tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73006352011-04-21T18:19:54.471-07:00Gina and Noella share their favorite books.Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.comBlogger811100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1166020400287205502006-12-13T06:31:00.000-08:002006-12-13T06:33:20.306-08:00

referral from Stefan (looks like it is just my style):At the height of China's Cultural Revolution a powerful general fathered two sons. Tan was born to the general's wife and into a life of comfort and luxury. His half brother, Shento, was born to the general's mistress, who threw herself off a cliff in the mountains of Balan only moments after delivering her child. Growing up, each remained

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1161098240205393112006-10-17T08:14:00.000-07:002006-10-17T08:17:30.193-07:00

A 700 page recommendation by Stefan. Getting great reviews, a real page turner.http://www.amazon.com/Meaning-Night-Confession-Michael-Cox/dp/0393062031/sr=1-1/qid=1161097696/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-0345808-0661510?ie=UTF8&s=booksSo many books to read, so little time....

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1160988050419715152006-10-16T01:32:00.000-07:002006-10-16T01:40:50.420-07:00

I read two books by Haruki Murakami back to back: Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman and Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. John and I both really like Murakami's style; surreal and so amazingly imaginative. I want to read more of his books. John just finished Murakami's Kafka on the Shore, and I want to read that soon. Right now, I'm working on a new John Irving book, and then I have to

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1160987537551189272006-10-16T01:27:00.000-07:002006-10-16T01:32:17.550-07:00

I had a little Eco kick when I was a junior in college. I read the Name of the Rose and Foucault's Pendulum. I thought a nice fat Eco book would be just the ticket for my trip to Asia. But it was a surprising work and left me disappointed. It's a work of nostalgia for Italy during WWII. The main character has amnesia after a stroke, and he visits his childhood home to resurrect his old memories.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1160987228216145722006-10-16T01:23:00.000-07:002006-10-16T01:27:08.216-07:00

I started this book right before I left for Asia. I picked it up because I really liked her detective novel Case Histories. I also just like her writing style in general. I thought this was a good book, but Marty read it after me and she found it lacking in character development. I wonder if you would like it, Mom.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1160956004546506312006-10-15T16:44:00.000-07:002006-10-15T16:46:44.560-07:00

Well, a bookstore was closing in Ft. Myers and they brought a bunch of books to Tom's work and sold them real cheap. Tom was a doll and bought quite a few that he thought I would like. This book is about a Jewish woman who survived the holocaust, moved to France and got married and had a child. It is her story of coping with what she had lived through. It was good. Not riveting, but good.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1160841067347689462006-10-14T08:46:00.000-07:002006-10-14T08:51:07.346-07:00

I think I have actually read this author before. Loved the book. It is a story of a girl whose father is a shipbuilder and her mother is disabled. They leave the shore to go inland where they here that Noah is building the biggest ship ever but where there is no water. The heroine falls in love with one of Noah's sons and it is all about how Noah gets everyone to help build the ship but

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1160840679481132682006-10-14T08:40:00.000-07:002006-10-14T08:44:39.483-07:00

When I was in CT in Sep I finished Cleopatra and needed something to read so Mema gave me The Books of Rachel which she raved about. It is interesting that it is written by a man. The story is of "Rachel's Diamond" which as been passed on through the generations to the next Rachel in the family after the Rachel with the diamond has passed away. The story goes back to the inquisition which I

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1160840409747752662006-10-14T08:37:00.000-07:002006-10-14T08:46:33.456-07:00

You bought me this book in Seattle (how sweet) on a nice sunny Sunday after we had a wonderful breakfast and were strolling through the area where Serials Solutions is and I didn't know if I would like it but I thoroughly did. It wasn't futuristic in the sense of technology as life in the future is protrayed as going back to simpler times. Times when women had no presence except in the

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1160272245372813662006-10-07T18:12:00.000-07:002006-10-07T18:50:45.386-07:00

