What Are You Reading?

[fljoe0]

The Phenomenon - Rick Ankiel

This is an autobiography of Rick Ankiel, recently retired major league baseball player. Rick was a local high school phenom around my parts and was touted as the next Sandy Koufax when he got to the majors. He had a fantastic rookie season and at 20 years old, got to start game 1 of the 2000 playoff for the St Louis Cardinals. Then it all came undone in a disastrous 3rd inning when he suddenly lost his pitching control (an ailment baseball players call the yips) and never got it back. He struggled through 5 or so years trying to pitch again in the major leagues and couldn't do it. Then incredibly, he scrapped his pitching plans and decided to become an outfielder. He made it back to the majors as an outfielder and had a very successful rest of his career. He had a terrible father growing up who caused him a lot of problems. His dad went to prison on drug smuggling charges. The baseball reporters never really talked about it but since Rick was local, I knew about some of these things. Anyway, it's an incredible story about a guy who fought through lots of adversity and personal demons.

THE PHENOMENON - Public Affairs

 

[Demeter]

I haven't watched the series. We don't have Amazon Prime in our house and after the book I'd be very reluctant to watch anyway.

Oh but the series is another animal altogether. Plus, Ian McShane is in it.

 

[carrie's younger brother]

I'm the Comma Queen, as my editor called me, but Woolf leaves me in the dust--lol.

It is semi Faulknerian, and I don't like his writing either.

I'll persevere, and then pick this week's book. The theme is book to movie, and this is one where I haven't read any of the choices: The Zookeeper's Wife (Ackerman ), Murder on the Orient Express (Christie), Wonder (Palacio), Hidden Figures (Shetterly), The Shack (Young). Anyone read any of these? I'm leaning toward the Christie, because I've never read anything by her and Kurben seems to adore her

Out of those I've only read Murder on the Orient Express. I love that book; it's such good fun. I've read a lot of Christie, mostly when I was in high school. Have you seen the movie version from the 1974 with the all-star cast?

Spoiler: large image

 

[SusanNorton]

I'm reading two books right now: "Dune" and "Summerlong."

 

[Mr Nobody]

Just finished Graeme Macrae Burnet's His Bloody Project, about to start Sarah Perry's The Essex Serpent alongside a re-read of Mark Billingham's Lazy Bones.

 

[muskrat]

I feel like this is my first and last foray into Gaimin land.

Well, if you like comics, his Sandman series for DC/Vertigo is excellent. I recommend the A Game of You story arc. You can get it in trade paperback. Top notch.

 

[skimom2]

Out of those I've only read Murder on the Orient Express. I love that book; it's such good fun. I've read a lot of Christie, mostly when I was in high school. Have you seen the movie version from the 1974 with the all-star cast?

Spoiler: large image

I don't think I have! I'll look for it at the library today when I go to check out the novel

 

[carrie's younger brother]

I don't think I have! I'll look for it at the library today when I go to check out the novel

The movie is a hoot with everyone hamming it up! So not having seen the movie or read the book, I guess you don't know "whodunnit?"

 

[do1you9love?]

Out of those I've only read Murder on the Orient Express. I love that book; it's such good fun. I've read a lot of Christie, mostly when I was in high school. Have you seen the movie version from the 1974 with the all-star cast?

Spoiler: large image

When I was a kid, and my best friend's family got cable, this movie was on HBO all the time! Brings back memories!!

 

[carrie's younger brother]

I'm halfway through Jamaica Inn and loving it. I've never seen the movie and I really know nothing about the story so it's all very intriguing to me. I really like Daphne du Maurier and I am going to make it a point to read more of her.

 

[Sigmund]

I'm still on You by Caroline Kepnes. I'm enjoying it but Mr. King's Doctor Sleep and the *prequel* The Shining sure comes up a lot. (Yes, the protagonist has a bookstore but, jeez.)

carrie's younger brother Hola! What is your avi?

 

[CYRUS]

Deep Fathom by James Rollins

 

[carrie's younger brother]

I'm still on You by Caroline Kepnes. I'm enjoying it but Mr. King's Doctor Sleep and the *prequel* The Shining sure comes up a lot. (Yes, the protagonist has a bookstore but, jeez.)

carrie's younger brother Hola! What is your avi?

Ola Sigmund! Que tal? It is a stained glass window from the church I attend.

 

[Sigmund]

Ola Sigmund! Que tal? It is a stained glass window from the church I attend.

Beautiful.

 

[carrie's younger brother]

Beautiful.

Gracias. It was my desktop wallpaper at work for a while and everyone said pretty much the same thing. I'd say about 95% of the stained glass in our church is of this nature, meaning there are no actual figures in them, just shapes that form beautiful patterns. One can just sit there and stare at them and be spiritually transported out of ones physical space. And isn't that part of what religion is all about? The church I go to is beautiful physically and spiritually with beautiful people of all sexes, sexual orientations and colors filling the pews. And the "odd" thing? It's a Catholic church!

 

[Grant87]

I finished A Long December by Richard Chizmar over the weekend. I wanted to check out more of his writing after finishing Gwendy's Button Box. I loved this collection. Lots of good stuff in there. While not all the stories were winners, I didn't think there was a dud in the lot either. I think most fellow Constant Readers would enjoy it.

Next up for me is Christine.

 

[morgan]

The Shack (Young)

I can't wait to hear what you think of this book. I read it quite a few years ago and thought it was interesting. My mom loves the book and has read it at least three times.

 

[skimom2]

I can't wait to hear what you think of this book. I read it quite a few years ago and thought it was interesting. My mom loves the book and has read it at least three times.

None of the books on the list were available at my local branch today I'm not quite sure what I'm going to read instead. The category is page to screen, so I'm going to see if I have one on my shelves that I can read for this week.

 

[Grant87]

The Phenomenon - Rick Ankiel

This is an autobiography of Rick Ankiel, recently retired major league baseball player. Rick was a local high school phenom around my parts and was touted as the next Sandy Koufax when he got to the majors. He had a fantastic rookie season and at 20 years old, got to start game 1 of the 2000 playoff for the St Louis Cardinals. Then it all came undone in a disastrous 3rd inning when he suddenly lost his pitching control (an ailment baseball players call the yips) and never got it back. He struggled through 5 or so years trying to pitch again in the major leagues and couldn't do it. Then incredibly, he scrapped his pitching plans and decided to become an outfielder. He made it back to the majors as an outfielder and had a very successful rest of his career. He had a terrible father growing up who caused him a lot of problems. His dad went to prison on drug smuggling charges. The baseball reporters never really talked about it but since Rick was local, I knew about some of these things. Anyway, it's an incredible story about a guy who fought through lots of adversity and personal demons.

THE PHENOMENON - Public Affairs

I really liked that one. I got a personalized, signed copy as an early Father's Day gift about six weeks ago.

 

[Kurben]

None of the books on the list were available at my local branch today I'm not quite sure what I'm going to read instead. The category is page to screen, so I'm going to see if I have one on my shelves that I can read for this week.

If you intend to stay with Christie try to look for Death On The Nile or And Then There Were None instead. Both were made into movies, wellknown such. Also very popular so the library ought to have one of them.
Myself just finished The Alamut Ambush.