Hello everyone

I thought that since we all love to talk about books so much that I would start a thread for us to share books we have known and loved, favorite authors, books we are currently reading, personal book reviews, recommendations.

Besides our favorite leisure books, reviews and recommendations of health, diet, exercise, lifestyle, cookbooks, and favorite magazines or other articles of interest would be great too!

We'll just have to share a virtual glass of wine or grape juice with each other over our book discussions

Happy reading

Okay, since I am an instigator and started this thread, I will go first. (sips glass of merlot )

I would highly recommend the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett.
They are sort of a Fantasy/magic themed series, very humourous in a tongue in cheek/Monty Python type way.

Although each book has a separate story and can stand alone they do have recurring characters and I would suggest that you start with the first book " The Colour of Magic".

Ok, I will jump in on this one.

I just finished reading Everythings Eventual by Stephen King. A collection of his short stories. It was pretty good. Some stories obviously better then others.

I am currently reading The Witching Hour by Anne Rice. So far it is really interesting, though a little confusing. It is the first in the Mayfair Witches series. The family tree seems very involved, which is why I am getting lost.

Other books I have read recently are:
The Lovely Bones, but I can't remember who wrote it. It was good, and not as creepy as it could have been, in a good way. It is about a young girl who is murdered, and from heaven, she watches her family cope.

White Oleander, which wasn't bad. Not great, but not bad.

I tried very hard to read Hogfather by Terry Pratchett. I had been told by 2 different people, I would love it. I borrowed the boy's copy, and couldn't get past pg 100. I started over a few times even. It just never really did much for me.

I just read a memoir called Where She Came From by Helen Epstein about her mother and grandmother who were Czech Jews - and all the research she did tracking down their life stories. It was really good.

I am rereading Bill Bryson's book on Australia, In a Sunburned Country - he is very funny and interesting, has written about the US, England, Europe & hiking the Appalachian Trail (which is something I would like to do someday).

Lidian

Oooo, this is a thread I can completely jump in on. I am a total book worm. Lets see, I absolutely lover the Harry Potter Books. I just totally lose myself in those. Then of course, anything by Scott Cunningham, and I have currantly got Stop Stuffing Yourself by WW ordered, I'll let you all know how that one is as soon as I get it

Oh, yeah, check out the avator. I think its cool.

Re-reading for the 4th time, Stephen King's ~ Bag of Bones... one of his best books if I do say so myself. Bone chilling, (pardon the pun) This is one of the erriest books I have ever read would HIGHLY reccommend it if you haven't read it and like his work.......

i'm new, but can i butt in anyways? I just finished reading a really good book that I didn't think i'd like.

"The Binding Chair: Or, A Visit from the Foot Emancipation Society" by Kathryn Harrison

I'm still deciding what it's about, really... though the underlying theme is birth-death-rebirth. It was a very good period piece set in China, France, and Russia in the early 1900's

Another one that I rather enjoyed was the Sevenwaters Trilogy by Juliet Marillier This one is a great set about three very strong women during 9th century Ireland. She did a lot of homework into the old customs and religious beliefs and even though fantasy is not really my usual genre the trilogy is now among my favorites ever.

Also, ANYthing by Gabriel Garcia Marquez...
wow, i'm just all over the place

Lizziness... of course you can join in! Particularly if you're a book reader. The books you've listed sound excellent... I'm going to look for "The Binding Chair..."

Well, you'd think I'd be in here like a dirty shirt, but I'm a little depressed right now, so I'm regressing. I've got two Hardy Boy books on the go beside my bed. (Lidian, they're just not as good as the Nancy Drew books, are they. snicker)

Downstairs, I'm reading ummm, The Penguin Book of Art Writing. It's an anthogy of "eyewitness accounts about the whole artistic process..."
And I'm rereading Famous Last Words, by Timothy Findley. Not his best, but quite intriguing... he's combined fiction and historical fact in a story revolving around "Hugh Selwyn Mauberley" during the final days of the Second World War. Ezra Pound does; of course, figure in the story.

I need some new books...

Ezra Pound! Darn name dropper!

I have just finished re-reading Mordecai Richler's St. Urban's Horseman and loved it as much as I loved it the first two times.

Still on the go right now is "Unless" by Carol Shields (taking me ages) and "Dropped Threads", an anthology of women's thoughts about life in general and what our mother's never told us.

Can you tell I like Canadian authors?

I hope I can join in too as I just love to read and will read almost anything anyone puts in front of me. My dh says I can't pass any place that sells books without stopping and buying at least one.

I just finished reading The Vanished Man by Jeffry Deaver (a mystery) which I didn't really expect to enjoy, but turned out to be an excellent read. I also read The Lovely Bones, but to me it seemed to drag in the middle and I was not too excited about the ending, but I guess since it has been on the bestseller list so long, maybe I am wrong. Also read James (?) Patterson's new book The Jester which is completely different from anything else he has written. Will to now and see if the I can The Colour of Magic as I have been enjoying the Harry Potter books. Hope you can suggest other that are entertaining. Caci

Well, I didn't want to deceive anyones thinking that Hugh Selwyn Mauberley was some sort of ummm... real person.

Oh... Canadian... me too, Ruthie! I just finished Catherine Parr Trail's The Backwoods of Canada. She was a MUCH livlier writer than her sister, Susanna Moodie.
I've got Mordecai's "Horsemen", but I haven't read it yet... obviously I'd better get started if it's that good! Isn't he a character.

I went for an hour and a half walk this morning, and mid-way stopped at a bookstore.
I bought, ummm...
Maurice or The Fisher's Cot by Mary Shelley
Lake Wobegon Summer 1956 by Garrison Keillor
Giant by Edna Ferber (now THERE'S a nose!!)

And I picked my DH up Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle. In English. I'm trying to read it quickly before he gets home from work. It's pretty a pretty cozy/easy read. Exactly what I need right now.

Welcome, Caci!

Make that "livelier".

Well.....I wasn't going to say anything!

Ellis,

I read that planet of the apes! THEN I saw the movie. I kept talking during the movie saying..."No no no that is not what is suppose to happen!" I love short stories (of any genre) and revisionist history. any recommendations??????

I have to read an adolescent book called Hidden Talents, but it looks good, so it'll be fine.

Sandi

Uh huh, Sandi. I always liked the movie, but the book is MUCH better (as is often the case). It's actually quite "deep". Sort of a "Lord of the Flies" or a "1984" type.

Short stories... I'm sorry to say I don't enjoy them very much... they're just too damned short! I HAVE read a number of good compilations by women. And Canadians... let me see what I've got...

ummm, sorry Sandi... I must not have kept any of them. Have you read Garrison Keillor? I know people either love him or hate him. My favorite of his is [u]Leaving Home[/]. It's a bunch of short stories, and they're (in my opinion) hilarious.