Well, you know this book very well, Noella, as it is the big fat broken book that came with me to Seattle in September. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am waiting to receive the movie from Netflix. The story is told from Cleopatra's view and starts with her childhood but focuses on her years with Ceasar and Marc Antony. She had a son with Ceasar but he was killed when Ceasar's nephew invaded and

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1158769752232837962006-09-20T09:24:00.000-07:002006-09-20T09:29:12.233-07:00

One of my work friends gave this book to me after she finished reading it. The Book Thief is by Markus Zusak, and I think you would like this book, Mom. The narrator is Death (which I thought added a slight twist but wasn't really necessary since the story is so good on its own without twists). It's the story of an orphan girl in Nazi Germany and the foster parents she lives with in Munich. The

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1158769476815553502006-09-20T09:19:00.000-07:002006-09-20T09:24:36.846-07:00

Oryx & Crake by Margaret Atwood is the September pick for our Book Club. It's a futuristic work that is sure to scare the daylights out of any intelligent person. I was a little peeved by the ending, but it was a quick interesting read. One of our book club members thought the book took too long to explain the situation, because you're introduced to the main character and then learn how he

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1158546570361836122006-09-17T19:22:00.000-07:002006-09-17T19:29:30.363-07:00

Our book club read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon for August. I actually didn't start reading it until September, though, because August was really busy with Nick's visit. So I went to the book club discussion but couldn't contribute much. I'm so glad I read the book, though. It's a big one, and has a whole comic book aspect that I didn't expect to appreciate as much

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1158545376844051482006-09-17T19:06:00.000-07:002006-09-17T19:21:58.236-07:00

I mostly like tv and movie murder mystery dramas, but I've been trying to find good mystery novels as well. None of those easy to figure out pulp paperbacks; I really want intelligent mysteries to read. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson is one of those, and it's the first of a series starring the private investigator Jackson Brodie. Her second Brodie novel is One Good Turn, coming out in October in

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1158545121791708482006-09-17T18:56:00.000-07:002006-09-17T19:05:21.793-07:00

Our Book club chose Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. It won the Pulitzer, and definitely is worthy of the prize. You have to read this book, Mom! I don't want to tell you too much, but it's a family saga about a Greek family and the narrator is a hermaphrodite or intersex person. It's a fast read because the story is mesmerizing and very well-written. Eugenides' only other book is the Virgin

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1158544373072882642006-09-17T18:41:00.000-07:002006-09-17T18:56:17.230-07:00

Our book club at work chose Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer for our June book. Krakauer wrote Into the Wild and Into Thin Air, both great nonfiction books from 1996-1997. I read both of those while working at Books & Company in Hamden. This is the first book he's published since then. I have always been interested in different religions, and Mormonism is one

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1156025191569517492006-08-19T15:03:00.000-07:002006-08-19T15:10:06.250-07:00

I got this book from the Stoneybrook Community Center. It takes place right after WWII and is about a black woman and a Polish Jewish survivor-Gilda. The two becomes friends while working as maids at a hotel. They decide to open a cosmetics company together and the story takes off. It was ok. It was not a book that I could not put down but I did enjoy reading it, mostly while floating in my

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1156024685503125252006-08-19T14:55:00.000-07:002006-08-19T15:01:07.276-07:00

Well, in April while I was visiting Connecticut, we (Mema, Auntie Tina, Auntie Lisa, Uncle Pompeo and Massi) went to Target and while there Tina purchased several books for Mema for her birthday. This is one of them. When I was there in July, Mema finished this book and I took it. I asked her if it was good and she said it was alright. I started reading it and was immediately pulled into the

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1152378848304165222006-07-08T10:12:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:14:08.306-07:00

A Mother's Day present from Noella in 2004. Don't know why it took me so long to read this but I finally did. I was a bit disappointed because it was very political and not so much personal which I think I would have enjoyed more. But all in all, I'm glad I read it and got to see Hillary's thoughts on world issues.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1152378740390321262006-07-08T10:09:00.000-07:002006-07-08T10:12:20.403-07:00

