EK, you’ve probably read it, but just in case: Krakauer’s Into Thin Air.
“The River of Doubt” by Candice Millard.
This one is a history. The story of Teddy Roosevelt’s trip to explore an uncharted river in Brazil. This book has everything a great adventure story needs: river rapids, Indians with blow guns, misery, starvation, disease, even murder.
Can’t imagine any modern day former president doing anything so dangerous. A great read.
A couple weeks ago a friend gave me an older book (1998) “Flight of Passage” by Rinker Buck. The true story of two brothers ages 15 and 17 who restore an old Piper Cub and then fly it across the country in the mid 60’s. A great adventure, but the real story and heart of the book is the boys relationship with each other and their relationship with their father. A truly funny, revealing , wonderful book.
“The Tiger’s Wife”. I can’t believe the author was 26 when she wrote it. I also enjoyed “The Cat’s Table”. Apparently I like books with feline titles. Come to think of it, I love “The Cat in the Hat”.
girl gone by gillian flynn…followed closely by sharp objects–same author!
My favorite cat book is The Abandoned by Paul Gallico.
It is out of print but it will be republished in feb 2013
[The</a> Literature of Paul Gallico](<a href=“http://www.paulgallico.info/lit_jennie.html]The”>http://www.paulgallico.info/lit_jennie.html)
IMO, Into the Wild was so much better by Jon Krakauer
Continuing with my George Elliot binge. Re-reading Mill on the Floss after a decade or so. Not the burnished perfection of her later works but so, so good. Found out there’s a “George Elliot Society” and I’m thinking of joining!
TatinG, “River of Doubt” is a really, really good book. Enjoyed it very much. Harrowing.
My husband read River of Doubt and highly recommends it.
I’m reading - and like - The Presidents Club: inside the world’s most exclusive fraternity / Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy. Nonfiction. (One star reviews on Amazon relate problems with the Kindle edition, so beware.)
From The Library Journal
Just finished “The Chaperone” by Laura Moriarty. Good read with some unexpected turns.
Packaldwy, I tried reading Into the Wild when it came out ( & I had read the article in Outside- in fact I think I still have it), but the adventures of a upwardly mobile white kid from the east coast didn’t interest me.
But when I saw the movie, the music & lyrics added another layer of meaning and I saw a different side of MCCandless. It’s one of my favorite soundtracks.
Then I finished the book.
Last week, I read RoseMarie Terenzio’s Fairytale Interrupted about her life as JFK jr.'s assistant. I read it in like four hours and I wish it were longer! She is a good writer and I find the Kennedys fascinating, though I don’t know much about them. It was a very sweet memoir, and even though I read it so fast, I still find myself thinking about it a week later. Now, I don’t remember when JFK JR was alive; I was 7 when he died and I didn’t realize how famous he was.
[Fairy</a> Tale Interrupted by RoseMarie Terenzio | JFK Jr. - Home](<a href=“http://fairytaleinterrupted.com/]Fairy”>http://fairytaleinterrupted.com/)
I felt freezing cold the whole time I read Into Thin Air. Didn’t like it, but I did really enjoy a talk given by Krakauer.
I am the same age as Caroline Kennedy and to me JFK jr., will always be John-John, saluting his fathers casket. Although of course I remember him as he was and I also read George, the magazine he published.
I will look for that, it sounds good!
Emerald - it’s a lovely book. Ends kind of abruptly but when I felt the end coming, I felt so sad even though I knew how it ended. RoseMarie was also very good friends with Carolyn, John’s wife. I didn’t know she had such a bad rap in the media, poor girl.
Oh, and the book also talks a lot about the start up of George and the struggles that came along with it. Very interesting to have an insider’s look. 
I recently read The Art of Racing in the Rain, which I loved, despite the fact that I was dubious about a book told from the point of view of a dog that was about car racing. It was really engrossing–very hard to put down.
I also read State of Wonder by Ann Patchett, also excellent. I loved Bel Canto when I read it several years ago and found this book every bit its equal.
I am currently reading Unbroken, which I’ve wanted to read for awhile, and was finally able to check out from our library on my Kindle. If you haven’t read it, the story is so unbelievable it’s hard to believe it’s true. Just amazing!
I’m reading “With Love and Prayers: A Headmaster Speaks to the Next Generation.” by F. Washington Jarvis (aka Tony Jarvis). He was headmaster at Roxbury Latin Academy for over 25 years. RL is the oldest school in the US in continual operation - it dates to the 1600s. Although it is expensive, it has the financial resources to admit students without regard to their ability to pay, and was originally founded to teach the children of colonists, converted Indians, and slaves all together. As a result, today it attracts a variety of extremely talented boys from a wide variety of Boston neighborhoods and suburbs.
Jarvis’s approach is anecdotal. His stories make deep truths shine through in everyday life. Although these talks were aimed at adolescent boys, you don’t have to be a teenage boy to appreciate them and Jarvis’s uncommon common sense. Some folks on College Confidential would cringe, because he repeats several times that he doesn’t know who he feels more sorry for: those that don’t get into Brand X College, or those who do. He thinks the lessons the hard working, high achieving boys who don’t get into Brand X learn from picking themselves up from the rejection and going on to succeed anyway make them stronger, wiser and more appreciative of their success.
Maybe I appreciate it more because I work at a private school, and his stories of dealing with privileged teens and their over-the-top parents ring true - as do his stories of kids who have amazing strength of character and seem wise beyond their years. Also because I’m from New England so his frequent references to Boston things are very accessible metaphors to me. But I think this book is full of a very healthy world view for any reader.
Ignatius - thanks for your post, adding The Presidents Club to my reading list! And hoping they’ve fixed the Kindle problems…
I will third the recommendation for “Fairytale Interrupted”. I like that Terenzio shows John and Carolyn to be not perfect, but very human. It’s a fascinating peek into a very public life.
Oh … Fairy Tale Interrupted looks good and the library near me has it - now to find time to read it.
Lafalum84: Enjoy The Presidents’ Club. I didn’t want it to end. I found it a good book to read in election year 2012.
Mom2jl: You mentioned State of Wonder: you might enjoy looking over the CC Book Club discussion about it.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1196045-state-wonder-october-cc-book-club-selection.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1196045-state-wonder-october-cc-book-club-selection.html</a>
Speaking of the CC Book Club, I’m reading Jane Eyre for the upcoming discussion. I haven’t read it since high school and enjoy revisiting it. I am not sure I would have made the time if not for the CC Book Club. Looking forward to Wide Sargasso Sea to follow.