Rereading, skimming, "The Husband's Secret" by Liane Moriarity for one book club and "The Circle" by Dave Eggers for the other. I think we will have an interesting discussion of the first. I haven't read enough of the second one to know yet.

I am anxious to get to the third book in the All Souls trilogy by Deborah Harkness. I just reread the first two books to prepare.

I really liked "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes, another book club selection. I have heard that her other books are maybe a little lighter weight, but this really made me think. And we had a great discussion.

Annpan, yes, Americans should apply to all the inhabitants of North, Central, and South America, but by popular convention is usually reserved for the citizens of the U.S.A. However, it's not because U.S. citizens appropriated the term for themselves only. There's no really good short way to refer to the collective population of the United States of America. USAers never caught on, and besides that could mean the people of the Union of South Africa before it was changed to the Republic of South Africa. 'Yanks' didn't catch on either, except in England and perhaps other parts of the Isles. ;-) Americans developed as the default term.

People the world over refer to the nationalities of other countries by names that the people born in those places have never called themselves: example, Germans for Deutsch. It may be annoying to the native born, but it's usually accepted without too much resentment.

Speaking of South Africa, after Vee's mention, I'm now reading Frankie and Stankie by Barbara Trapido about two sisters growing up in the 1940s and 1950s in Cape Town and Durban during apartheid. Trapido has a light touch with amusing anecdotes about the usual 'growing pains' of childhood and adolescence, but interspersed with these are more serious observations about the political and cultural situations of the times.

I wish Trapido had provided a glossary because sometimes I can't work out what she's talking about. Plus, I am disconcerted by Trapido's use of the present tense only. The main character's birth (circa 1940) is happening right now as well as Cecil Rhodes acquiring more and more land although he is dead (in 1902)! I've heard all the arguments that the present tense indicates immediacy to the reader. Hmm. Vee, did you have trouble with the South African terms and the present-tense narration?

Frieda, I am glad that it is all right to refer to Americans as it is a bit difficult, as you say, to come up with anything else but I have felt "Miss" breathing down my neck in disapproval when I did!
I don't even remember that teacher's name but I recall what she said. Things stick with you for many years, don't they?
I do try to refer to the place as the US though.
Australians are fortunate because I think everyone calls them that! I am not so sure that some people don't realise that there isn't an Australian language. Recently there was a news item about an Australian restaurant in the US and a comment was made about the servers not speaking Australian. I hope that was tongue in cheek!
There are of course many Aboriginal languages still spoken but they are chiefly among themselves.

Frieda, thank you for the correct information on Raymond Chandler. I shouldn't have relied on 'a little knowledge' based on an elderly friend who had attended Dulwich College at the same time as RC.
As with Ann, I would be unable to differentiate between an East or West Texan accent but might manage a Mexican from a Canadian.
I can't comment on the In the Name of the Father film as I haven't seen; though it might be interesting to know the nationality of the script-writer.
Regarding the place the USA. My late Mother, half American (her father had been a proud Virginian) always referred to it as "the States" and everyone seemed to know where she was talking about.
It is many years since I read Frankie and Stankie and probably just rode along with the SA expressions. It had been recommended on a BBC radio prog. A Good Read then hosted by the presenter Sue MacGregor (IMO one of the best broadcasters working on radio and someone who had grown up of Scottish stock in SA ) . . . an excellent place to pick up reading tips.

Here is a link that might be useful: A Good Read BBC

Rosefolly, after reading your reference to Edinburgh based books that your husband has been reading, last night when I finished the latest of my Arthurian themed reads, The Skystone by Jack Whyte, I raided my "to read" pile for Glasgow Kiss by Alex Gray, set in the city where I spent most of my life.

A new author to me, she has been favourably compared to Ian Rankin, if you can believe the cover testimonials and the first couple of chapters seem to promise a good read. I always enjoy a book where you are aware of the setting. It seems to give added interest when the plot takes you to somewhere you have been.

