angeli
Senior Member
Posts: 764
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Post by angeli on Apr 6, 2023 20:06:43 GMT
Bring On The Empty Horses by David Niven. A series of fun stories and recollections about old Hollywood. I read that book years ago and enjoyed it. Very light-hearted and entertaining. I'm reading, "All The Devils Are Here" by Louise Penny. The title comes from a quote: "Hell is empty. All the devils are here." It's one of a series of books about a police inspector from Quebec, his family and his co-workers as they enjoy life and solve crimes. I've read the other books in the series and enjoyed them, but I'm trying not to read the series too fast because she can only write so fast. |
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Post by waterslide on Nov 12, 2023 4:30:30 GMT
Bring On The Empty Horses by David Niven. A series of fun stories and recollections about old Hollywood. I read that book years ago and enjoyed it. Very light-hearted and entertaining. I'm reading, "All The Devils Are Here" by Louise Penny. The title comes from a quote: "Hell is empty. All the devils are here." It's one of a series of books about a police inspector from Quebec, his family and his co-workers as they enjoy life and solve crimes. I've read the other books in the series and enjoyed them, but I'm trying not to read the series too fast because she can only write so fast. This is the book series that Three Pines is based on? I have been meaning to watch that, but didn't realize it was based on books. There is another Quebec detective show I like called The Wall. |
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angeli
Senior Member
Posts: 764
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Post by angeli on Nov 16, 2023 2:36:19 GMT
I read that book years ago and enjoyed it. Very light-hearted and entertaining. I'm reading, "All The Devils Are Here" by Louise Penny. The title comes from a quote: "Hell is empty. All the devils are here." It's one of a series of books about a police inspector from Quebec, his family and his co-workers as they enjoy life and solve crimes. I've read the other books in the series and enjoyed them, but I'm trying not to read the series too fast because she can only write so fast. This is the book series that Three Pines is based on? I have been meaning to watch that, but didn't realize it was based on books. There is another Quebec detective show I like called The Wall. Hmm....I guess you're referring to a TV series? Yes, Three Pines is the name of the village that the main character and his wife (and an interesting assortment of other characters) live in. I'll have to look for that -- what channel is it on? The book series is very good, although the first book is weaker than the others. |
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Post by waterslide on Nov 16, 2023 5:55:21 GMT
This is the book series that Three Pines is based on? I have been meaning to watch that, but didn't realize it was based on books. There is another Quebec detective show I like called The Wall. Hmm....I guess you're referring to a TV series? Yes, Three Pines is the name of the village that the main character and his wife (and an interesting assortment of other characters) live in. I'll have to look for that -- what channel is it on? The book series is very good, although the first book is weaker than the others. Yeah, Three Pines is streaming on Amazon Prime. I don't think you need an extra subscription to get it. I'm not sure how good it is, but it has 3 seasons, so maybe it's worth a watch? |
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Post by mrsfawlty on Feb 21, 2024 15:19:11 GMT
I just finished reading Mr Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath. The pure humanity that flowed from his pen is as powerful now as when I first read it as a teenager. The final page contains one of the greatest acts of humanity I've ever read- and moved me as much now as it did years ago.
Unfortunately, it appears that the book was treated quite badly by the book-burning crowd. Shame on them all! The themes contained in the book are as relevant as the current struggles that people are suffering with the cost of living crisis- food prices sky high, energy costs sky high, poor wage growth/'zero hours' contracts(a new-ish thing), mortgage interest rates sky high. No change between then and now- the institutions are making tons of money hand over fist and it's us, the little people who suffer!
When I first read the book my mother told me "Everyone should read this book!" Mammy Elizabeth was a very wise lady!
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Post by Pixie on Feb 21, 2024 18:21:07 GMT
I love this book, there is something so poignant about the sheer desperation of the protagonists, I find it so beautifully written.
And as you said, sadly still so relevant today
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Post by mrsfawlty on Feb 25, 2024 17:33:24 GMT
I love this book, there is something so poignant about the sheer desperation of the protagonists, I find it so beautifully written. And as you said, sadly still so relevant today Thank you, Pixie. My husband bought me a copy of the original manuscript of the book when I hit 40. Reading the words as Mr Steinbeck wrote them was truly moving. His writing was so neat and he was apparently encouraged by his wife/proof-reader to keep the written words to a decent and readable size! This pic is from the site!  |
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Post by Pixie on Feb 25, 2024 21:58:50 GMT
OMG, I do have a neat and tidy handwriting, but this makes me blush with envy!
That's a manuscript I'd love as well ! I tried to convince Swede to read this book a few years ago, and he gave up as he thought it was too depressing, but he loved the style, and the beauty of the writing.
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Post by waterslide on Mar 15, 2024 19:01:54 GMT
That manuscript copy looks amazing, but it's making my hand cramp just looking at it. I also have pretty nice handwriting, but I could not sustain it for that long..it gets sloppier and sloppier. Steinbeck does have a beautiful writing style. I read The Grapes of Wrath before, but had started East of Eden and didn't finish it for whatever reason, but I remember loving the prose. Maybe I should give it another go or reread Grapes of Wrath, because at this point, I would not pass a quiz on it. lol
My work has a very tiny (like as in 3 people tiny) book club we are hoping to grow, so last month I read The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner for that, which was kind of whatever. The characters are flat, the historical part is only so-so, but it is an interesting idea for a story. Not the worst book I've read, but won't be reading it again.
