What Are You Reading?
 

Right now I am reading "Sarum" by Edward Rutherfurd. It is an historical novel of England, specifically Salisbury Plain from the Stone Age through present times. Really good.

I read another of his novels "London" last year, and it follows the same format, following the history of London from pre-Roman times until present.

What's on your reading list? :) No textbooks! Only leisure! :D

Memoirs of a Geisha, for the 5th or 6th time :)

Tge Diary of A Crush Trilogy (How High School :rolleyes:)

The Bible :D

I LOVE "Memoirs of a Geisha"! :D I read it about 3 times now. But the movie was SOOOOOO disappointing to me. Did you see it?

"crush " trilogy probably a little young for my geezerly behind...:p

And I love my Bible. ;)

Reading Now:

The Last Amazon
People of the Wolf
Eric (Audiobook) by Terry Pratchett

Just Finished:
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War
Fairest (Set in the same world as Ella Enchanted)
The Virgin's Lover

You should read Geisha, A Life. It's the real biographical story of the woman who spoke to the author of memoirs. She was promised anonymity but he revealed who she was, so she decided to set the story straight. She was basically shunned because she talked to this guy, and he changed things around.

For example, as a geiko (the Kyoto district word for geisha) her virginity was not sold, it was more of a coming out event. Prostitutes had their viriginity sold, but not geisha. They use the same word (mitsuage i think) which means something like "catch," like what a fisherman brings in, but it is not the same thing.

Never heard of those. Are they historical fiction? ( it sounds as though they are) I am such a sucker for that genre! :cool:

Yeah, the movie definetly fell short in my book. I expected more scenes, more eloquent kimonos. They barely skimmed the sections of her life. I know the movie was two hours as it was but I wouldn't have been upset if it was three or three and a half.

"Crush" most definetly. Not sure how old you are but its for the 14-24 ish type crowd.

Really? I will definetly have to look into that!

Right, Misuage was more like the purchasing of a geisha's sole companionship. Although I do believe it entailed the rights to her virginity as well. Of course my knowledge comes from "Memoirs of a Geisha" so I will read the book you recommended. It sounds eye-opening! Thanks.;)

Ha, some are yes.
The Last Amazon is by Stephen Pressfield, I got hooked on him after reading Gates of Fire (based on Thermopolye) after watching 300 :)
People of the Wolf is written by a paleontologist/archaeologist and is about, so far, the precursors to the Inuit being pressured to move south.
The Virgin's Lover is by Phillipa Gregory and she writes a lot of Tudor historical fiction. I've read a bunch by her including The Other Boleyn Girl (Mary Boleyn), and The Constant Princess (Catherine of Aragon). This one's about Queen Elizabeth I.
Fairest, fantasy fiction :)
And World War Z is written as if it were true, by Max Brooks (Mel Brooks' son) and is awesome. I'm still a little freaked out admittedly. He also wrote The Zombie Survival Guide which I need to read once I'm not spooked by moaning noises. I'll just say this, there are zombies in the ocean too. And they're still roaming around down there to occasionally surface and/or grab the occasional diver. And that's just a tiny bit.

Yes, I was really pissed at the Memoirs guy after reading that book, and the real one was way better.

I have read "The Other Boleyn Girl" and "The Constant Princess". I love Phillipa Gregory.

Do you have Showtime? The new series "The Tudors" is amazing. Well, of course Jonothan Rhys-Meyers is a hottie, who, self-admittedly bears NO resemblance to H8, it is a really juicy, beautifully done foray into the early years of H8's rule, specifically his break with the Church and Anne Boleyn.

I am an anglophile and make no excuses.....:D

Ha. I love historical fiction as well! I though I was the only loser. I loved Masterpiece Theatre's show on H8 and his wives. "The Other Boelyn Girl" will be on the top of my summer reading list along with the geisha book.

Oh have you heard of a book called "Darkside Zodiac"?

Have you ever read "Descent of Woman" by Elaine Morgan? Now I am a Christian, but a free-thinking one, and it delves into the alternative theories of evolution, using the role of women as the basis for it's main query "are we naked apes or hairy porpoises?"

ALSO, have you read anything my Steven J.Gould? He is an evolutionary biologist with several titles, including "The Flamingo's Smile".

Right now I'm reading The Pact by Jodi Picoult. VERY sad, but I'm enjoying it!

Honey, I am HUGE history geek with emphasis on British history! LOL! Lay down your hand and I will still be the geekiest! :o

PBS had a series about the six wives of H8 a year or two ago, but I missed it...in any case, "The Tudors" on Showtime is HAWT!!!!!

Also, I am a huge fan of Eleanor of Aquitaine (gotta love those Angevins and the Plantegents!) ....the remake of "The Lion In Winter" with Glenn Close as Eleanor is perfection. But a better portrayal of her in a fictional biography is "The Book of Eleanor" by Pamela Kaufman. Lovely.

Are the geek police coming??? My husband said he heard sirens! :eek:

That book broke my heart....."My Sister's Keeper" (is that the right title? is equally as tragic....she writes so well!

I'm loving the Tudors and it has nothing to do with the hottie king who always has his shirt off and some rock hard nipples... um... ahem... well this is awkward.

I've never been so happy for the free 6 months of Showtime in my life :D yay for being a new cable subscriber.

And it has nothing to do with the firmly carved upper lip and constant glisten to his shirtless torso. The piercing blue eyes really do nothing for me. :rolleyes: Nah. Not so much. I need a moment alone now.

OMG!!! He is one sexy beast!!:o

bump...this :cool: is a good thread!

I love to read Philippa Gregory and about all things Tudor, too!