Bill

Veer, friedag and others, I should add that when I took that course, it was, ahem, several decades ago. We are all so much more PC these days. The text was entitled British Literature, shortened by less-than-enthusiastic students to simply "Brit LIt" as in, "What class do you have fourth period?" "Oh, I have Brit Lit." Much the same as chemistry become "chem" and biology became "bio". I suppose it is similar to the way teens spell when texting today. (Yes, I shudder at the thought as well.) The course encompassed any writer born and who was writing in the British Empire and began, if memory serves, with Beowulf.

Carolyn, I am still working my way through the Chaucer book and really enjoying it. Thoroughly enjoying it. I look forward to your opinions! Fingers crossed.

The Neil Gaiman book, sadly, started out like fireworks and dissolved to the merest pop in my opinion. Sorry Mr. Gaiman, but here, you and I part ways. I am diving back into the 1300's with Chaucer and there I shall stay until the back cover.

Still chuckling over The Egg and I St. How would you like THAT address on all of your bills and correspondence??

PAM

I am reading Designated Daughters, new by Margaret Maron. I love her Deborah Knott books because she has southern family down so pat. The designated daughters are those women who are caretakers for their aging relatives.

I am reading Kidnapped by Jan Burke a very good read.

I jiust finished The Madwoman in the Volvo by Sandra Tsing Loh. Subtitled "My Year of Raging Hormones" it is a very funny take on her experiences with menopause. As I'm at that age, I occasionally found myself laughing uncontrollably to the point where my teenagers were becoming concerned.

Over all, it was a bit uneven (she also writes about her affair and divorce), but I thought it was very funny and candid, as well as a quick read.

Sheri -

I am also of that age (unfortunately), and found a book of essays (kinda) by Annabelle Gurwich who is around 50 as well. She is a comedian (although I didn't know that), and her thoughts were incredibly funny at times. I loved her writing and could be sympathetic with some of the experiences she relates.

She's also the only person I've ever heard of who admits that she's too impatient to consistently dry the hair on the back of the head when blow drying. (Me too!! I had thought that I was the only person who did that. Or at least admitted it.)

Very dry wit and I believe that we would have been best friends if we'd ever overlapped in our lives. (At least I wish I was. She sounds really nice and funny.)

Anyway, the title was "I See You Made an Effort: Compliments, Indignities and Survival Stories from the Edge of 50". I really enjoyed the read as she didn't have to get her comedy from the bottom of the barrel. Nothing too deep and meaningful, but hilarious in parts.

I've just finished that and also a more serious fiction read called "Indian Horse" by Richard Wagamese which was one of the chosen titles for the Canada Reads program one year. It's about a First Nation person who is in rehab for alcohol dependence and in order to face the future, his therapists ask him to face the past.

Sounds brutal (and it was in places), but it was a fascinating look at how Canada treated its First Nation peoples over time, forcibly removing FN children from their families to "take the Indian out of them". (Canada wasn't alone - look at Australia et al. Unfortunately, a lot of it was British-based which is embarrassing and shameful for me, but hopefully things are better now.)

Anyway, a fast read (not all dreadfully serious) with some fantastic writing. Lots to think about afterwards which I love to do.

So - now the fun question is "what to read next"? I've ordered a title or two from the library, but have been doing my best to get titles off my bookshelves for the upcoming FoL library sale.

I am currently reading The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, which is the fourth title in Conan Doyle's series about his famous detective. I needlessly put off reading these books for years. I am reading them now, and thoroughly enjoying them. I would recommend them to readers who are feel to intimidated to try "Victorian" literature.

With autumn just around the corner, I'll soon be switching to ghost and horror stories.

Lemonhead, I have heard Gurwitch interviewed several times. She seems like a very smart and funny woman. Perhaps I will give her book a try.

Lemonhead, that book sounds wonderful, I just requested it from my library. Looking forward to it!

I am reading "These Foolish Things" by Deborah Moggach which was the story that inspired the movie "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel". I saw that recently on TV and enjoyed it very much. The book is rather different but I expected that from reviews.

I'm now engrossed in 2 interesting texts for the college history class I'm enrolled in: "Out of the East: Spices and the Medieval Imagination" by Paul Freedman, and "The Cross and the Crescent" by Richard Fletcher.

