Bringing up the Bones right now. Thomas Cromwell’s rise and fall with the Tudors. I am finding second book, easier…
^It’s Bring up the Bodies. But there are bones involved, too. 
I recall how many people enjoyed The hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet. I’m delighted to say the author is coming to a local school, and will talk about herself and the book. In October, Candace Millard, author of The River of Doubt, will speak at our library.
I cannot wait to see and hear these terrific writers.
For those who enjoyed (or wished for more) from “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed, I am reading “Almost Somewhere” by Suzanne Roberts. Three women who just graduated from college hike the John Muir Trail. I like it much better than “Wild”. Roberts is more relatable for me than Strayed with her serious drug issues was.
“Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand, I could not put it down. Excellent WWII survival story, and just really well-written.
Also for those who enjoyed (or wished for more) from “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed: [Tiny</a> Beautiful Things](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Beautiful-Things-Advice-Sugar/dp/0307949338/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348272973&sr=8-1&keywords=tiny+beautiful+things]Tiny”>http://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Beautiful-Things-Advice-Sugar/dp/0307949338/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348272973&sr=8-1&keywords=tiny+beautiful+things), a collection of her Dear Sugar advice letters (see [Rumpus.net](<a href=“http://therumpus.net/sections/dear-sugar/]Rumpus.net[/url]”>Dear Sugar Archives - The Rumpus)</a>).
“Trail of Crumbs” by Kim Sunee. So vividly written it made me dream I was in field of lavender in France-gorgeous.
Just finished “2312” by Kim Stanley Robinson. This is an amazing book. Huge ideas about humanity and the future – I can barely wrap my head around it. There were at least a dozen times in this book when I felt like I had just been pole-axed with a stunning new idea. It is my new favorite book (and it has taken 20 years and literally thousands of books to displace my previous “favorite”). Wow.
^ What was your previous favorite?!
Hi bookworm, the author of *Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet<a href=“Jamie%20Ford”>/i</a> is a “himself” not a “herself,” so don’t be surprised when he walks up to the podium. I would love to hear him speak – and Candice Millard, too. Enjoy!
Mary13, my previous favorite was “Angle of Repose” by Wallace Stegner. Won the Pulitzer for fiction in 1972. Very ironically, my mom recently mentioned to me that this was HER favorite book. Somehow this had never come up before, I did not even know she had read it. If you knew how different my mom and I are, this would strike you as completely impossible. But apparently not…
I’ve read Robinson’s Mars trilogy and enjoyed it, but was not so taken with it that I went looking for his most recent books. I guess I’ll have to give 2312 a shot! I thought I’d read Angle of Repose, but looking at the synopsis it’s clear I haven’t. I think the only Stegner I’ve read is Crossing to Safety which I liked and intended to read his more famous book.
From the time I was 12 for at least the the next 20 years I read *Lord of the Rings *at least once a year and it was my favorite book. At some point I gave it a rest and came back and read it to my kids. I still love it, but when I was reading it aloud to my kids when they were young I realized that it just wasn’t my favorite book any more. I’m not sure what is, though the whole Vorkosigan saga by Lois McMasters Bujold comes close. And for straight fiction I thought Atonement was pretty close to perfect.
You and I are pretty well aligned, mathmom. I also really like the Vorkosigan books. D2 and I went to a reading by LMB recently at a sci-fi fantasy bookstore in a sketchy part of town (same city she lives in). D2 was a bit taken aback by the small crowd; we were by far the most “normal” people in it. We were not wearing capes, and we were not among those who clearly thought the world in her books was completely real. She was very kind to those people, though. 
I did ask her if we will see more of Miles’ children in future books, and she indicated that she did not intend to write too much about him as a parent. I told her that was too bad, as it would be nice to see him get his commupance after what he put his parents through.
I liked the Mars trilogy, but have just been okay with his recent books until “2312”. Although I admit that the character in “Forty Signs of Rain” who lived in Rock Creek Park caught my imagination, and just last week I made D1 go hiking there with me while I was visiting her in DC so I could see it and imagine this part of his book.
Interesting mention of Stegner. I read Crossing to Safety every few years. Angle of Repose is my family history in a way. Crossing is his greatest work, I think. Full of gentle wisdom.
I saw my funny mix up on my current book..I haven’t gotten to bones or bodies!
Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family by Condoleezza Rice…I listened on audiobook, read by Rice. Wonderful Memoir!
overseas, I also consider Angle of Repose a wonderful, wonderful novel. Thanks for the mention, believe I’ll give it a re-read after many years.
Speaking of re-visiting wonderful books of our pasts – Just read Joan Didion’s book of essays Slouching Toward Bethlehem again after 25 years or so. Have not read her more recent books but this one is extraordinary, imo. Brings back that era. It’s almost better with more years on it, and I guess that’s the real test of a great writer.
After becoming hooked on HBO’s Game of Thrones I decided to read the series. I just finished the third book A Storm of Swords and all I can say is WOW!
I’m in the middle of the third book of* Game of Thrones.* It’s pretty hard to put down, but when I finally finish it, I’m going to take a break to read my birthday requests - Penelope Lively’s How it all Began. and Keith Richard’s* Life.*
Angle of Repose, yes, yes, yes!
I recently finished “Extemely Loud and Incredibly Close” - love JS Foer for his unique creativity and his ability to get inside the mind of a quirky, smart boy - the kind of boy a lot of us on ColConf might just know & love
Recently finished “The Time Traveler’s Wife” - don’t really get it. But I still kind of miss the guy character, now that he’s out of my life.
Am beginning “The Orphan Master’s Son” - only a short way in, so TBD…