What are you reading right now?

I just finished reading Mark Twain’s “ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”. I found a collection of Twain’s books in our ALF library. I first read about Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn when I was 10 or 12 years old. Now on to the next story of Tom’s adventures.

The Enemy At The Gates by William Craig. Story of the seige of Stalingrad by the Germans during World War II. A little gruesome. A reread rom the early 80's.

Alva - There's a good movie about Clark Rockefeller. I can't remember the name of the movie. I've read several articles about the guy. He as crafty or sure.

Oh, THIS one is GOOOOOODDDDDD. Walter Kirn book, Blood Will Out, about Clark Rockerfeller, the con man who both conned a ton of savvy New Yorkers, ran art cons and etc. and spent decades being a con. Eventually murdered. As the book will end with the trial, which is where I left off on Clark many years ago, I can't ruin the outcome. Get it yourself. Either on Amazon cheap as not new book, or from your local library. Have FUN. I think you won't much like either Clark or Walter Kirn much at all, but only my guess.

1984 by George Orwell. Depressing but relevant.

The 5-Second Rule by Mel Robbins. Self-Development genre.

I'm taking an online Russian literature class. Got my box of books and reading lists today. I always planned on getting a Masters in Literature but got sidetracked into PhD in Psychology. Stuck in a NH gives me plenty of time to read.

A fun memoir about food, overeating, eating disorders by someone who has worked in restaurants all her life. It is Feast: True Love in and out of the Kitchen. I just finished Jamie Raskin's book, Unthinkable, about January 6th and about the suicide of his son. Highly recommend. A wonderful man who tries hard to see both sides. And what an education: For instance, at 80 I never knew that until 1913 it was our Congress who elected our Senators, not "we the people". Most profound from him is this quote which shows how differently we think in our country, how divided we are:
"As the senaors exit and the House members resume their usual places, I look to my left and see the Democrats and to my right I see the Republicans. I recall a conversations I have with a Republican colleague, Rep. Clay Higgins of LA., once when we were sitting on the floor.
'What do you see when you look out over our side, and then over your side'? I asked Clay, who is a good- natured man with an awesome Cajun accent.
"He looked at me and said 'you tell me first'.
'When I look at our side', I said 'I see America today in all its glory; black, white, hispanic, asian-American, LGBTQ, straight, gay, women, men, immigrants, native-born. And when I look at your side I see America in the 50s.'
(Clay replied) 'When I look at your side, he said, I see the Coasts, New York and California. When I look at my side I see the heartland'.
End of quote from this book.
Really, if we could just think and talk to the "other side", how much we could learn about the differences we all feel, see, believe. And how much more alike we might admit to be in our thinking than the rhetoric we are forced into when forced to "choose" those sides? How much better might we be?

Two books are on my table that I pick up, read a few pages, then put down until next time. One is a James Patterson mystery and the other is a biography on Jackie O.
Both interesting and so nice to focus on something other than health issues, work conflicts, and world events.

I've added that to my want to read list bluewillow!

Reading is a wonderful escape!

I just finished We Are The Brennans by Tracey Lange, and it’s one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time. A solid family drama with a bit of suspense mixed in. I wish all books were that satisfying. I’m curious to know how many have read it and feel that way 🙂

Another good one is State of Terror by Hillary Clinton and Louise Penny. Political thriller that also manages to throw shade on The Other Guy.

Real countries. China, US and others. It doesn't go well. Written by guys with military and intelligence backgrounds.

VegasLady, I'd be curious to know if fictitious countries are the primary contributors, or are the plots based on existing countries?  Given Putin's aggressive actions, I'm curious as to whether some form of the Soviet Union or other countries dominated by dictators are projected into the future.  2034 isn't that far away, and Putin has manipulated himself into a for-life "president".

He'll allegedly complete his presidency in 2036.

https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/505807-vladimir-putin-becomes-russias-president-for-life

2034, about the Third World War. That is set in 2034.

Alexander McCall Smith’s “ #1 Lady Detective “ Series, and Louise Pennie’s Inspector Gamache series.

Also started reading lots of sci-fi & fantasy again after my Dad got sick. Good mental health treatment for me!

What a great question :)

It was really surprising to read in the Memoirs of a Medieval Woman, that her husband accidentally fell down the stairs, at night, in his night gown and was over 60. Sustained substantial head trauma, patched up, 'n the holes "plugged up" in his head. As a result of this, he became demented-including bowel issues....this was in about 1463....apparantly his wife, Margery was not thrilled with this turn of events in her life, as she was really, really busy trying to become a Saint, by way of visions and preaching. While having to attend to all her husband's diaper changes and his sitting by the fire babbling about stuff. Wow....did not expect to be reading about dementia in what is considered the first biography in the english language.