I'm reading Wayfaring Stranger by James Lee Burke. It is one of the Holland family saga and very good as always; and, as always, I'm reading furiously with a feeling of dread. I do love his beautiful writing and his good (if violent) men.

It is set in Texas, beginning in Europe at the end of WWII with GIs who come home to use German technology in the new oil boom era. The Holland hero also brings home a Jewish girl he found in a death camp as his wife.

Have just completed Mariana by Susanna Kearsley, the author described as being much like Mary Stewart. I did not see it at all in this particular novel, but I did enjoy it.

I am now reading The Serpent's Tale Ariana Franklin's follow up to Mistress of the Art of Death. I keep thinking that the plague is coming and they don't know it, but of course it will not happen during the lifespan of any of these particular characters. Knowing just a bit of history can be a curse when reading historical novels.

Rosefolly

I'm reading Too Much Happiness, a collection of stories by Alice Munro.

I've read a number of her other books. She never disappoints--always spins a good yarn.

I realised that I have come across the story of "These Foolish Things", my current read, before but I thought it was as a TV play. However it isn't listed so perhaps I read the book but it isn't in my reading history at the local library and I don't recall too much about the whole book, just a few scenes. I have more of a visual memory. How odd!

Am I the only person in the Western World who had never heard of Before I Go To Sleep by S J Watson?
It was an 'offer' with our daily paper so, never turning down a freebee, I picked it up from the newsagents. Also checked on line to see why it was a giveaway and found it has just been released as a 'major motion picture' with Nicole Kidman and Mr Darcy (sorry Colin Firth).
On-line opinions varied between 'best book I have ever read' to 'the biggest load of **** since anything by Dan Brown'.
I found it somewhere between the two. An amnesiac, after some sort of accident, is encouraged to keep a diary as each morning, on awakening, she has no memory of the last ?? years.
Needless to say this makes for repetitive reading but I kept on as there was just enough suspense to make you wonder 'why' and 'how'.
I found I had no feelings for the two-dimensional characters and it was easy to see it was written by a man as he kept describing how the heroine kept looking at her breast in the mirror . . . getting dressed took her for ever.

Now moved on to some Sherlock Holmes stories. No trouble with females at 221B Baker St.

Last night I finished Glasgow Kiss by Alex Gray, quite a lightweight, but enjoyable murder mystery and detective story. Not only was it set in Glasgow where I grew up, but it used a lot of Glaswegian vocabulary and was quite descriptive of place settings bringing lots of memories back to me. It turns out that the book is one of a series and as I quite liked the main characters I will definitely seek out the others.

Having completed that, I turned to an e.book, Taliesin by Stephen Lawhead, another Arthurian tale, the first in a series by this author who is new to me.

However, I prefer the feel of real books and tend to keep the e.reader with me when I am out and about as back up, dipping in and out. So, I was delighted to unearth a book voucher from the depths of my wallet this morning, an unused Xmas present that was still valid and I purchased two new books from a local bookstore. The one I started to read was a UK âÂÂRichard and Judyâ book choice, The Memory Book, a very poignant tale about early-onset Alzheimer's. The first few chapters have already told me this is going to be a book which I will treasure. If anyone has loved ones who have experienced this terrible affliction I would recommend this as worthwhile and uplifting reading.

Bill

Vee, I haven't heard of that book either.
BTW...I remember someone saying that they had never heard of a "minor motion picture" being made from a book!

Rosefolly, I don't find Kearsley to be anything at all like Mary Stewart, but I like her books a lot.

I have started the just published fifth book in A. D. Scott's "Highlands and Islands" series, The Low Road. It's not starting off to be as interesting as the others.

Bill, a 'Glasgow Kiss is probably a painful reminder about what is happening 'North of the Border' at the moment. ;-(
I understand important messages can be picked up from the Memory Book especially in the on-going debate about non-funding of Alzheimer's/Dementia by the NHS.

I am reading Summer of the Dead, the third of Julia Keller's series set in a depressed area of West Virginia. The first one was A Killing in the Hills and was very good.

