OK, somehow I missed that the April book had already been selected … I have a couple of international flights coming up, so maybe I can get a good start on “Middlemarch” then.
For this month’s RL Book Club we’re doing “The Silent Patient.” I read it several months ago, before it was picked for Book Club – must have been on sale for Kindle? The online Book Club run by my undergraduate college is reading “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone.” (PS That online Club is not nearly as good as this one!)
We chose it early because of the length and density of the novel. I hope you are traveling somewhere fun!
Thanks again @Mary13 for being such a great leader. I’ve spent the last few months rereading the entire Liaden series (including short stories) by Sharon Lee and Steven Miller in series chronology as opposed to publication order. It’s space opera/comedy of manners/romance/thriller all rolled into one. Just about the opposite of Middlemarch. The only other book I’ve read recently is How Turner Painted which I found really interesting. He’s always been one of my favorite painters - a real precursor to the impressionists.
This was my first time participating in the CC Book Club. I really enjoyed it. Thanks all.
I have a final thought on Educated.
Given the backdrop of us all being a part of the College Confidential community, I think this is a fascinating story. On CC, there is so much anguish from parents and students over every detail of the college application and the college decision process, and then here is someone who was essentially unschooled who manages the whole process without support. I think Tara Westover is amazing.
I just started Less by Andrew Greer for my RL book club. I haven’t gotten far enough to say whether I like it or not. I was at the Good Reads looking for a quote from Less and found this blurb about Greer:
“Greer studied writing with Robert Coover and Edmund White at Brown University, where he was the commencement speaker at his own graduation, where his unrehearsed remarks, critiquing Brown’s admissions policies, caused a semi-riot.”
I can’t find what he said, but I would love to know.
While I was at Good Reads, I decided to look at the quotes from Educated. I enjoyed reading through them:.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/16121977.Tara_Westover
Lastly, is this book club always every other month, or is March being skipped because of the length of Middlemarch?
Hi @csfmap, I’m glad you were here for this discussion! The book club is every other month: February, April, June, August, October and December. Usually, we choose the next book at the close of discussion, but this time we chose April’s book before the February discussion even began, because Middlemarch is so long.
Welcome @csfmap ! You will discover our fearless, brilliant leader, @Mary13 is so skillful, we all are grateful to her, for her insights, and leading the conversations into enriching and enlightening topics. So, once again, thank you @Mary13.
@Ignatius suggested an interesting book, which I read recently,
Daisy Jones and the Six ( soon to be a tv series, with Riley Keough, Elvis Presley’s granddaughter as Daisy !
Now I’m reading
Long Bright River- very readable because it’s set in Philly an hour from me, but I’m at the halfway point and not sure where it’s going
I had added all the contenders for February that we had discussed in December to my library list. I have been getting them one by one over the last week or two.
I read Disappearing Earth and The Ten Thousand Doors of January last week and have just picked up Catch and Kill and Ninth House.
But I’m also reading a lot of regency fluff on the side right now because life is grim and I need a pick-me-up. I just lost a cousin who was also a close friend. He was only 50.
I had to return The Weight of Ink because I had used up all my possible renewals. I will wait until I’m done with Middlemarch before I get that again.
Can only handle one tome at a time. But, due to the coronavirus my trip abroad will likely be off - destination wedding in a location close to the affected areas. So I’m resigned to dealing with some wrist pain and opening the omnibus. Who knows, I may feel inspired enough to read The Mill on the Floss as well. I had to read Silas Marner for school and felt interested enough to read Adam Bede and there it ended.
Many thanks to @Mary13 for leading this book club so well and @jerseysouthmomchess for all the helpful links that I would never explore left to myself. I enjoy reading all the posts from all the contributors and appreciate the insights that each of you brings to the discussion. Welcome to the club @csfmap.
My other book club (which I may quit soon) has become more about high tea than book discussion. So I really do appreciate this one.
I recently read The Red Clocks and really liked it.
Also read The Dutch House and enjoyed it, but I didn’t think it was fabulous.
Also just finished Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell. I love his books.
I’m right now in the middle of Farenheit 451 – I never read it before, although I already knew generally what it’s about. I’m finding it truly weird.
Vhappy, there was a movie with Julie Christie. Have you seen any of the divergent movies?
For Farenheit 451? No, I haven’t.
I finished it last night. I skimmed it, mostly. I suppose it was quite dystopian when it was written 70 years ago, but I found it underwhelming, with several plot flaws.
@VeryHappy, I think @bookworm means the “Divergent” movie(s) with Shailene Woodley (YA books by Veronica Roth). There are many thematic similarities between Divergent and Farenheit 451. (I liked the first book and the first movie–went with my daughter who was a teen at the time–but that was enough for me.)
Ah. Well, the answer’s still no!
MODERATOR’S NOTE: A reminder that discussion of religion is not permitted. I deleted several posts.
I have been thinking about this book lately and have wondered if Tara’s father now washes his hands after using the toilet!!
^ LOL @silverlady, for some reason that detail from the book has stuck with me also. I have wondered the same thing.
Who needs hygiene when you have a personal relationship with jesus plus a little magic oil?
@Sybylla: I love your avatar.
Isn’t she the best? Stay well Ruth!
I’d donate a kidney to her if I thought it would help. 