I am hunkered down with new cozy mysteries and best sellers, and enjoying every one! I like escapest fiction and mysteries, as well as adventure type things . And historical fiction, so I guess I will read anything really! I did just read the latest Outlander novel,, and 800+ pages and enjoyed every one!

Memoirs of a Medieval Woman The Life and Times of Margery Kempe
Louise Collis

Oh, this is a unique book. It is not exactly an easy read. But certainly takes my mind off of dementia care at the end of the day and into a very different world of the medieval striving for sainthood.

After all the movies I figured most people would get the short form Glad.

I initially resisted reading the books because all the brainy nerds loved them and in my experience anything with popular appeal doesn't appeal to me. I can't remember my first impressions because I've reread the trilogy in part and as a whole dozens of times since then, but I do know that the deeper I dived into Tolkien's world the more enchanted I became.

How are most people to know that TLOTR is The Lord of the Rings? And it is a series.

I had to look it up. I have never read it and tried only once.

I started a yawner, supposed to be the story about Twin Peaks called Murder at Teal's Pond. I just stop trying this one.

I do know the story of Pollyanna, it's ubiquitous after all, but I've never read the book.
As for TLOTR - it's not supposed to be true to Norse mythology, it's a fantasy not a history book.

Cwillie, I’m surprised that you don’t seem to know and love Pollyanna. It’s become a common expression, explained at length on the net.

Pollyanna lived with her impoverished minister father (her mother and siblings in heaven), dependent on ‘missionary barrels’ for most of her clothing etc. She sent word that she would love a doll, and when the barrel arrived there was no doll, just a pair of child-sized crutches. Her father invented the Glad Game, where you had to find something to be Glad about, even if it was a challenge. It started with Pollyanna being Glad that she didn’t need to use the crutches. She then brought joy and happiness to a surprising number of people, as you can perhaps imagine.

Many people now might say ‘Pass the sick bag, Alice’, but I find the books both soothing and interesting. They are themselves a piece of history, and a glimpse into the minds of people in the past – what people thought and enjoyed, why stories were popular (eg miraculous recoveries from paraplegia). Sometimes the genuine background facts are a surprise to learn.

For me TLOTR is unreadable at any age, a complete waste of time. It’s not even ‘true’ to Norse mythology, why bother? Pollyanna is at least short!

Midnight Library sounds intriguing Sammy, I've added it to my want to read list.

I've never read Pollyanna but I've read a fair bit of children's lit. I think a lot of older books where the protagonist was a child or the setting was fantasy vs real life were/are still labelled as for children simply because of that and the author never set out to write a children's book. I'll never understand people giving little kids TLOTR, and even The Hobbit is a stretch for an early reader. I can remember having Heidi on my bookshelf as a child and never being able to get through it, and I was a voracious reader even then. One I reread a few years ago was The Secret Garden, that is a wonderful story!


I'm coming back to add - one of my pet peeves is that I think giving kids books that are beyond their reading ability and/or with themes beyond their comprehension ruins the story for them, especially if they have access to a film version and skip the reading altogether. Back in my school days we began with "readers" and moved on to short novels as ability allowed, I still remember the thrill of reading and rereading Charlotte's Web, The Big Wave, Call it Courage.

Good Morning,
I am not sure if you are looking for a reading list or something to do with caregiving.

But here are my recommendations:

*Angela's Ashes (Frank McCourt) Pulitzer Prize Winning Author
*Tis (the sequel to to the above mentioned)
*Starbucks Saved My Life (great read about a businessman who loses his job and triumphs--funny, funny, funny!)
*The Bible (Dennis Prager has interpreted the bible in layman's terms) excellent when you have major decisions to make--very informative a lot I was unaware of
*A Caregiver's Guide to Lewy Body Dementia (Helen Buell Whitworth & James Whitworth) there is also a second edition
*The New Times Book Review on a Sunday has the latest releases and a brief bio
*I order all of my books online and have them transferred to my local public library

Hope this helped! Nothing like a good book, comfortable reading chair, good reading lamp and a nice decorative cup of hot tea!

I’ve just finished reading Pollyanna! Better late than never. I’ve built up a collection of old books for girls. Anne of Green Gables, of course, plus Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, What Katie Did, and various girls boarding school stories. I just found Pollyanna in an Op Shop. For a book that’s so often referred to, there are surprisingly few copies about. I’m So Glad to have found it.

I am puzzled by Katie and Pollyanna’s terrible accidents. They sounded as if they had spinal injuries and were then paraplegic, but both of them recovered. Does anyone know how? Perhaps Lydia Pinkerton's Medicinal Compound did the trick.

Gershun,

Thanks! I have experience in both of those subjects.

I started a book two weeks ago. Can't remember what it's called cause it's a yawner. :)

Sounds like a good relaxing read Yoda! LOL

Covert Emotional Incest: The Hidden Sexual Abuse by Adena Bank Lees

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Keener, Craig S.. Miracles Today