Greatest global online bookclub in town

I rearranged it - there is no ROM folder per se but rather the month/year of the ROM read.

You’ll see January 2006 and February 2006 and pretty soon will come March.

I like this better.

Has anyone read this book, “The Year of Magical Thinking” by Joan Didion? I got it from the library when I got the Steven Roberts book. I know I’ve read the title somewhere; but don’t remember where.

Anyway, if you’ve read it, did you like it?

Thanks.

Judith

Myrna posted this as a comment to Leah’s Black and Blue post. It was a good tie-in to her commentary on hearing, but I thought it really deserved a post of its own, therefore this addition.

From Myrna:
I was relieved to see that “Black and Blue” was not about Jo’s condition after her fall. Take care Jo and do be careful.
Several have commented and asked question about hearing.

I have spent several thousand dollars in the last 25 years on seven hearing aids. I started with one in the ear. It was made out of a material that I was allergic to. What a mess of eczema that caused. With that experience behind me I went to Seattle to University Hospital and their recommendations. It was 1987 when I started in both ears. In the late 90’s I went to just one over the ear. I will continue to wear that one even with my cochlear implant. My insurance has never paid for a hearing aid. Medicare and my supplemental insurance will pay for the cochlear implant. There will be no out of pocket expenses.. Even the batteries for the device will be paid. Hearing aids have made my quality of life so much better over the years. I could not have functioned without them. My first aid was $500, the last $2400. I am looking forward to hearing again with the implant. Will keep you posted.

myrna
Life is fragile. Handle with prayer.

“Black and Blue” by Anna Quindlen
This novel, well written with excellent characterizations, has much unpleasantness and pain but nevertheless, a very good read. Fran , a nurse, is married to Bobby, a cop who from time to time has too much to drink. When he does, he takes his anger and frustrations out on his wife. Beatings result in broken bones, black and blue wounds . Fran loves this handsome man but finally the day comes when she feels she must take her 12 year old son, Robert, and leave. With the help of an agency devoted to helping abused women, Fran escapes from her home in New York to Florida where she attempts to establish a new life. A most engrossing book

Both of these were posted in Ow! Ouch! and so I’m copying them to this post blank to put into Book Reviews in General-

We didn’t read this as a ROM but I did get the book and really liked it. I think Bob got the essence of the story and did a good job on it.

“”Darlyne Crum writes on January 26th, 2006 at 4:15 pm e :

I read Once Upon a Town. It was good and is a true story.

myrna writes on January 26th, 2006 at 3:38 pm e :

“Once Upon A Town” is the book on North Platte Canteen written by Bob Greene. Was an interesting discussion. I think it was an old tape on PBS.

“”

This morning I let Ebony out and went to gather one of her little gifts to take to the vet for examination and I slipped on the sidewalked and down I went.

The pavers from my patio to the sidewalk were OK, but the sidewalk was ever so lightly frosted - I couldn’t even SEE it until I was sitting on it!

The upshot is that I have badly sprained my ankle, gave my knee a bit of a twist and am condemned to icepacks for anothe 24 hours. Frozen veggies are wonderful for that - they are so much more flexible than icebags.

So, don’t wonder where I am for the next few days - I’ll be resting the ankle and knee. Good grief - what a way to spend time. And the dr said she was slipping and slidding in the driveway and couldn’t see the reason but decided to step carefully. Not fair when you can’t SEE it.

I just now saw your two posts, Myrna. For some reason, they didn’t show as being ‘there’ on my computer until this morning.

Last winter the apt complex didn’t put a gas surcharge on the complex but those hurricanes hadn’t come through either. Who knows what it’ll be like next winter but hopefully, we’ll be back to Plan A.

You referred to Bob Greene’s book in your other post - Would that be “FRATERNITY”?

Happy Birthday to You.

And may you be royally spoiled by everyone.

Hello, all. I’m jumping in with a book post; Jo assures me that at 52 I can count myself as more or less a senior. I’m not so sure about that, but here goes:

I’m just starting She Got Up Off the Couch by Haven Kimmel. It’s a memoir, a sequel to A Girl Named Zippy. The title caught my eye, and the book so far is living up to the quirkiness of the title. Here’s a bit of the book jacket copy:

“Courageous and steadfast, Delonda [the mother] finally realized that she COULD change her life, and she got up off the funky couch in the den, bought a beat-up flower power VW but (and then learned to drive it), and went back to school, which gave her the chance to gain both financial independence and, at long last, self-respect.”

Has anyone read this, or the first book? I’m curious what you thought.

And in non-book news, I wish my mother, Darlyne Crum, a very happy birthday. I won’t say how old she is, but she’s not 74 anymore.

This morning I felt virtuous so noted the ROM for February and didn’t write it down because I was sure I would remember a title like that, My Father’s House. I walked to the library and promptly forgot the title —-and the author. I tried to look up what I thought it was. That didn’t help. I tried to call Julie and ask her to look it up on the blog. My cell phone speed dialer didn’t work and I don’t know her number so gave up, picked up a book by Al Roker and came home. I would have tried Jenny, my daughter here but don’t think she was home. I logged on to the library web site and reserved the ROM. It is on the shelf and I am sure I will get called soon. I don’t feel virtuous anymore. In the meantime I can start the Carter new book.

