: A Bess Crawford Mystery by Charles Todd. WTG Challenge, WWI.
5. The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow. This was a pre-read for Noach. I hope he enjoys it as much as I did.
6. No Promises in the Wind by Irene Hunt. Another pre-read for Noach.
PRM
Traveling the World with Books
visited 4 states (1.77%)
Create your own visited map of The World or Like this? try: Archean
2. The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obrecht. TWB Challenge, Balkans. This was the choice of one of my book clubs. Very rich, perhaps too rich.
3. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley. This was my choice for my old book club.
4. A Bitter Truth: A Bess Crawford Mystery by Charles Todd. WTG Challenge, WWI.
5. The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow. This was a pre-read for Noach. I hope he enjoys it as much as I did.
6. No Promises in the Wind by Irene Hunt. Another pre-read for Noach.
PRM
Traveling the World with Books
visited 4 states (1.77%)
Create your own visited map of The World or Like this? try: Archean
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Reading Challenges
In 2008, I participated in a reading challenge, Triple 8, reading 8 books in each of 8 categories in the year 2008. I didn't quite meet the challenge. Having skipped 3 years, I am ready to take on a new challenge, perhaps several challenges, but I expect some overlap. Some of the books can be used for book club readings, also.
First, Historical Fiction Challenge 2012 at the Struggling the Addiction level, 10 books. This is a category I often delve into and it will overlap with the second challenge.
War Through the Generations, WWI is my next choice. I plan to do this one at the Wade level, 4 to 10 books. And I personally want to focus on YA literature and books for younger readers that I missed in my previous reading. There are many classics on the suggestion page that I have never read. Now is the time.
And finally, a challenge of my own creation, Traveling the World in Books 2012. I haven't created an image or button for myself yet. The goal is one book per month and each from a different part of the world.
Obviously there is a lot of overlap in these but I still think I can use them to make a fascinating year of reading. PRM
First, Historical Fiction Challenge 2012 at the Struggling the Addiction level, 10 books. This is a category I often delve into and it will overlap with the second challenge.
And finally, a challenge of my own creation, Traveling the World in Books 2012. I haven't created an image or button for myself yet. The goal is one book per month and each from a different part of the world.
Obviously there is a lot of overlap in these but I still think I can use them to make a fascinating year of reading. PRM
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