I will be starting David Baldacci's latest, Simple Genius tomorrow. I always have three books going; a hardback for bedtime, a paperback in my purse, and one for reading aloud to my mom. My current paperback is Traitor, by Stephen Coonts, and S Is For Silence, by Sue Grafton for reading aloud. My uncle & I share thrillers (Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, etc), but my mother prefers "nice, clean murders"(!). I like thrillers & historical fiction best, and the occasional mind candy. I seriously considered subscribing to Showtime just to see The Tudors, but I'm sure it will go to dvd somewhat soon. At least, I hope so!!

Reading my Bible goes without saying.

Nothing but textbooks lately...

Well, I've been slowly burning through the Jack Ryan series by Tom Clancy. Cardinal of the Kremlin has been being read 2-3 pages at a time since the beginning of the semester :)

you get my brownie points for the day. i've admired eleanor of aquitaine since i had to pretend to be her in fifth grade when we researched and performed as an historical persona. what a woman, i mean really. queen (twice!), head of huge territorial holdings that were coveted by all and snatched by none, went off on the crusades, patroness of the arts, strong, feisty, unconventional, and all while living in the middle ages. she blows my mind.

not watching the tudors, but jonathan rhys-meyers....yummmmmmmmmm (ever since bend it like beckham. also have you seen him in matchpoint? even when he's scummy he's so delicious)

ahem.

now back to the topic at hand.
i'm reading:
the secret life of bees - sue monk kidd (started it last night, love it so far)
the places in between - rory stewart
the sorrow of war - bao ninh

Keepin' it classy as always, Jock. ;)

I just finished "Traitor" by Steven Coonts which I picked up at a community-wide garage sales last week for a quarter.

Coonts is a former Denver resident and Vietnam era Naval Avaitor.

That's my all-time favourite Jodi Picoult book. I've read most of her work-she's kind of hit or miss. Some of it is awesome and some is really had to get into. The Whale's Song (I think it's called) is set in the town next to mine. I really want to get 19 Minutes, her latest book.

Right now I am reading total crap. I'm re-reading my teenage horse novels because I've run out of things to read and have no time for the library or the bookstore. I'm also working on the Sword of Shannara which I stole from my boyfriend on a whim. It's okay, nothing special.

honeychile, nice choice with Baldacci, currently reading - Saving Faith.:)

Wicked: The life and times of the Wicked Witch of the West

fast food nation

Currently I'm reading Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married, A Supreme Conflict, and The Alexandria Link. I usually read two or three books a week on the bus and before bed.

Becoming Something: The Biography of Canada Lee

He was an interesting person.

I saw the musical.

Twice.

Small Animal Surgery
Cecil's Medical Textbook
Lange's Cardiovascular
Up From Slavery
and several scientific articles I need to ready on Rgs2 knockout mice

Eragon by Christopher Paolini.

Actually, I am listening to it on CD.

There IS no bad book by Baldacci! I was hesitant about The Christmas Train and Wish You Well, because they were out of his normal genre, but they were good, too!

I want to have his babies.

the secret...
well its short, so i read it (i saw the movie, and its basically the movie, just in print) but i've been flipping through it almost everyday
i recommend it, a little cheesy at times, but the message is awesome

uummm, judging from some of the other books, should i be reading classics and bestsellers? because frankly, they bore me. unless someone has any really good suggestions.

i am about to re-read Joy Luck Club for the 4th time, and i just finished A Piece Of Cake, by Cupcake Brown. this book is absolutely stunning. everything that could happen to this woman as a child, did. she is now a top attorney in California. if anyone claims that life dealt them a bad hand, and they cant get back on top of things? read this book and i assure you, there is hope for everyone.

gosh, i feel like the kids at the end of Reading Rainbow! i always wanted to review a book on there...that was like my 10 year old fantasy! i would practice in front of the mirror lol!

I am rereading The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. It is one of my favorite books especially the story Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong. It never fails to send chills up my spine when I read that.

I'm trying to get a hold of the book Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo. I want to read it b/c I've heard a lot of interesting commentary on this book.

I find most classics and bestsellers boring. It's only occasionally that, IMO, the general public has good enough taste for me to like a best seller. :)

What kind of books do you like cause I bet we could make recommendations.

ETA: Oh, and now I'm reading The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete protection from the living dead It's also written by Max Brooks so I went ahead and read it now. In the daylight...

I HAVE THAT BOOK! Mike gave it to me as a gag gift b/c he knows I'm convinced that zombies will one day walk the earth so we need to be prepared. I don't want to get caught with no plan like in all the zombie movies I secretly love. :p I'm such a dork.

Great book, I loved it. Her followup novel (The Mermaid Chair), however, I have not heard great things about

I would have enjoyed it more if I had known it was NOTHING like the musical.


I don't really have time for full books right now, but I read Psalms, Proverbs, etc outloud to my daughter in Spanish & English. I have one of those stacked Spanish/English bibles, and I love it.:)

I love to read, but don't have time to enjoy a book very often right now. (My 2 toddlers + a reading habit aren't very compatible. :o:) )

I did have the opportunity to read a novel last week though. (My in-laws kept the kids overnight while I was having a medical procedure. Being able to indulge in a novel almost made the experience not unpleasant. ;) ) It was Blood Orange by Drusilla Campbell. I picked it up awhile ago, because the back cover intrigued me. (The idea of a missing child is heartbreaking to me - I also follow the Project Jason website and blog.)

Anyhow, the book took a lot of twists and turns, and didn't go quite in the direction I would have anticipated from the blurb on the back cover. However, it was an enjoyable read - I have a few minor complaints about certain parts, but since this isn't a full scale book review I won't go into all that. :) Even though the book actually wasn't about what I had expected, it was a good way to indulge myself for the day.