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Group Reads February - July..
Here are the 6 titles that got the most votes, and will be our group reads, beginning in February. For you newbies, our group discussions happen here on the second Saturday of each month, when a thread gets started and we all chime in. Be sure and join us!
FEBRUARY - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
MARCH - Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet by Jamie Ford
APRIL - 11/22/63 by Stephen King
MAY - The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
JUNE - Submission by Amy Waldman
JULY - Iron House by John Hart
FEBRUARY - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
MARCH - Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet by Jamie Ford
APRIL - 11/22/63 by Stephen King
MAY - The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
JUNE - Submission by Amy Waldman
JULY - Iron House by John Hart
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A Tree Grows in Brooklyn group discussion...
What, for you, makes this classic so appealing, in fact, makes it a classic? For me, the first thing I think of is that although it was written a long time ago, it still seems so fresh, seems to apply to core thoughts and questions. For example, the quote I'm going to post in a minute... this topic, ie why is one parent the favorite even though the other parent possesses more admirable qualities, is one that has been discussed a lot in families I have contact with.
"Francie knew that mama was a good woman. She knew. And papa said so. Then why did she like her father better than her mother? Why did she? Papa was no good. He said so himself. But she liked papa better."
- Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Ch. 1"
"Francie knew that mama was a good woman. She knew. And papa said so. Then why did she like her father better than her mother? Why did she? Papa was no good. He said so himself. But she liked papa better."
- Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Ch. 1"
Taken by Robert Crais
From Goodreads:
"Elvis Cole is hired by a mother to find her missing daughter. The woman came into this country at age seven as an illegal from Mexico. Her daughter was born here and has a bright future. She received ransom demands over the phone for a ridiculously low sum, $500.00, and her daughter spoke with a thick Mexican accent. She thinks the girl ran off with her boy friend, who she doesn't like, and this ransom demand is dome kind of ploy.
It doesn't take Cole long to learn the truth. She'd been following a lead about transportation of illegals from Mexico, not just Hispanics, but Koreans, Arabs, anyone who wanted in and had the funds. The latest group had been hijacked by a bandit group who were milking the poor families for every dime until they couldn't pay, then killing the victims. The daughter and her boy friend had happened to be caught up when it went down near where she was looking.
The format is different from other Crais novels. Alternating points of view, first person for Cole's chunks, third for Joe Pike's and the two kidnapped victims.
When Cole is taken by the head of the outlaw band, Pike kicks into high gear and brings along a friend to help find Cole, a man equally gifted in mayhem.
Read this one today, three hundred-forty-one pages, the damn thing moved at a fast pace, keeping me held until I hit the end."
Crais fans will like the book, although I did not care for the alternating points of view format.
"Elvis Cole is hired by a mother to find her missing daughter. The woman came into this country at age seven as an illegal from Mexico. Her daughter was born here and has a bright future. She received ransom demands over the phone for a ridiculously low sum, $500.00, and her daughter spoke with a thick Mexican accent. She thinks the girl ran off with her boy friend, who she doesn't like, and this ransom demand is dome kind of ploy.
It doesn't take Cole long to learn the truth. She'd been following a lead about transportation of illegals from Mexico, not just Hispanics, but Koreans, Arabs, anyone who wanted in and had the funds. The latest group had been hijacked by a bandit group who were milking the poor families for every dime until they couldn't pay, then killing the victims. The daughter and her boy friend had happened to be caught up when it went down near where she was looking.
The format is different from other Crais novels. Alternating points of view, first person for Cole's chunks, third for Joe Pike's and the two kidnapped victims.
When Cole is taken by the head of the outlaw band, Pike kicks into high gear and brings along a friend to help find Cole, a man equally gifted in mayhem.
Read this one today, three hundred-forty-one pages, the damn thing moved at a fast pace, keeping me held until I hit the end."
Crais fans will like the book, although I did not care for the alternating points of view format.
"Bringing Up Bébé"
Wonderful article telling of book published last week on parenting children. Excellent thoughts!!! I'm thinking of buying a copy as a baby gift!
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OVERWHELMED WITH BOOKS!
Mercy, never thought I'd say that I have too many good books at hand but it's happened! Am thoroughly enjoying Elizabeth George's BELIEVING THE LIE (608 pg.). Also from library have Mo Hayder's GONE recommended by carci. Still haven't read A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN but I did buy a copy. Yesterday a friend dropped off a book I've been eager to read Laura Hillenbrand's UNBROKEN. It's true "So many books, so little time!" Anyone else reading something captivating right now?
The Architecture of the Arkansas Ozarks
A really bad name for a really good novel by Donald Harington. Did any one else download this from Amazon when it was their Kindle deal of the day a few weeks ago? If so what did you think? It's the story of 6 generations that lived in a small village in the Ozarks called Stay More. The citizens call themselves Stay Morons. It's funny and very well written. Fortunately, Harington has writen several more novels about Stay More. I downloaded another yesterday and am enjoying it called "Butterfly Weed" about the country doctor.
Lone Wolf
Jodi Picoult has a new release expected later this month. Can't wait to get my hands on this one... view link
Too Much Detail - ‘Behind the Beautiful Forevers’?
Talking recently about her meticulously reported account of life in a Mumbai slum – no, not that one – writer Katherine Boo said she hoped to answer questions she herself had about who makes it and who doesn’t in India.
“Behind the Beautiful Forevers,” out this month, makes it pretty clear that it isn’t just a question of working as hard as possible, given that the neighborhood of Annawadi is a place where most people are “busting their ass.”
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“Behind the Beautiful Forevers,” out this month, makes it pretty clear that it isn’t just a question of working as hard as possible, given that the neighborhood of Annawadi is a place where most people are “busting their ass.”
view link