I'm reading Lauren Bacall's autobiography By Myself and Then Some. It's written in a very conversational style, I feel like she just sat down one day and dictated her life story and then let her editor tidy it up a bit. It is littered with sentence fragments and side comments, which make It charming, as if she's right there talking to you. I always admired "Bogie and Bacall" and loved their movies, so this is a fun read.

I had to grab some books from the library recently as it was closing time. I went for a Wodehouse which I might have read but he is always good and one from the New Books shelf. "Thistle and Twigg" by Mary Saums.
This is written in chapters by both the women of the title, Jane Thistle an English-born US Army widow and Phoebe Twigg a Southern widow both in their late sixties.
What surprised me was the mention of guns because although I understand that in the US it is common for citizens to own them, this is rarely mentioned in the crime books I read. In fact, some fictional PIs don't like to carry them and keep them in drawers or the Cookie Jar!
Would that be to cater for the wider readership where it is most unusual to have guns in the community?
The book was interesting but it reminded me of a criticism here by a poster who said her book had too much in it and gave the name of a kind of stew!
I won't say what I found was a bit too much because of spoilers.

Ann, I'm no great reader of 'mysteries' US or otherwise, but do remember a comment by an American poster here that she was surprised to learn that the UK police are unarmed . . . perhaps stranger to her than the fact that law-abiding citizens don't carry weapons either.
I doubt the average writer of US crime-fiction gives any thought to the possible sensitivities of readers in other countries; probably wouldn't cross their radar.
I have noticed that, even in The Simpson's, there are quite a few 'scenes' of shoot-ups and to me, more disturbing, 'fry-ups' with the use of the electric chair. Maybe US kids take these things in their stride.
Isn't there a Miss Marple book where she keeps a handy Smith&Wesson Magnum in her knitting bag?

Miss Marple finished turning the heel of the sock she was knitting for dear Mabel's youngest and faced the intruder."OK punk, you're going to get both barrels. One for the poor Vicar's wife and the other just to prove I haven't lost my touch."
The sudden blast ripped through the perp as he slumped to the floor and lay bleeding on the Axminster rug. The cat disturbed from his slumbers jumped onto the windowsill overturning a vase of late-flowering asters. Miss Marple blowing the smoke from the end of the gun rang the bell summoning the maid to clear away the tea things. "There should just be time to finish this sock before dressing for dinner."

Oh yes, I remember that one. "Miss Marple Murders a Malefactor in St. Mary Mead" or a similar title, I think?
Actually "Thistle and Twigg" shouldn't have been on the New Books shelf at all! It is a 2007 publication and has a sequel.

Ann, wasn't it lucky that Miss Marple was let off with only a caution? I think it was merely a coincidence that her Uncle, the Bishop, had been at university with the presiding High Court Judge. She went on to knit him a cosy muffler to protect his weak chest.

Ah, yes, I had forgotten that part.
Funny, I can't find the US title for this book or many references to it! Must be OOP?

That title must be OOP... :-)

I've been hunkered down into a long read of Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone, described as one of the first detective novels and a Victorian sensation novel to boot. (Love it so far.)

And then non-fiction is a book about the social history side of things of Edwardians in the Tropics... Having a cup of tea whilst in the jungle does not seem that appealing to me, but one must keep up appearances after all.

And just finished an absolutely beautiful read of a poignant book by South Korean author Sun-mi Hwang: The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly. Called a book that meets at "the nexus of fable, philosophy, children's literature, and nature writing", this was definitely one of my favorite reads for the year. It's a charming story of one hen called Sprout who dreams of flying the coop (literally) and hatching an egg. This was one of the few books that almost made me cry because it was so touching in places. I loved it, and highly recommend to people who want a thoughtful and poignant read. I'm still thinking about it days later...

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to

In defense of my country, may I say that I don't know anyone who keeps a gun around except for deer hunting (in season, of course). Unfortunately, we do have an area of the city that has drive-by shootings amidst the drug dealing.

I'm reading Maeve Binchy's last book, Chestnut Street. I am not a fan of short stories but am enjoying the book. I think my favorite of hers was A Circle of Friends. I thought she had teenage chit chat down perfectly.

