Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/8/2011 7:45 AM EDT
- -callie
- Posts: 2697
- First: 3/21/2010
- Last: 6/6/2012
Once I take a pass on a book, I forget all about it. So rather than do research to remember forgettable books, I'll piggyback off your choices :-)
I can understand why you didn't like Hedgehog. It was kind of pretentous and filled with philosophical references I didn't understand (or even try to), but I enjoyed it anyway.
I only finished Three Cups of Tea because it was for my book group. Everyone else loved it, go figure. But it was still disappointing to find out about the author.
I never tried Lolita in Tehran after Three Cups of Tea, but I loved The Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. The author is an African Muslim woman who writes about her flight to the Netherlands. Very controversial when published, and I think she still leads a guarded life because of death threats.
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/8/2011 7:51 AM EDT
- -callie
- Posts: 2697
- First: 3/21/2010
- Last: 6/6/2012
In Response to
Re: Book Theme Game:
In Response to Re: Book Theme Game : Yeah, one of the people there is always suggesting I might be better suited to a less challenging forum! :-D Which is why I'm so glad callie made this sandbox for me to play in. Thank you, callie! ETA: I'll try Water for Elephants again -- if I can ever get through Bruno Littlemore.
Posted by EnjoyEverySandwich
What!!!! That buffoon doesn't deserve to share your pail and shovel!
And sandy, :-) !!!
I second Water for Elephants - it's a good story. But I won't be trying Bruno Littlemore. Sorry you were the guinea pig!
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/8/2011 9:19 AM EDT
Thanks, -callie! I have a broad musical knowledge (pop, rock, but also country and jazz) but not necessarily deep, and most of the music forum is focused on in-depth knowledge of recent rock and roll. Which, if they would just include the Wiggles, Laurie Berkner, and Big Time Rush in that conversation I would SO nail that.
I did look at the Amazon reader reviews for Bruno. Some people really really loved it. It really is, in some ways, well-written. The descriptions in the book are extremely detailed -- like something that might be well-described in 3 sentences will instead take pages. They're not difficult pages to read, but over time, it gets tedious. The bigger issue is the non-sensical behavior of one of the main characters. Essentially the maternal character switches, with really no explained rationale, to a sexual/romantic partner. It's not just that this is implausible, it's that there is no motivation detectable in the book why a normal intelligent woman would switch roles like that -- and with a chimp, no less.
This is the second book I've read in the past year where a male author seems to not understand how a woman's mind would work. If you're going to have a character do something beyond the pale, first you have to understand that it is beyond the pale (which I'm not sure these authors do) and then you have to have some background explanation why this could occur. I'm only halfway through Bruno, so it's possible this will come out later in the book, but so far I'm not hopeful.
Hey, we probably need a new topic. Anyone have any ideas?
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/8/2011 4:17 PM EDT
- chazz508
- Posts: 1524
- First: 2/25/2011
- Last: 3/23/2013
In Response to
Re: Book Theme Game:
In Response to Re: Book Theme Game : Yeah, one of the people there is always suggesting I might be better suited to a less challenging forum! :-D Which is why I'm so glad callie made this sandbox for me to play in. Thank you, callie! ETA: I'll try Water for Elephants again -- if I can ever get through Bruno Littlemore.
Posted by EnjoyEverySandwich
LOL! At least you weren't called a dirty old woman with too much time on her hands!! (And then there's the constant, "jkj is so smart and wonderful"......I mean, come on, sandy, you know jkj, he's ok, but awesome????)
I agree, thank you callie!! It's nice to be able to play and still go off on tangents!
Just finished Wesley. I won't say too much because I don't want to spoil it for callie and sandy, but Elkie, I absolutley LOVED it. I love reading about people who are as crazy about animals as I am! (One of the major reasons I went out with jkj was he had 2 cats!) What a touching relationship they had.
It was such a great story and so beautifully written.
I especially enjoyed her opinion on shooting wolves from helicopters, hmmm.