At last, I am here. What are the quicktags all about?

Will try to post when I finish reading Judith Michael’s A Ruling Passion. I have only read about one fourth of the book so far. Interesting about a woman who is a workaholic and marries a workaholic man. However, they are now divorced, and he keeps the baby (she has no interest in the child). They are both working hard and have achieved a good degree of success in their fields. She is a very aggressive and stops at little in order to get where she wants.

Where is everybody, we used to write each day. i don`t even see Jo in here anymore, maybe i am in the wrong place?

Jo covered this book much better that I did but this is what I wrote a while back and saved until now.

The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad

I listened to this book on a CD narrated by Joanna David Sultan Khan supplied books to the people of Kabul, defying the authorities, the communists and the Taliban. This is the story of how he accomplished this; He was imprisoned by the Communists. The author spent four months living with his family observing how his books became a symbol of freedom.

It seemed to me that his books were more important than his family. His sons worked in his book stores and the youngest, a 12 year old spent 12 hours a day working. Sultan trusted only his sons to work in his shops.

The author described the life in Afghanistan so well I felt like I was living there. I had a little problem following the story and keeping track of the family members. I do know that I feel for the people living there and really see no redeeming quality in living there. I hope that things improve for them.

I have no idea what’s happening here, folks, or if this will even be posted. I’ve sent up a flare for Jenny to see if she can fix it. Our fingers are crossed.

CC writes on January 12th, 2006 at 7:36 pm e :

This is the only place I can post–or at least I think I can. Is anyone else getting a message at the top with some gibberish about a malfunction? It says the password I thought I had is wrong and when I tried to get it or a new one it says I’m not registered. I’m suddenly back to square one.

Courtesy of booksfree.com will be Barack Obama’s DREAMS FROM MY FATHER.

Obama, you will perhaps remember, is the US Senator from Illinois who had quite a lot of press attention when he ran for office. I’ll let you know how I like it, but it should b3e good.

The post should have been in Book Reviews in General and hopefully, I’ve put a copy in there. I did this new category so that we wouldn’t have to go thru all the posts to try to find a particular one about a book. The posts can also be put in ROM Ideas as well as Book Reviews in General (BRIG).

I hope we can get accustomed to using these various categories as having the reviews posted separately from BB&B and in either ROM Ideas or BRIG will make it ever so much easier for me to find.

1776 by David McCullough
This is the story of the troops who marched with George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence. Extensive research went into the writing of this Pulitzer Prize winning book, both American and British. There is much vitality shown among the participants, The American army consisted of soldiers of every shape, size and color: farmers, school teachers, shoemakers, no-accounts and boys turned to soldiers.
There is also the story of the King’s men, their commander, William Howe and the redcoats. Defeat follows defeat and there a detailed description of the long trip across New Jersey. Finally, George Washington launches his brilliant stroke that changes everything.
Of course, every American knows about the Revolutionary War and it’s outcome, but this book highlighted for me many details that I was not aware of. It 1 did make fascinating reading.

The author is P. D. James, who to my surprise is an 80 y/o woman! It is her most recent book and is a Dalgliesh mystery. Very carefully and intricately written and a very good read. Takes place on a private island. I loved it.

Gretchen, I put your post in Book Reviews in General and deleted it from BB&B and now neither one shows. Would you be so good as to repost it in BRG and tell us some of the story, please?

Is this a Dalgleish story?

Just finished new book, and loved it. V ery good read.

Please send me your address so I can send the Karon book. I really enjoyed it. It’s the last in the Mitford series, but a new series to start next year about Father Tim.

Has anyone read Lincoln Lawyer by Connelly? A friend of mine recommended it.

Comments?

Her name always makes me think of Macomber in an movie about Africa (I think it was - been some few years ago).

Anyhow, this lady is a fairly prolific author; booksfree.com has some 80 titles in their library.

The one I read, and thoroughly enjoyed, was THE SHOP ON BLOSSOM STREET. And I guess the genre might be life in general; even though ‘romance’ was involved, there was no heavy romance in the stories - and better yet, no explicit sex altho it was hinted in a very genteel way. (How’s that for a word one never hears anymore?)

This is the story of four women: Lydia, a two-time cancer survivor who opens a yarn shop in a rather surprising neighborhood, and the three women who make up her first learn-to-knit class: Jacqueline, a married woman whose husband is in charge of the renovation of that neighborhood and who seems to be a real rich witch (and spell that any way you want!); Alix, a denizen of that neighborhood who gives the impression of being a real tough girl; and last Carol, a married woman who has been trying desperately to have a baby.

Their interaction is very true to life, I think, and their individual stories were very well written and not at all out of reason.

I am NOT a fan of romances as you all probably remember from some of my previous posts but this first book of hers that I have read is a good one and one I’d recommend. It’s not a heavy reading, philosophical book by any means but it is a good read.