This was a birthday present from Noella in 2006 (49 years old). It was about a young girl who did not fit in and ended up being befriended by a group of boys who ultimately took advantage of her and gang raped her. It was set in Hamden, CT, and the girl went to Sacred Heart Academy, Noella's high school. All in all, upsetting even though she turned out ok in the end. A quick read so maybe

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1151274674395786192006-06-25T15:28:00.000-07:002006-06-25T15:31:14.396-07:00

Well, I read this so long ago, I think when I was in Connecticut for Christina's wedding. I found it in Mema's cellar. It was an interesting story about a family with a bunch of daughters growing up in Puerto Rico - a multi generational saga of two families follows the course of twentieth century Puerto Rico. It was good.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1151274449187171642006-06-25T15:25:00.000-07:002006-06-25T15:27:29.186-07:00

A bit misleading. The author is not Wally Lamb. Wally Lamb started a woman's writing class at the prison in Niantic, Connecticut. This book is a compilation of the writings of the inmates. It is one sad story after another. It certainly show that prison is not somewhere that anyone would want to be. I read it just after Riding in Cars with Boys which was another sob story. I'm ready for

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1151274285052049422006-06-25T15:23:00.000-07:002006-06-25T15:24:45.053-07:00

This book is from the Stoneybrook library. Not so good. Didn't really get into the characters as much as I like. It's about a woman who is an author that is unlucky in love, no children, returns to her home town to live near her parents and siblings and their children. She becomes ill and commits suicide which her grandfather had done before her. I would not recommend it, it was slow.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1151274150699881512006-06-25T15:20:00.000-07:002006-06-25T15:22:30.700-07:00

I read this great book while we vacationed in Puerto Vallarto Mexico. It was one of several books that Noella got me for my 49th birthday.The book was great. I know you have already read it so there isn't much to say as we have discussed it in person while lying by the pool. Good choice for a birthday gift, thank you again. I wonder if The Lake House movie with Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeve

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1151273762672699272006-06-25T15:13:00.000-07:002006-06-25T15:17:00.226-07:00

I don't really remember where I got this book, maybe from the Stoneybrook library. It's been a while since I've posted due to my heavy workload but now I have a brand new baby - my Dell desktop - it is Sunday and I will get up to date. It is also the Sunday that John and Noella are driving from LA to Seattle in John's parents car.This book was interesting. It is about a man who is slow and how

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1150491451090503552006-06-16T13:56:00.000-07:002006-06-16T13:57:31.100-07:00

Stefan just read this and recommended it to me. It is religious in nature but not a mystery/murder book like The DaVinci Code which I did not like. Another book I have to read, so many.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1146319740813887122006-04-29T07:07:00.000-07:002006-04-29T07:09:00.826-07:00

What a great book! I couldn't put it down. It was so romantic but with an interesting semi-sci/fi story to carry it through. Let me know when you read it, Mom!

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1140759421054980182006-02-23T21:29:00.000-08:002006-02-23T21:43:15.740-08:00

I picked out four great books for my mom's birthday, and I can't wait to borrow them and read them!! 1.Author: Wally Lamb Title: Couldn't Keep It to Myself: Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution (Testimonies from our Imprisoned Sisters) Amazon Review2. Author: Kathy Dobie Title: The Only Girl in the Car Amazon Review3. Author: Audrey Niffenegger Title: The

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1138482918137891692006-01-28T13:11:00.000-08:002006-01-28T13:15:18.136-08:00

Just a lovely book. I do have a thing, though, for books about books. The History of Love is about a fictional book of the same name. It was written by a young Jewish man in Poland whose family is murdered by the Nazis. He was the only one to escape and had previously given the manuscript of The History of Love to a friend. Unbeknownst to him, his friend published the work as his own. Oh, but

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1138482674605673642006-01-28T13:03:00.000-08:002006-01-28T13:11:14.606-08:00

I've been meaning to read this book for years... I found myself in California the day before Christmas without a book to read. I had finished the book I brought on the plane, and was too impatient to wait for the pile of books I was sure to receive on Christmas morning. So John' mom Marty gave me free reign over her bookshelves. The weird thing is that I had read almost every single fiction book