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/8/2011 4:38 PM EDT
- 5thtry
- Posts: 5495
- First: 1/11/2006
- Last: 9/2/2011
In Response to
Re: Book Theme Game:
In Response to Re: Book Theme Game : LOL! At least you weren't called a dirty old woman with too much time on her hands!! (And then there's the constant, jkj is so smart and wonderful......I mean, come on, sandy, you know jkj, he's ok, but awesome????) I agree, thank you callie!! It's nice to be able to play and still go off on tangents! Just finished Wesley. I won't say too much because I don't want to spoil it for callie and sandy, but Elkie, I absolutley LOVED it. I love reading about people who are as crazy about animals as I am! (One of the major reasons I went out with jkj was he had 2 cats!) What a touching relationship they had. It was such a great story and so beautifully written. I especially enjoyed her opinion on shooting wolves from helicopters, hmmm.
Posted by chazz508
house of sand and fog
joy luck club
clan of the cave bear
don't even know what the previous theme was, don't even know if these are theme related, but i liked them. just throwing in my 2cents on books i enjoyed. over and out of building.
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/8/2011 5:02 PM EDT
- jkjband
- Posts: 2880
- First: 12/30/2007
- Last: 9/2/2012
In Response to
Re: Book Theme Game:
In Response to Re: Book Theme Game : LOL! At least you weren't called a dirty old woman with too much time on her hands!! (And then there's the constant, jkj is so smart and wonderful......I mean, come on, sandy, you know jkj, he's ok, but awesome????) I agree, thank you callie!! Posted by chazz508
You do know that I know how to read?
I think I just awesome enough, thank-you.
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/8/2011 5:06 PM EDT
In Response to
Re: Book Theme Game:
(And then there's the constant, jkj is so smart and wonderful......I mean, come on, sandy, you know jkj, he's ok, but awesome????) I agree, thank you callie!! (One of the major reasons I went out with jkj was he had 2 cats!)
Posted by chazz508
I was going to concede your point about awesome, and then you said he'd had 2 cats when you met him.
Now,
come on, that is righteously awesome! Mr. Sandwich told me he loved cats when he first met me, but he was
lying. I forgive him cuz that was the love talking. And maybe the lust.
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/8/2011 5:28 PM EDT
- chazz508
- Posts: 1524
- First: 2/25/2011
- Last: 3/23/2013
In Response to
Re: Book Theme Game:
In Response to Re: Book Theme Game : You do know that I know how to read? I think I just awesome enough, thank-you.
Posted by jkjband
hey, you never play in here...thought I could get away with it!!
(
sorry)
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/8/2011 5:31 PM EDT
- chazz508
- Posts: 1524
- First: 2/25/2011
- Last: 3/23/2013
In Response to
Re: Book Theme Game:
In Response to Re: Book Theme Game : I was going to concede your point about awesome, and then you said he'd had 2 cats when you met him. Now, come on , that is righteously awesome! Mr. Sandwich told me he loved cats when he first met me, but he was lying . I forgive him cuz that was the love talking. And maybe the lust.
Posted by EnjoyEverySandwich
geeesh sandwich, just what I need, another thread to build that BIG ego of his!!
that's cool that Mr. Sandwich cared enough to lie (and look, it worked!)
jkj says in the beginning, I always pretended to be sweet
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/9/2011 2:22 AM EDT
Good morning and happy Saturday all!
I've been away and don't see a thread so I'm proposing a new one, traveling abroad. Since I'm reading one right now as well as living abroad I'll start with:
David McCullough's -The Greater Journey Americans in Paris
Go, or as they'd say in Paris, aller...
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/9/2011 9:41 AM EDT
Welcome back, Walking!!
Funny coincidence, I just saw that book recently -- I think when I was trolling amazon for ideas for the books-about-Paris theme.
For traveling abroad:
Travels With My Aunt
A Room With a View
The Marble Faun
The Pillars of Hercules (and loads more books by Paul Theroux)
Tara Road
Appetite for Life (biography of Julia Child)
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/9/2011 9:59 AM EDT
- chazz508
- Posts: 1524
- First: 2/25/2011
- Last: 3/23/2013
Like the new avatar, Walking! Good Morning, sandy!
I'm just adding Under the Tuscan Sun.
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/9/2011 10:22 AM EDT
Hi Sandy, Chazz - gets busy over here and sometimes hard to keep up on all these sites. The McCullough book is a great read so far. Then again, all of his stuff is excellent!
