What's everybody reading?

I always have a ton of volumes going at once, but at the moment, I'm on huge kicks of Agatha Christie and Wodehouse (such security blankets for me). But last night I started The Red House, by A.A. Milne (yes, he of Winnie-the-Pooh fame). So far, it's of the typical 1920s/30s English Country House Murder genre, but there's something of the same delightful, lighthearted, bedtime story tone of the WTP books about it. Plus, I'm listening to it on audiobook, and there's something comforting about being read to.

Well, I'm looking for something new and that Milne sounds fabulous!

My budget has no room for new books, but I think I'll hit the library!

I wonder if it's sort of obscure? I'd never heard of it; just stumbled across it on audible.com. It had sort of bad reviews/star rankings, but I suspect that they're probably from snotty people who consider themselves Classic Crime Scholars. (Well, I stick to the period stuff, so I suppose in a way I'm snotty too, but heck, you really can't beat any between-the-Wars-Country-House-Murder actually written during the era.)

I used to be a snob about audiobooks and thought they were just for people who couldn't read. Then I had a kid. Poof! Just like that all those hours and hours of personal time vanished. Unfortunately my list of library holds did not shrink accordingly. I used to be able to get away with reading two or three books a week (at least) but now if I get fifteen minutes her and there, I'm lucky.

So I did it.

I borrowed an AUDIOBOOK! (Dun dun DUUUUUN!) And I played it during my 45 minute commute to work every day!

And it was GOOD.

Well, I've always liked audiobooks, because, as I said, I like being read to -- and it's a concept that was always around in my house, because my older sister is blind, so I used to listen to her Talking Books with her when I was a kid, as well as her regular audiobooks. The bad thing is that until recently (save for services for the blind) most audiobooks were abridged. But not so, these days. (Or sometimes there's a choice between the two, with different narrators.)

Lately, for me, they've been a godsend, because due so a yet-to-be-diagnosed illness, I literally am unable to read Actual Books, which is absolute torture. Without audiobooks, I'd seriously be Up The Creek.

Incidently, Talking Books are now available not only to the blind, but to those who have learning disabilities, especially helpful for dyslexia. Of course, you have to have documentation, and all that, but it's made a world of difference to several people I know. (You can request to have your textbooks and such recorded)

Hi all,

Well, count me the feast or famine side. I got three library holds in last week, so now I'm swamped....and darn it, why do I have to sleep? I get all set up with my book and BAM! I wake up at 2:30 in the morning wondering what happened!

In any event, here's my hot list:

The Archer Files by Ross MacDonald.

A compilation of Lew Archer, private investigator. I've heard so much about this author I thought I would give it a shot.

The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps

Reprints from golden era, including illustrations. Marlowe, if you see this, have you read this one yet? The one story I've read is just super.

I am almost done with Watership Down by Richard Adams. I will probably start The Plague Dogs nest but I have some Non Fiction I would like to read. Just finished Kurt Vonnegut's A Man Without A Country and want to read it about 10 more times.

deadpandiva wrote:

I am almost done with Watership Down by Richard Adams. I will probably start The Plague Dogs nest but I have some Non Fiction I would like to read. Just finished Kurt Vonnegut's A Man Without A Country and want to read it about 10 more times.

Watership Down is such a great book! Wasn't there a next book in which some further adventures took place????

I'm not reading anything vintage at the moment.

Hopscotch & Handbags by Lucy Mangan
The Night Watch by Sarah Waters

I'm re-reading TOM SAWYER right now. I thought my son might enjoy reading it for school since it's so fantastically boyish and he's nearly 10. But now a few chapters in I realize the school might have an issue with some of the words. Strike might. They definitely would.

I'm also about to start on MADEMOISELLE BOLEYN which is a (fictional) account of Anne Boleyn's time at the French court. I'll read absolutely anything about her.

I'm babysitting 9 month old twin girls during the days so I dont have too much time to read but I squeeze it in where I can (usually while they're sleeping!).

As far as audio books, I love them! I used to have an hour and a half commute each way and listening to Harry Potter was the only thing that got me through it!!

I've been reading "romances" from the late 20s. Butterfly and The Seagull.

The local libraries are very small (as befits a small state, I suppose), but their interlibrary loan system is superb.

I just go to the Providence Public Library site & do searches for authors, etc., and request lots of things.

On Friday I picked up some Kathleen Norris books. Sappy as can be, but very amusing. She was a talented writer.

BygoneKnits wrote:

I wonder if it's sort of obscure? I'd never heard of it; just stumbled across it on audible.com. It had sort of bad reviews/star rankings, but I suspect that they're probably from snotty people who consider themselves Classic Crime Scholars. (Well, I stick to the period stuff, so I suppose in a way I'm snotty too, but heck, you really can't beat any between-the-Wars-Country-House-Murder actually written during the era.)

It was well known at the time, and there's a funny story about a fellow author being up in arms about the crass person "stealing" his style to write that book..can't remember who it was.