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1135439646086694472005-12-24T07:50:00.000-08:002005-12-24T07:54:06.096-08:00

Well, Stefan had this book and could not finish it. He thought I might like it. I enjoyed reading the book very much but the ending was not finished and so I was unsatisfied at the end. Too many loose ends. It is the story of two immigrant children, Diamante and Vita, who come to America on a boat in the early 1900's and their life stories. I wish their story was more as many questions

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1134769917906127262005-12-16T13:45:00.000-08:002005-12-16T13:51:57.916-08:00

I walked into the library on a Saturday only meaning to pick up a book on Mexico to do research on upcoming Mother Daughter in PV trip and I couldn't resist but to pick up a few books. This one I just grabbed from the New Book section, peeked at it, saw Hong Kong and took it home. I have to say though that I was disappointed. Even though it took place in 1937 (I normally like reading about

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1133559744656228782005-12-02T13:40:00.000-08:002005-12-02T13:42:24.656-08:00

For my trip to Stines shower in CT, I picked up 3 new books from the library. This was the first one I read and it was a throwback to my old days of reading about the south, the war and slavery. it was ok but at the end i find out that it is a series. i was mad about that and would never have picked it up because the end wasn't really an end and i don't want to read any more of the series.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1133559639932918452005-12-02T13:39:00.000-08:002005-12-02T13:40:39.933-08:00

This is the second book I read on the Stines shower trip. It was really good. It was a fast read and it kept me interested. About a NY transplant in LA working on a reality TV show, he falls in love but the most interesting character was his shady neighbor who ends up having cancer and they become very close before he dies. Mommy :)

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1133559554391197752005-12-02T13:36:00.000-08:002005-12-02T13:39:14.406-08:00

This was the last book I read and it was ok. It was about a school bus driver, wanna be singer recently divorced but still in love with his wife. they had two children, a teenage boy and a small girl and the story is about how they got back together. just ok. wouldn't recommend it.Mommy :)

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1127165304410834522005-09-19T17:30:00.000-07:002005-09-19T14:28:24.416-07:00

I got this book at the Estero library and it is in the Book Club section. The story was interesting enough but the ending was anti climactic.In Sándor Márai's Embers, two old men, once the best of friends, meet after a 41-year break in their relationship. They dine together, taking the same places at the table that they had assumed on the last meal they shared, then sit beside each other in

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1126213768233306412005-09-08T14:08:00.000-07:002005-09-08T14:09:28.233-07:00

I read this book on my travel to CT for Flexi work upon a recommendation from you, Noella. I have to say I was very dismayed at the ending although I did enjoy the story. I think it was just too high over my head :( Dunce cap for me on this one.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1126213675952265502005-09-08T14:05:00.000-07:002005-09-08T14:07:55.953-07:00

I read this book while I was traveling to CT to work for Flexi.It was very interested as it was written in the early 1900's by an Italian author and it has recently been translated to English. The book was written with a dry humor that was quite witty and I like thinking about the times when it was actually written. It is about a man that is unhappily married, he takes off for a few days and

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1126213500045787372005-09-08T14:02:00.000-07:002005-09-08T14:05:00.050-07:00

This book was written by the author of Corelli's Mandolin which I thought was a better movie than a book. I started it on my trip to CT to work for Flexi when Christina got engaged and finished it on my trip to CT to buy Stines' wedding dress. Birds Without Wings was a good book. It is about the Ottoman Empire before it was Turkey and the wars between the Turks and the Greeks. Particularly

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1124284040807436302005-08-17T05:09:00.000-07:002005-08-17T06:07:20.846-07:00

Another Seattle read and interesting. All about Tim Guest whose mother joined a commune/cult when he was a small boy. They lived in the cult for about 10 years and the story is of their life in the cult as well as some difficulties coming out of the cult and losing all the children that he grew up with. Also a lot of mother issues. Can you blame him! Why is it not enough for some people to

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1124280459337205462005-08-17T05:05:00.000-07:002005-08-17T05:07:39.336-07:00