This month, we're reading The Women by Kristin Hannah. This is my first book of hers, and I actually was the one to suggest it because I googled book club suggestions, and it came up and so many people were excited about it, so I jotted it down not even knowing what it was about. It has so many 4 and 5 star reviews, which normally doesn't mean anything to me, but I was trying to find something that wouldn't bore/gross out/scandalize a group of people. I haven't gotten too far into it, but I have a feeling I will be saying the same things as I did about the last book, though I am giving it a chance. I mean, I think the whole point of a book club is either to read something everyone loves, or the opposite, read things you wouldn't normally read, and I'm doing the latter.
I'm also listening to a book called The Burgundians: A Vanished Empire by Bart Van Loo. It popped up as a suggestion on Audible and I never find anything I have the attention span to listen to, but I am loving this one so much I'm thinking of buying the paper version of it.
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Post by faithanne on Mar 15, 2024 20:35:39 GMT
I'm also listening to a book called The Burgundians: A Vanished Empire by Bart Van Loo. It popped up as a suggestion on Audible and I never find anything I have the attention span to listen to, but I am loving this one so much I'm thinking of buying the paper version of it. I'm currently reading the second book in the Accursed Kings series, about the end of House Capet and the rise of House Valois, and the beginnings of the Hundred Years War. The first book was mainly about the three daughters of Burgundy who married the King's sons and were supposedly a bunch of strumpets. I didn't know much about French history before but I'm getting into it, so I've put your Burgundians book at the top of my list. |
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Post by waterslide on Mar 15, 2024 22:27:46 GMT
I'm also listening to a book called The Burgundians: A Vanished Empire by Bart Van Loo. It popped up as a suggestion on Audible and I never find anything I have the attention span to listen to, but I am loving this one so much I'm thinking of buying the paper version of it. I'm currently reading the second book in the Accursed Kings series, about the end of House Capet and the rise of House Valois, and the beginnings of the Hundred Years War. The first book was mainly about the three daughters of Burgundy who married the King's sons and were supposedly a bunch of strumpets. I didn't know much about French history before but I'm getting into it, so I've put your Burgundians book at the top of my list. Likewise - I will have to check out the Accursed Kings series. I had kind of strayed from historical stuff for a while (I fell down a social horror rabbit hole) and I've been looking for some new stuff. I also don't know that much about French history either so this has been a nice change for me. |
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Post by sputnik on Mar 16, 2024 5:14:28 GMT
i went on a bit of a nell zink streak. read 'avalon', 'the wallcreeper' and 'nicotine' pretty much one after the other. and i'm kind of mad i hadn't read her earlier, she's pretty amazing.
i also got an audible subscription but i don't absorb information the same way if i listen to it as opposed to reading it, by which i mean i absorb much less of it. so i only use it for celebrity memoirs and the like, when i travel and i need something light and entertaining to listen to but where it's ok if i drift off or don't pay attention and the style of writing isn't that important. i listened to britney's memoir, prince harry's, elliot page's (the most joyless, humourless thing i've ever read/listened to, total glum cunt), anthony bourdain's, jennette mccurdy (hilarious). currently listening to werner herzog's autobiography, read by him, and it's as amazing as that sounds.
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Post by Pixie on Mar 16, 2024 10:41:50 GMT
I'm also listening to a book called The Burgundians: A Vanished Empire by Bart Van Loo. It popped up as a suggestion on Audible and I never find anything I have the attention span to listen to, but I am loving this one so much I'm thinking of buying the paper version of it. I'm currently reading the second book in the Accursed Kings series, about the end of House Capet and the rise of House Valois, and the beginnings of the Hundred Years War. The first book was mainly about the three daughters of Burgundy who married the King's sons and were supposedly a bunch of strumpets. I didn't know much about French history before but I'm getting into it, so I've put your Burgundians book at the top of my list. YE YES YES YES !!! One of my favorite books ever, I LOVE the Accursed Kings, my best friend wrote he master’s degree on one of the daughters. It’s such an interesting period, I just love the Hundred Years’ War and the war of the roses. my own degree was on Empress Mathilda, so a bit earlier (warmly recommend Pillars of the Earth on that period) but that entire chunk of the Middle Ages is fascinating. |
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Post by mrsfawlty on Mar 16, 2024 16:50:57 GMT
OMG, I do have a neat and tidy handwriting, but this makes me blush with envy! That's a manuscript I'd love as well ! I tried to convince Swede to read this book a few years ago, and he gave up as he thought it was too depressing, but he loved the style, and the beauty of the writing. I completely get why Swede gave up reading the book and the reason is definitely resonant with how the World has been over the past several years. I have only managed to 're-read' a chapter at a time. It's a beautiful book but very painful to read, it took Mr Steinbeck many years before he wrote his next book- unsurprising, given that he genuinely cared about his characters, as in all of his books. Has Swede tried reading Tortilla Flat? The poverty is a central feature but the book is very funny- Danny and the boys proving that friendship is more important than money! A bunch of lovable rogues! Yes, his writing was, and will forever be, beautiful to read. x |
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Post by greysfang on Mar 22, 2024 20:25:19 GMT
I just finished Fledgling by Octavia Butler and absolutely love her version of vampires. I've been working through her works since I read the Parable of the Sower series last year and she really is an amazing author. All of her religious side-themes kind of irritate me, but the main stories are fantastic.
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