I am also reading a John Dickson Carr (under Carter Dickson) which I'm finding very amusing.

Honore, you'd love it. It was written in the 30s, and yes--there's a country house. Of course it opens in London. I'll have to get the title when I get home, and post it.

I'm reading The Good Earth right now. I can't believe I never had to read it in school, but there you go. Mostly I just wanted to know if what people said about it was true; that it didn't deserve a Pulitzer. So far, I think they're right, but its entertaining anyhow, and Pearl Buck lived just a few miles away from here. It's also something I've always been interested in- rural China.

[quote="lindydiva"]

BygoneKnits wrote:

I am also reading a John Dickson Carr (under Carter Dickson) which I'm finding very amusing.

Honore, you'd love it. It was written in the 30s, and yes--there's a country house. Of course it opens in London. I'll have to get the title when I get home, and post it.

Thanks, that would be great -- I've never actually read him, although I keep meaning to.

Forgot to take a look at the book last night; I'll try to remember tonight.

Last night I picked up (and finished) a Stephanie Plum between-the-numbers (author: Janet Evanovich). Pure New Jersey camp, as usual!

Also, The Lost Equation, about the mathematics of symetry.

I've discovered free podcasts. I've downloaded a bunch of Agatha Christies and am working my way through them.

Audiobooks/podcasts are brilliant! I have two babies and am too busy during the day and usually my eyes are too tired at night to read for long. Now I've taken to lying in bed until all hours listening to my stories!

Me too -- they're very relaxing, I've found. Plus, they're good to listen to whlie I'm working on my knitting...killing two birds with one stone!

The Carter Dickson (John Dickson Carr) is The White Priory Murders.

It's a "Sir Henry Merrivale" mystery. Sir Henry has speech patterns like Lord Peter, but I think he's based on Sherlock Holmes brother.

It's a fun read; I would like to find more of these.

the_librarian wrote:

deadpandiva wrote:

I am almost done with Watership Down by Richard Adams. I will probably start The Plague Dogs nest but I have some Non Fiction I would like to read. Just finished Kurt Vonnegut's A Man Without A Country and want to read it about 10 more times.

Watership Down is such a great book! Wasn't there a next book in which some further adventures took place????

Yes it's called Tales From Watership Down. I loved Watership Down and what to start speaking in Lapine and Hedgrow.

I was making my way through the Ian Fleming James Bond books, which I'd never read before, and while the first four books are decent reads, Fleming really catches fire with From Russia With Love. I'm on Doctor No right now and it's fun to witness both Bond the character and Fleming the writer each grow in their respective fields.

Finished Girl Sleuth (as recommended by Bygone Knits!). I enjoyed it. The writer, Melanie Rehak is quite good at cutting to the chase, and judging from her choice of subject matter, I'd guess that she learned some of it from the people represented in the book.

It's not fiction, but after all, it's about a fiction series. And it made me want to go out & find the original text editions of Nancy Drew Right Now.

I am also re-reading (for the Nth time) The Fellowship of the Ring.

Murder at the Motor Show, by John Rhodes.

1936. It was fun, I was actually still guessing at the solution until the last few chapters.

lindydiva wrote:

Finished Girl Sleuth (as recommended by Bygone Knits!). I enjoyed it. The writer, Melanie Rehak is quite good at cutting to the chase, and judging from her choice of subject matter, I'd guess that she learned some of it from the people represented in the book.

It's not fiction, but after all, it's about a fiction series. And it made me want to go out & find the original text editions of Nancy Drew Right Now.

I am also re-reading (for the Nth time) The Fellowship of the Ring.

Yay!

I LOVE the original 1930s editions of Nancy! As fun as the '50-'60s yellow-bound ones are, the first editions are so much better. They seem to be getting more difficult to find in good shape, but there are good facimile editions, published by Applewood Books (They also do the original editions of The Hardy Boys, Judy Bolton (I love her!), Cherry Ames, etc)
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-4037899-7283149?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=nancy+drew+facsimile

Hmm...looks like some of the regular later editions made it into the seach...and a lot of the facsimile edition are OOP.

Aren't the dustjackets lovely?

Yes, they are.

I adore the older ones, but grew up on the yellow & blue, and then the lilac bindings.

My mother subscribed me to a Nancy Drew book club when I was 8.

As always, I've got a stack on the go. That's not because I'm a speedy reader, it's because I'm lazy and I have a short attention span. I'm succeeding in whizzing through all od David Goodis's books though. Surely the king of noir. Desperation at its best.

There's a biography of Nikola Tesla on the bedside table that's waiting to be read, as well as biographies of Jim Thompson and Frank Ryan (Irish Freedom fighter and Spanish Civil War volunteer).
The coffee table is creaking with a gigantic Bill Ward book (the sauciest cartoon vixens ever?), some Tom Poulton Books (extremely graphic, mid-century, sketched erotica), various typography books (Jan Tschischold etc) and a pile of 1950s American men's magazines.