Re gun ownership in America: I do not own a gun and would not take one if it were given to me. On the other hand, I did learn to shoot a rifle at summer camp when very young. My own father owned a gun, kept amidst his handkerchief drawer when I was growing up in Atlanta. (ostensibly for burglars, of which we had none).

A lot of it depends on where you live in the US. Here in SC there is now a proliferation of "shooting galleries" for women, labeled "ladies' night", presumably to teach women how to shoot as self defense. People here do often carry guns, concealed. I had a female friend who bought a gun when she lived in Texas, for self-defense. Gun culture is not my culture, but people often feel unsafe when walking city streets at night.

Gun ownership: I don't own a gun and don't really like them. I find them scary. It is too easy for a moment's inattention to end in disaster. Also while I enjoy the outdoors, I do not hunt. Interestingly enough, I have heard that there is currently a growing number of women who do hunt. Hunting used to be a boys club for the most part. Though come to think of it, I have a photo of my grandmother as a young girl with a turkey she shot back in the 1910's.

There are circumstances that could change my mind, for example, if I lived alone. In that case I might consider getting a handgun to keep in my nightstand. Even in the best neighborhoods there can be home invasions. Should someone break into the house at night, by the time the police arrived it would be too late to do me any good. I would definitely take a safety class and commit to practicing at a shooting range. Years ago in college I took a riflery class, and also I did some shooting at a shooting range about a year ago. That is not nearly enough training to qualify one to be a responsible gun owner. It is quite a serious commitment.

Rosefolly

I've started reading The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. An interesting plot is developing, but so far, the characters seem rather flat.

I have been doing a lot of rereading and book-hopping lately. Among the rereads was The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks, which covers some of the strange and tragic neurological disorders he has come across in his career.

Despite the book-hopping, I did manage to finish one book I hadn't read before: Kiss and Make-Up, the autobiography of Gene Simmons, frontman for the rock band Kiss. I generally don't like to read celebrity autobiographies, which I often find self-congratulatory and boring, but I figured a rock biography might be different. Besides, I used to be a huge Kiss fan :-)
The book was as much a biography of the band as of Simmons. Both narratives were interesting, but the whole thing felt somewhat superficial, as autobiographies often do.

Unusually for me, I am now splitting my time between two non-fiction books, both of them biographical. The first is a biography of Giacomo Casanova, and the other is Daughters of Britannia: The Lives and Times of Diplomatic Wives by Katie Hickman, which is, as the title suggests, about the experiences of the wives (and daughters and sisters) of British diplomats through the ages. I am a couple of chapters into both books and they both promise some fascinating reading.

I've been reading the Ariana Franklin (Diana Norman) mystery series, Mistress of the Art of Death. This afternoon I finished the third one Grave Goods so I just have one to go. Unfortunately she is no longer with us, so there won't be any more.

I picked up the first book of this series some years ago and somehow just could not get into it. Must have been the timing. I'm really liking them now.

Rosefolly

I finished reading The Circle by Dave Eggers - a book club selection. I was not impressed. I guess it was supposed to be an eye-opener about technology and our privacy, but it didn't really point out anything new. The characters were flat and the plot was very predictable. Plus, the female protagonist drove me bonkers. I wanted to grab her shoulders and shake her. But that's just my opinion, which was shared by about half of our group. The other half really liked the book.

As I glanced back through this thread, I thought about how amazed I always am at the variety of books that we all read. There are so many books that I have never heard of, some of which I immediately add to my Want To Read list...which is why I so love RP.

Sarah, I also get annoyed with fictional characters! I stopped reading one mystery series as I couldn't stand the fictional husband!
Sometimes I will continue with a series I don't really care for as there is one character I like and want to find out what happens to them.
We do get involved, don't we?!!

THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S LETTERS TO HIS CHILDREN

I am not having a great reading month. Not sure why I can't seem to settle on a book.

I did, however, read John Harding's novel Florence and Giles. Set in New England in 1891, the book is essentially a retelling of The Turn of the Screw, the famous ghost story by Henry James. Harding, however, rearranges certain aspect of James's tale. The book focuses the reader's attention on the children, particularly on Florence, a little girl very determined to protect her brother from an evil governess. But how reliable is Florence's version of events?