Well, a continuation of 1000 Days in Venice. Marlena and her husband move to Tuscany into an old villa. They meet and become part of the town and the story is full of cooking and food. I always enjoy reading about Italy and while there is really no value to her stories, they are still enjoyable. And also neat that she is an older woman and has found such a great love (at least that's what she

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1124280288412096562005-08-17T05:00:00.000-07:002005-08-17T05:04:48.416-07:00

I got this book for my trip to Seattle in August 2005. I actually read three books during the long weekend trip which is pretty amazing. This is a story of several families involved in the flood in Johnstown, PA, in 1889. A group of rich men built a fancy hunting and fishing club with a man made lake up in the mountains. There was always fear the lake's damn would not hold and in 1889 the

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1118594126436617342005-06-12T09:32:00.000-07:002005-06-12T09:35:26.440-07:00

A birthday gift for 48 years from my daughter - you! I truly enjoyed this book as it is set in China and Great Britain. It is the life story of a Lilla whose family left Great Britain to live in China. In the story is the history of China and it's revolutions and what happened to the English people. These people ended up with no home in China and shunned by their own people in England.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1117847074056919422005-06-03T18:00:00.000-07:002005-06-03T18:04:44.400-07:00

SO my kind of book! I loved it and read it non-stop. The book is set in a small college with a group of Medieval Studies students. Murder, intrigue, intellectual sabotage... I read it throughout the plane ride home from Costa Rica. I just bought Tartt's other book called The Little Friend. I can't wait to start it!

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1117846800583819882005-06-03T17:49:00.000-07:002005-06-03T18:00:00.586-07:00

What an interesting book. There was a lot of hype about this book when it was first published, so I had high expectations. I don't want to ruin it by talking much about the story, but the story begins with a family in India. The father is a zookeeper. The main character is the zookeeper's son. The son becomes an active participant in the Hindu, Christian, and Muslim faiths, much to the chagrin of

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1117845987585521402005-06-03T17:43:00.000-07:002005-06-03T17:46:27.590-07:00

I stole this book from Mema's basement on my last trip to CT for the 50th wedding anniversary. It is a great read, and it helped get me through my sick spell in Costa Rica. Here is a little blurb:This is a novel truly born of two worlds: it is the story of Roger Graetz, raised in a Boston suburb by an aristocratic Guatemalan mother, and his relationship with Flor de Mayo, the beautiful young

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1117492345673138562005-05-30T15:30:00.000-07:002005-05-30T15:32:25.673-07:00

Another book from Mema's cellar. Another mother/daughter tale. These mother's are just such a disappointment to their daughters. That seems to be the theme and I hope that I was a better mother than they. While no one is perfect, we strive to do our best in the situations that we find ourselves in.Another good book. I like it. It's also quick and light. Mom xox

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1117492189593274152005-05-30T15:27:00.000-07:002005-05-30T15:29:49.593-07:00

Well, I found this book in my parent's cellar in a box of old books. It's not that old as it was published in 2002. I did enjoy it. It's about a woman preparing to sell her grandfather's home and she tells her family's history. The story really focuses on her relationship with her mother. It's a quick read and I liked it.Mom xo

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1117492006993434302005-05-30T15:24:00.000-07:002005-05-30T15:26:46.996-07:00

I bought this book in the Atlanta airport on my way back from my January visit to Seattle. I was excited because it is an Oprah Book Club book but I was disappointed. It just never got deep enough for me that I felt like I really got to know to characters. I believe you have read it, Lell, so I'm not going to go into it. Mom xo

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1114649982541335312005-04-27T17:53:00.000-07:002005-04-27T17:59:42.543-07:00

I finished this book while visiting CT for my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary. It's definitely one of those books that don't appeal to everybody. Byatt typically writes extremely intelligent, mind-provoking novels, crammed full with science, philosophy, history, etc. But certain novels like Possession are still accessible to all readers. The Game is not like Possession, it's dry, in the

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1112547885792812182005-04-03T10:00:00.000-07:002005-04-03T10:04:45.793-07:00

