katliamom, I think I will enjoy reading it and it will probably be on and off for a few weeks and then pass it on to my sister. She is dealing some of these issues.
Someone I know also liked the Noonday Demon, an earlier book of his on dealing with depression. It has effected many in her family and she found the book very informative and easy to read.
I should check out Noonday Demon, thanks. You might finish Far from the Tree faster than you think; I couldnāt put it down!
I suspect my Bookclub will want to read Harper leeās prequel. We like to read a classic a year, so we read mockingbird last year, and showed the movie.
My fear is that Iāll dislike it as much as j.k. Rowlingās adult book, which was filled with so much bile. I didnāt like seeing that side of the author.
I am almost finished with Seveneves and am enjoying it. At first, I got bogged down in all the technical minutia and thought I might give it up but I found that I donāt have to treat it like a textbook and understand every concept and scientific theory as if Iām going to be tested on it. I can let the technical information wash over me and enough of it sticks to enjoy the book. I may go back and give The Martian another try. I let the technical details at the beginning of the book throw me off.
On the Martian at about page 50 it adds other POVās and that makes a world of difference.
^I suppose, but really I enjoyed the voice of the Martian. He was fun to spend time with.
Me tooā¦and I gave this book as a giftā¦but at some point it was āOh, another discussion of potatosā as opposed to āOMG! We have someone alive on Mars letās scurry around and try to save him!ā which is a bit more exciting.
About 3 quarters of the way in on Watchman and admit I am enjoying it. Gives a very different picture of some characters than TKIM. Helps with perspective to know that it was written first.
Thanks FallGirl! Appreciate your updates! Looking forward to hearing more!
Finished Watchman last night. Enjoyed overall, not sure if I liked the ending though. Donāt want to give anything away. I am interested to hear what others think. passing the book on to a friend today.
I just cannot bring myself to buy Watchman because I believe there is a very good chance that this is a case of elder abuse.
^ you are not alone in that thinking - this is a debacle- so sad.
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/122290/suspicious-story-behind-publication-go-set-watchman
I am agreeing with both of the previous posters. This whole publication does not sit right with me, especially with so many different versions of how this manuscript was found by the current lawyer. There was an interesting article in the NY TIMES last week based on the memories of those in the publishing house of Lippincott and the long work with the editor , now deceased of coures, to get from point A to point B over several years to the book we know as To Kill A Mockingbird. Many had been interviewed while developing a company history of Lippincott and the culture of that publishing house which was acquired and became part of Harper, now HarperCollins and the expectation that another entirely different book would be written and would be forthcoming at some point in the following decade(s).
Having fought my way through Seveneves (I am not a science-y or tech-y person, but have been a sci-fi fan since childhood), I couldnāt help think how much the book would have benefited from some illustrations (thereās only one) to clarify the descriptions of complex structures and mechanisms that go on and on for pages. Truly an example of a picture being worth a thousand words! I found my eyes glazing over numerous times and honestly couldnāt follow big chunks of writing. I thought the bookās concept was intriguing, but the writing is all brain, no heart, and the author is very weak at creating fully realized characters, so at the end of the day I canāt recommend Seveneves.
I wonder if Harper Lee needed the money. Her contract made years ago may not be enough to cover her assisted living establishment.
No, she didnāt need the money; royalties from To Kill A Mockingbird are $1.7 to $3.5 million a year.
Iām taking a long weekend trip and want to read (listen to ) a beach read type book while I travel. Iām looking for a Liane Moriarity type book. Iāve read all of hers. Iām reading A Dark-Adapted Eye and enjoying it but want something different for the trip. Suggestions?
Watchman:
Almost everyone I know is boycotting, but one friend started it so I did, too, to keep her company. I was extremely apprehensive.
WOW WOW WOW
Native white southerner here and I was in tears half-way through. It isnāt only the race thing, itās the whole patriarchy. And rejecting it. If we even can even see it. Scout finds out her father isnāt perfect, which is going to be the start of her real adult life. Itās about having incredibly powerful ties to a home place that holds horrors and how one can possibly deal with that. How one can even see the horrors, because Scout isnāt quite there yet in this story. I hope to goodness there is another book that comes at the same story 20 or 30 years later.
The writing is extremely uneven. The first part is better (imho) than the end. Though the description of the time and place is so exactly perfect. This is definitely one of the best things Iāve read in six months. I think it is an incredibly important work, even though it feels unfinished to me.
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I read it in the same week as Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates, (even more powerful) and am now thinking about who gets the opportunity to tell what histories.
eta: if it is autobiographical, I have a lot of fantastical theories as to the publication only now.
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/07/27/sweet-home-alabama
best review Iāve read so far
Would love to hear your theories, alh, as to why publication now.
Really appreciate hearing your opinions on the book.