What Are You Reading?

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Doc Creed

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Nov 18, 2015
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Just finished one for review that I liked a lot--read the whole thing in one day, and that doesn't happen too much anymore. ALMOST SISTERS, by Joshlyn Jackson. I reviewed her THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYTHING a couple of years ago. And liked it as well. Modern Southern family novel, very funny.
She's really popular here.
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
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USA
Finished Conclave by Robert Harris. Very good. About the rivalries and intrigues taking place during a papal election. A thriller without guns, agents, carchases or courtdramas, Just elderly men dressed in their cardinal robes. Starts with the popes death.
It was papal intrigues that ushered Pope John XXIII into office. Opposing "parties" couldn't get their man into position to win oververwhelmingly, so they decided to pick an old fat guy, figuring that he'd die quickly, wouldn't do much harm, and by that point one party would be ahead.

Fooled them. He ushered in Vatican II. :)

Papal politics is fascinating.
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
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Speaking of "over the top" Southern storytellers, she reminds me of Mark Childress and Michael Lee West (female).
I think she is more talented than Childress. Sometimes he becomes tiresome to me. I remember reviewing GEORGIA BOTTOMS when it first came out, and that's when I decided I was done. His writing started to feel forced to me.

I haven't read the other writer, but I'll surely look her up now :)
 

Kurben

The Fool on the Hill
Apr 12, 2014
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It was papal intrigues that ushered Pope John XXIII into office. Opposing "parties" couldn't get their man into position to win oververwhelmingly, so the decided to pick an old fat guy, figuring that he'd die quickly, wouldn't do much harm, and by that point one party would be ahead.

Fooled them. He ushered in Vatican II. :)

Papal politics is fascinating.
what we know about it. I am sure there are a lot things being said and done that we never know about. In this book Harris has allowed himself to change names so no real persons are depicted. The pope who dies are not Francis for example and the major cardinals are inventions but locationsand procedures are correct.
As for Popes i was never a fan of Ratzinger but i like Francis.
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
what we know about it. I am sure there are a lot things being said and done that we never know about. In this book Harris has allowed himself to change names so no real persons are depicted. The pope who dies are not Francis for example and the major cardinals are inventions but locationsand procedures are correct.
As for Popes i was never a fan of Ratzinger but i like Francis.
Agreed. I'm going to look for this book. Thanks for the rec!
 

Doc Creed

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With all of you guys' recent talk of the yellow wallpaper and finding out it was as old as it is, I downloaded it from the guttenburg project for free. I think I'll read that while I decide on my next book, seeing as how it's only a short story.
I use that website all the time. They have so many obscure titles, too. I even found a collection of Beethoven's old letters.
 

Nomik

Carry on
Jun 19, 2016
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With all of you guys' recent talk of the yellow wallpaper and finding out it was as old as it is, I downloaded it from the guttenburg project for free. I think I'll read that while I decide on my next book, seeing as how it's only a short story.
Literary classic! Let me know what you think when you finish; I love to analyze literature.

Okay, well I am picking up the fourth book in Koont's Odd Thomas series: Odd Hours.
I don't mean that I'm just now purchasing it, because I actually bought it a while ago. Dean Koontz is always hit and miss with me, but I've really enjoyed this series.
I certainly hope that's allowed here!:p:hopelessness::matrix:
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
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Literary classic! Let me know what you think when you finish; I love to analyze literature.

Okay, well I am picking up the fourth book in Koont's Odd Thomas series: Odd Hours.
I don't mean that I'm just now purchasing it, because I actually bought it a while ago. Dean Koontz is always hit and miss with me, but I've really enjoyed this series.
I certainly hope that's allowed here!:p:hopelessness::matrix:
...certainly is, there is even a Koontz Thread.....that smells like wet golden retriever....
 

Nomik

Carry on
Jun 19, 2016
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...certainly is, there is even a Koontz Thread.....that smells like wet golden retriever....
Now I think I'm going completely crazy! I picked it up, started to read, and experienced such severe deja vous that I realized I had actually already read the book. (I caught the Golden Retriever reference on every level, by the way).
I'm going to give The Fireman another shot. I got like 150 pages in and gave up. Kevin pointed out that I should finish it out of obligation, since Joe signed it to me. He also pointed out that it might get better.
It's not that it's bad, I'm just not invested in the main character yet. (Please don't tell Joe)
 

Nomik

Carry on
Jun 19, 2016
3,973
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Derry, NH
I'm reading It because I haven't read it for about 3-4 years. I also just finished reading Skeleton Crew for about the third time.
I just put It on hold at the Derry Public library; I haven't read it in a while either. The weird part is, they don't have a copy! They had to order it from another library, in Derry, of all places! BTW, the librarian has no interest in seeing the new movie because "the new Pennywise looks too scary", plus, she's a huge Tim Curry fan. She seems like one of those people who will become my friend soon.
 

The Nameless

M-O-O-N - That spells Nameless
Jul 10, 2011
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The Darkside of the Moon (England really)
Literary classic! Let me know what you think when you finish; I love to analyze literature.

Okay, well I am picking up the fourth book in Koont's Odd Thomas series: Odd Hours.
I don't mean that I'm just now purchasing it, because I actually bought it a while ago. Dean Koontz is always hit and miss with me, but I've really enjoyed this series.
I certainly hope that's allowed here!:p:hopelessness::matrix:
I just finished it, it was.... Strange, to say the least.
It was interesting, if not a little uncomfortable to read a 1st person account of an unknowing descent into insanity.
 
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