An American classic written by a man who lived on the Smith College campus for two of the years I spent there. He was a visiting writer, and I felt embarrassed that I had not read any of his books. It is about time that I read one!John has so many books in our apartment (it makes me sad to think about all of my books in boxes in Dad's basement). He has many literary classics (I'm going to read

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1112546573142620322005-04-03T09:37:00.000-07:002005-04-03T10:00:22.400-07:00

I read this one quickly. A Japanese author who writes strange, intimate tales, I feel drawn to read his other novels. The story goes that Japanese youth love his work, but adults find him too praising of American culture. His website is really neat: check it out. I don't want to give too much of the story away, but it's about a mid-life crisis. If you read this Mom, let me know because I would

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1112545817395008012005-04-03T09:23:00.000-07:002005-04-03T09:31:16.093-07:00

I found this book in the SEATAC airport while I was waiting for my childhood friend Stephanie to arrive. I didn't have a very long wait in store for me, but I found myself drawn to the books for sale. Aloft jumped out at me as a fiction book that both John and I would love. I read it over the next week. It was one of those books that you want to read passages from to whoever is in the room with

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1110373017040659522005-03-09T04:55:00.000-08:002005-03-09T04:56:57.040-08:00

Another recommendation by Stefan.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1110372844345215672005-03-09T04:50:00.000-08:002005-03-09T04:54:04.346-08:00

Stefan gave me this book. It is part of a series. It takes place in Africa back when gold was being mined and kings ruled. It is about a white English man named Zouga Ballantyne who was on a lifelong quest for gold. His wife died early on and he was left with two sons. He mined for gold for 20 years and then the mine collapsed and he lost everything. His sons had by then become grown men

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1109862603022666542005-03-03T07:05:00.000-08:002005-03-03T07:10:03.023-08:00

I think you read The Good Mother by Sue Miller a few years back, because I remember borrowing your copy. It was about a woman who is babysitting her neighbor's kids as well as her own, and one of the neighbor's kids drowns. Anyway, I liked The Distinguished Guest much more. You follow three main characters' interactions: an aging woman writer with Parkinson's Disease, her architect son, and a

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1108134506265057952005-02-11T07:08:00.000-08:002005-02-11T07:08:26.266-08:00

recommendation by Stefan.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1108134468486943062005-02-11T07:07:00.000-08:002005-02-11T07:07:48.486-08:00

Recommendation from Stefan, author is Al Gore's daughter.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1105903648710881762005-01-16T11:21:00.000-08:002005-01-16T11:27:28.710-08:00

David (John's dad) picked out Lahiri's two books for both me and Marty (John's mom) for Christmas. David is mostly a non-fiction reader, like John, but boy, can he pick out amazing fiction! So, the first Lahiri book I read was The Interpreter of Maladies, which won her the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2000. I was hooked from the first story, which moved me to tears. After devouring the stories,

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1105903018522584942005-01-16T11:12:00.000-08:002005-01-16T11:16:58.523-08:00

Christmas with John's parents brought a slew of new books into my life. The first on I read during our visit. It's called The Stories of Eva Luna by Isabel Allende. You may have read one of her other books, like The House of Spirits which was made into a movie with Winona Ryder. The Stories of Eva Luna was a sequel to her novel Eva Luna, which I have not read yet but I think is a love story about

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1103288985432703212004-12-17T05:06:00.000-08:002004-12-17T05:09:45.433-08:00

This is a new book and it has been a bestseller in Spain, the author is Spanish. Stefan recommended it and actually got it out of the Bonita library for me. Well, it grabs you from the first page. This is one of those books where you want to keep reading. I really enjoyed it. It is the story of a young man and books. His father is a bookseller and the main story is about a book written by

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1101594493904633892004-11-27T14:24:00.000-08:002004-11-27T14:28:13.903-08:00

Wow, I've heard of Tolstoy but never read anything by him. This book was really enjoyable. Besides the fact that it is FAT, it was also very interesting from the get go. I actually purchased the book and it is now on loan to Stefan. I hope that he gives it back to me before I go to Seattle because I want to bring it to Noella. There were times when it was a bit boring for me when it