Here's another one, read it long ago and re-read it recently:
The Innocents Abroad - Mark Twain
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/9/2011 2:52 PM EDT
How about The Pickwick Papers?
Of course, the joke in that book is that "abroad" for them is within a 10 mile radius of where they started.
It's all in your perspective, I guess.
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/9/2011 3:32 PM EDT
- -callie
- Posts: 2697
- First: 3/21/2010
- Last: 6/6/2012
Eat, Pray, Love
Little Women - I remember feeling sorry for Jo because Amy got to travel to Europe with the aunt instead of Jo. And I found it hard to believe that Jo didn't feel jealous when Amy returned engaged (married?) to Laurie.
1000 Places to See Before You Die, not a novel but a fun reference book
Good topic, Walking!
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/9/2011 3:37 PM EDT
- -callie
- Posts: 2697
- First: 3/21/2010
- Last: 6/6/2012
No title comes to mind, but after seeing the "Royal Couple" in their cowboy hats I'm thinking of books about cowboys or on ranches ...
Oh! I have one: The Virginian
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/9/2011 8:41 PM EDT
- Elekktra
- Posts: 2120
- First: 5/17/2010
- Last: 5/21/2013
Traveling abroad
Around the World in 80 Days --Jules Verne
The Portrait of A Lady -- H. James
Don’t Drink the Water --play written by Woody Allen
Around the World with Auntie Mame --Patrick Dennis
Cowboys or Ranches:
Brokeback Mountain
The Horse Whisperer
The Egg and I
Lonesome Dove
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/10/2011 3:14 AM EDT
For Cowboys, well, this may be a stretch:
Stephen King's Dark Tower Series
After all, Roland is a gunslinger...
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/10/2011 7:22 AM EDT
- -callie
- Posts: 2697
- First: 3/21/2010
- Last: 6/6/2012
Also,
Shane
All the Pretty Horses
Here's a bonus - I've had this noodling around (but it's not an earworm as far as I'm concerned) since I posted the theme, and since sharing is caring here you go:
Well, there is a young cowboy he lives on the range
His horse and his cattle are his only companions
He works in the saddle and he sleeps in the canyons
Just waiting for Summer, his pastures to change
And as the moon rises he sits by his fire
Thinking about women and glasses of beer
And closing his eyes as the dogies retire
He sings out a song which is soft but it's clear
As if maybe someone could hear
(Chorus)
Goodnight you moonlight ladies
Rockabye sweet baby James
Deep greens and blues are the colours I choose
Won't you let me go down in my dreams
And rockabye sweet baby James
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/10/2011 9:33 AM EDT
Thanks for sharing Callie
Fortunately I have a nice little mix of David Sandborn, John Scofield, Eddie Daniels, and Pat Metheny going right now to keep your earworn at bay.
More Cowboys:
The Amazing Tom Mix: The Most Famous Cowboy of the Movies - Richard Jensen
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/10/2011 10:43 AM EDT
Elkie mentioned two of the books I was thinking about.
The Dark Wind (and anything else by Tony Hillerman)
Fanous Gunfighters of the Western Frontier by Bat Masterson
Burn Out by Marcia Muller
Crucifixion River by Muller and Pronzini
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/10/2011 10:44 AM EDT
How about for the next topic, books with vegetables in their titles?
....and now for something completely different......
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/10/2011 12:36 PM EDT
- chazz508
- Posts: 1524
- First: 2/25/2011
- Last: 3/23/2013
In Response to
Re: Book Theme Game:
How about for the next topic, books with vegetables in their titles? ....and now for something completely different......
Posted by EnjoyEverySandwich
ok, not to be a pain, but are fruits acceptable?... because I have some for fruit....
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/10/2011 1:48 PM EDT
In Response to
Re: Book Theme Game:
In Response to Re: Book Theme Game : ok, not to be a pain, but are fruits acceptable?... because I have some for fruit....
Posted by chazz508
You can't handle the fruit!!Yeah, okay, if you want to sweeten it up, go for fruit. :)
Re: Book Theme Game
posted at 7/10/2011 1:59 PM EDT
Are tomatoes fruit or veggies?
Regardless - Fried Green Tomatoes at Whistlestop Junction (I think) - Fanny someone or other
