What Are You Reading? September 2011

Steve Anderson · Post by **Steve Anderson** » Sat September 3rd, 2011, 7:46 pm

I just started Lumen by Ben Pastor. In 1939, in Nazi-occupied Poland, a American priest from Chicago and a German army captain investigate a nun's death. It's good so far with well-drawn characters. Reminds me a little of Alan Furst's books, but with more of a mystery/crime plot.

[quote=""fljustice""]Started Pompeii by Robert Harris. Only a few pages in, but enjoying it so far![/quote]

I've always wanted to get to Harris' Rome books. Thanks for reminding me!

fljustice · Post by **fljustice** » Sun September 4th, 2011, 3:42 pm

[quote=""Telynor""]Robert Harris' books set in ancient Rome are great. Looking forward to what you have to say about this one.[/quote]

I really liked his first book on Cicero and looking forward to reading the sequels.

Laura, we're off to the Pompeii exhibit in Times Square this afternoon. I've visited the real site and an exhibit in Ravenna. We'll see how Discovery Times Square compares!

Susanna Kearsley · Post by **Susanna Kearsley** » Sun September 4th, 2011, 5:46 pm

I'm reading The Irish Dames of Ypres by Patrick Nolan. Lots of interesting history and he's heavy on original source materials, which I appreciate, but boy, does he ever love his fellow Irish! No Irishman in the narrative is ever at fault, and no Englishman or Scot is ever admirable

This would be an excellent history book to use when teaching the concept of bias--normally I have to study a NF history book a little to determine the bias of the historian, but here it's right out there, no way you can miss it.

Still, it's an interesting account of a little bit of history few people have ever heard of.

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Mon September 5th, 2011, 2:38 am

Reading an ARC of Emery Lee's Fortune's Son. Georgian England and seriously good fun so far.

Nefret · Post by **Nefret** » Mon September 5th, 2011, 4:21 am

Madonna of the Seven Hills by Jean Plaidy

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Mon September 5th, 2011, 5:02 am

Needed a kindle read for a long wait--ordered the Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. So far, it seems to be mostly about the annoyances of academia--and a very odd-feeling future without cell phones.

I gather that the protagonist has landed at the beginning of the Black Death, but it is agonizingly slow to get anything happening. Does it pick up? Because if the whole book goes on at this grinding pace, I'm afraid it is going into the DNF pile.

Vanessa · Post by **Vanessa** » Mon September 5th, 2011, 8:25 am

I read TDB a while ago but remember that I really enjoyed it. I think it does pick up once the main female character has gone back in time.

fljustice · Post by **fljustice** » Mon September 5th, 2011, 2:57 pm

[quote=""MLE""]The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis...I gather that the protagonist has landed at the beginning of the Black Death, but it is agonizingly slow to get anything happening. Does it pick up? Because if the whole book goes on at this grinding pace, I'm afraid it is going into the DNF pile.[/quote]

It's been a long time since I read The Doomsday Book, but remember liking it. I do think it picks up. I liked To Say Nothing of the Dog (set in the same universe with some of the same characters) more. TDB is dark and TSNotD is laugh-out-loud funny.

Did something I haven't done in a long time yesterday...read (almost) an entire book in one setting. We went to see the exhibition on Pompeii at Discovery in Times Square...nothing that I hadn't seen before, but it was still interesting. I had started Pompeii by Robert Harris as my "commuting book" so was reading it on the subway and while standing in line and was about 60 pages in when we got home. After dinner, settled on the couch and finished it several hours later. Obviously a gripping read!

Now taking up an author unknown to me, William Trevor's Fools of Fortune.

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Mon September 5th, 2011, 5:26 pm

Well, I'll continue on with the Doomsday Book for a while. Altho if it gets too dark, it will get jettisoned. Reading through files of modern-day slavery is plenty dark enough for me without seeking out more in fiction.

My nightstand book is Mistress of Rome. I'm hoping that will have a few more light moments, but so far they are sparse. Still, the plot keeps moving, so I keep turning the page.

I am starting to really nail down my reading preferences. I will put up with a certain amount of darkness or dullness, but not at the same time.

annis · Post by **annis** » Mon September 5th, 2011, 7:25 pm

Appropriately, given that this month marks the centenary of his birth, I'm on a William Golding kick at the moment - after finishing Double Tongue, I'm now halfway through The Inheritors, a haunting tale about an encounter between a small clan of Neanderthals with a group of "others" - Cro-Magnons. Evocative and affecting. Like many of Golding's novels it's quite short but intense; multi-layered and thought-provoking. A Golding story stays with you.

Also reading a new fantasy called Songs of the Earth by Elspeth Cooper, with an Inquistion-inspired scenario. Intriguing so far.