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1100800699064440772004-11-18T09:56:00.000-08:002004-11-18T09:58:19.063-08:00

This book won a book award and it looks fabulous! Gina

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1098917229256533552004-10-27T15:46:00.000-07:002004-10-27T15:47:09.256-07:00

From Publishers Weekly Six years after the publication of his much-lauded novel Cloudsplitter, Banks returns with a portrayal of personal and political turmoil in West Africa and the U.S. The darling of the title is narrator Hannah Musgrave, a privileged child of the turbulent 1960s and '70s, who now, at 59, reflects on her life. After participating in freewheeling sexual experimentation and

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1098477194596089602004-10-22T13:32:00.000-07:002004-10-25T06:29:34.523-07:00

Hadrian's Wall : A Novel by William Dietrich, seems this is a historical romance novel Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Lucia Graves Stefan said best book he's read in a long time. Ruiz Zafón's novel, a bestseller in his native Spain, takes the satanic touches from Angel Heart and stirs them into a bookish intrigue à la Foucault's Pendulum. The time is the 1950s; the place,

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1097986258169049752004-10-16T21:03:00.000-07:002004-10-16T21:10:58.170-07:00

Well, I started my first real job on Sept. 20. My ability to read has been severely limited since that day. I finally understand Mom why you fell asleep every time you read at night after work! After work, I'm dead tired. As soon as I read a few pages, I'm falling asleep. I'm becoming a grown up. Bleh. Can't stay up all night reading for fun. I have to get up in the morning, I have to spend an

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1097271642084302852004-10-08T14:38:00.000-07:002004-10-08T14:40:42.083-07:00

While in Jamaica, my second "fun" book was Lucia, Lucia. A story about a "good" Italian daughter in the 50's with 4 brothers and a family grocery store. She was a seamstress for a big department store - B. Altman. Another fun story about how she fell in love and the trials and tribulations of being Italian and of family. Gina

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1097271527898569942004-10-08T14:36:00.000-07:002004-10-08T14:38:47.896-07:00

I read this book in Jamaica directly after finishing The DaVinci Code. I needed some light and quick and while in Barnes and Noble I gravitated to my Italian heritage. This book is a true story of a writer who went to Venice and ended up meeting her husband and the beginning of their life together. It was enjoyable and exactly what I was looking for. Gina

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1097271315293283792004-10-08T14:33:00.000-07:002004-10-08T14:36:31.796-07:00

Well, this was a very nice gift from Noella and John as a thank you for their January 2004 visit to Florida. It is now October 2004 and I have just finished the book after many months. This book was difficult for me to get through. Just too much spy intrigue that you had to think about to figure out and that is just not why I read books. I must be among the minority because this book has been

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1092871355321466892004-08-18T16:07:00.000-07:002004-08-18T16:22:35.320-07:00

Well, I've been silent on the blog for awhile because I was going nuts over John Irving. I've read three of his books in the last three weeks, taking them with me on camping trips, to John's house, my lunch break, the bus stop, and my very own bed. The first one I read is A Widow for One Year, which a movie called A Door in the Floor is supposed to be based on. (The movie just came out). It was

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1091551573458897322004-08-03T09:39:00.000-07:002004-08-03T09:46:13.456-07:00

First, I'm bummed, I already typed this all out and lost it. But, hey, this is a good book. Stefan recommended it and it's from Bonita Springs Public Library :). The book takes place in the 1600s in Denmark and is told by a "fool" (court jester). It has some cute wry humor throughout the story and it was a quick read. I really enjoyed it. Interestingly, the book is based on Fools' Guild

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1090882160562263842004-07-26T15:44:00.000-07:002004-07-26T15:49:20.563-07:00

Well, I can't believe I'm finally finished with this book.  It is a paperback that I took out to read in Seattle.  I didn't get to it in Seattle so started in at home.  Didn't finish it before CT trip so took it there and got a dreadful sickness so didn't read there.  I finally finished it 2 weeks back from CT.  I struggled through it (probably why it took so long) and it actually got better