Florence and Giles was a very fun read, spooky and gothic (without being grotesque) and perfect for the season. I recommend it, particularly to those who have already read The Turn of the Screw.

I've been reading steadily (if a little slowly) through Wilkie Collins' The Moonstone which is really fun. I'm not sure why I'm being pokey-slow about it because it's good when I get to reading. Who knows the ways of the humans?

Along side that, I'm also reading a 2010 Anthony Doerr collection of short stories Memory Wall (which, as usual, is superb), and then my NF is about the Edwardians who lived in the Tropics (Africa, Egypt, India etc.). The author has a good sense of humor which makes it even more entertaining, so liking that.

Then, the FoL book sale was last weekend. Be still my heart. More to come when I've made a list of what my new titles are... (And that's it for book-buying until after Thanksgiving. Well, at least I can try...)

I read "Fatty O'Leary's Dinner Party" a non-series by Alexander McCall Smith in the small hours. It is only 174 pages so a quick read and perfect for the insomniac as there isn't any mystery for once! I think the change in the weather from pleasant to lashing winds and rain affected me.
Now I have Sophie Hannah's "The Monogram Murders" a licenced Agatha Christie's Poirot to enjoy while I stay put at home!

I wonder if any other Christie fans have read "The Monogram Murders"? I finished it quickly as the print is quite large. Sadly, I didn't like it as a Poirot and found it quite convoluted. It did hold my interest to a point then I got lost!

I'm still reading about Casanova and will be for some time because it's my "kitchen" book, meaning I'm reading it in installations of a few pages at a time over meals.

I finished Daughters of Britannia. It's an enjoyable look at the lives of diplomatic wives through the ages, and should disillusion anyone who thinks the diplomatic life is all about glamour and glittering parties. From that I moved on to The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia, a thrilling account of that era of Anglo-Russian relations, written by Peter Hopkirk. It's one of those eye-opening history books that give one a glimpse into the history leading up to, and giving an insight into, events in the modern era.

I also finished a collection of short detective stories that I had been reading on and off for a couple of years: The Mammoth Book of Historical Detectives. Found it enjoyable for the most part and discovered some new mystery authors to check out.

Maya Angelou's autobiographical Me and Mom and Me

For whatever its worth: I heard that a movie is being made of "Gone Girl" (a book I could not get into at all).

Hi all,
Finished the Chaucer book and enjoyed every page. It has inspired me to read more of the Middle Ages. I picked up The Year 1000 and am again, enjoying every page of life in the Middle Ages.

Also having a re-read of Dracula and not rushing through. Amazingly great book. This is about my fourth time reading it in about two to three decades and it is better each and every time.

PAM

I finished and thoroughly enjoyed The Memory Book while on holiday recently, the end taking me by surprise, but being a really satisfying and uplifting conclusion to what could have been depressing subject subject material. My DW wants to read it next and then a friend wants to borrow it, but it is one I will keep on a shelf when I get it back, a book to revisit any time I start to feel sorry for myself.

I have also just finished Bones of the Lost by Kathy Reichs and have read the first few chapters of The King's Deception by Steve Berry.

Now that the nights are becoming dark earlier I am looking forward to a productive October, when gardening takes a back seat and I can read more.

Does anyone know any fiction books with an autumnal twist?

Bill

Hi Bill -

I've started a separate thread for us to chat about autumnal books... I think it could be really fun to chat about these and come up with a bunch of seasonal titles. Thanks for the idea!

I've just read "Absolutely Typical: The Best of Social Stereotypes from the Telegraph Magazine" by Victoria Mather and Sue MaCartney-Snape. Nothing too meaningful, but it does what it says on the tin in that it skewers various caricatures of English life... Pretty en pointe if you're familiar with life in England (at least it was for me), and made me squirm as it was dead on sometimes. Thanks to Vee for the reccie! I have the second one to read for a treat later on...

The epic reading of the epically long Victorian sensationalist novel, "The Moonstone" by Collins, carries on. I'm just over halfway and I love it when I do read it but it definitely needs some time allocated to get the most out of it. (It's epistolary which is one of my fav book types. Squeee.)