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1089927266356363782004-07-15T14:24:00.000-07:002004-07-15T14:34:26.356-07:00

Audre Lorde has long been an inspiration for my life. She described herself as ""black, lesbian, feminist, mother, poet warrior." I read her poetry and autobiography as a young lesbian feminist, and I even wrote a paper about her work for a high school English class. This is the first biography about her. She died in 1992 from metastatized breast cancer.   I read the biography while visiting

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1089926643547267042004-07-15T14:14:00.000-07:002004-07-15T14:24:03.546-07:00

I LOVE A.S. BYATT! Possession was the clincher in my love affair, but it all began while in New Zealand. The exchange students lived in a converted railway station which featured a small library for our personal use. I read a great novel and literary criticism (about George Elliott) by Byatt and got hooked. She uses big words, stretches my mind, and creates wacky though realistic and Smart worlds

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1089926030231753602004-07-15T14:09:00.000-07:002004-07-15T14:13:50.230-07:00

Well, I had been wanting to read this one for awhile, and it was the first one I tackled after graduation. I really liked it at first, how the author was taking us on a trip through 19th century London. Faber was also pretty sympathetic to the prostitutes, and I thought captured Sugar in all of her complexity pretty well. By the end of the rather long novel, though, I felt impatient (to get to

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1089142615975964882004-07-06T12:34:00.000-07:002004-07-06T12:57:53.586-07:00

Funny, this book came to me when I was traveling to Houston, Texas, to surprise Jim for Father's Day and visit with Tom's brother and wife and the book takes place in a border town in Texas. The story is about a white woman in need of a family and the Mexican side of town where she finds one. It's also about a young Mexican girl coming of age (ah, Noella loves these) and her big 15 year old

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1088077987207207842004-06-24T07:55:00.000-07:002004-06-25T04:59:09.786-07:00

This book was fast and enjoyable due to the fact that it was all about the three days prior to the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius and centered on the "Aquarius", a young man sent from Rome to replace the missing "Aquarius" of 20 years. The Aquarius is responsible for the aqueducts of the area which were quite impressive. I always wonder when I read these types of books how much of it is based on fact

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1087743246593658262004-06-20T07:47:00.000-07:002004-06-20T07:54:06.593-07:00

Well, I read this on the way over to Houston and finished it while at the pool on Saturday. I don't know how I ended up getting it but it is a trashy historical romance. It wasn't worth reading but I have a hard time not finishing a book, whether I like it or not. Funny thing is, Jim asked me what I was reading and I told him it was a trashy novel. He asked again, and took the book from me.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1087339555070884712004-06-15T15:43:00.000-07:002004-06-15T15:45:55.070-07:00

Well, another Seattle reading book. This one about a women poet way back in history in the Dominican Republic and her daughter. You see the trend here (mother/daughter reading). Good book and fast. I like reading about real historical figures and I intend to try to find more material about Salome Urena. The book centers around the political upheavals in the DR and neighboring islands as

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1087339373907977042004-06-15T15:40:00.000-07:002004-06-15T15:42:53.906-07:00

I took this book out from the Bonita Springs public library in anticipation of my trip to see my daughter graduate in Seattle. Well, as I started reading, I found the book takes place in part right in Seattle and in the surrounding area. So, I was off to a good start. I would recommend this book, it is good and reads fast. It is primarily about three generations of american indian women and

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7300635.post-1087172119774718482004-06-13T17:09:00.000-07:002004-06-25T04:59:45.116-07:00

Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Green Gables are our childhood favorites. Anne of Green Gables came alive during a 1995 trip to Prince Edward Island. Mema, Mom, and I had a wonderful time, attending a play about Anne, going on long scenic drives, and having afternoon TEA! As a grown-up, Mom loves The Red Tent. Jim and Uncle Herb even like it! One of my favorites is Possession by A.S.

Library Ladieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07746462645605766114noreply@blogger.com6