Talk Healthy

I finished Too Fat to Fish by Artie Lange. I'm a big Howard Stern, as well as Artie. It was HORRIBLE. I don't know what I expected but it just wasn't good.

I also finished A Lion Among Men (Wicked Vol. 3) by Gregory Maguire. Eh. It was not nearly as good as the previous two books.

I just started American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld. I picked it up after Blush mentioned it was good. I'm only about 5 chapters in and can't put it down.

I just bought Anna Karenina tonight - I'll probably start that tomorrow.

I'm reading High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. I'm almost finished and I've really enjoyed it -- he's such a good writer.

I'm STILL chugging through Anna Karenina. Man that book is long. I'm listening to the audiobook, and sometimes I swear my entire commute (35 minutes) is listening to them discuss the plight of the Russian peasants, or something.

On paper, I started reading the Illuminatus trilogy, but I really didn't like it, so I quit after about 100 pages. Now I'm reading a Larry Niven book of short stories instead - much better.

I finished "The Stone Angel" last week. Blush, I can see why you say that Hagar pissed you off, but I mostly just felt bad for her. Really liked the book, though.

And I'm still working on "The Screwtape Letters."

I've read one book in everyone's post. (okay, so Anna Karenina counted twice, but still.)

I'm reading a book of Jann Arden's journals. She's awesome, her writing is very good for the heart.

I loved American Wife - I think its one of my favorite books this year.

I finally finished Anna Karenina! Woo! Now I'm on to Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier as my audiobook for commuting. So far, I'm not impressed, it's a little melodramatic. I'm hoping it will pick up.

I finished my Larry Niven book of short stories and started another Larry Niven book of short stories.

I read Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris. Now I'm reading Time of my Life by Allison Winn Scotch. It's about a woman who wakes up seven years earlier in her life and has to decide whether to take the same path.

I'm reading Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman. It's pop culture essays, and I quite like it.

My new year's "readolution" is to read more fiction, and I can't believe I'm saying that. I've just been reading so much non-fiction.

I'm working on Blood on the Tongue, a detective novel by Stephen Booth. It's the third in a series that I think is pretty good (despite the fact that the non-word "disorientated" slipped past the editors on at least one occasion -- I have a hard time getting over things like that ).

At least they didn't screw up basic math, Beverly. In the book I was reading one of the characters had died in 1989. The story was set in 2000. At a certain point they say she'd died 7 years earlier. How on earth does something like that get past the editors? The book was Jodi Picoult's Salem Falls, which I don't recommend. Why is it that every time I find an author that's just the right amount of trashy suddenly she gets too trashy? It's happened before. Anyway, last night I started her My Sister's Keeper, which is supposed to be much better. Or the ultimate trash, if you're a book snob, apparently.

Beverly, one look recognizes it:

http://www.onelook.com/?w=disorientated&ls=a

Sil, My Sister's Keeper made me sad!

I liked her book 17 (or 18 or 19) minutes. Those are the only two books of her's I have read.


I LOVED American Wife. I gave it to my friend at work and she whipped through it in about 4 days. Now I'm about to read Sex with the Queen, It's a Boy and Misconceptions. I can't remember any of the authors though.

Crystal, you will probably be happy to hear that J got me two of the other books from the Manawaka series: "A Jest of God" and "The Fire Dwellers." I just started reading A Jest of God yesterday.

Oh, and maybe you can clear this up for us. On the back of my copy of The Stone Angel, it says that it's the second one in the series (and then the two he got me say that they're #s 3 and 4). But online, sites say that they're 1-2-3. Then The Diviners and ...another one that I can't remember the title of are also part of the series. Any idea what the order is "supposed" to be?

Sil, My Sister's Keeper made me sad!

I liked her book 17 (or 18 or 19) minutes. Those are the only two books of her's I have read.

My Sister's Keeper is unbearably sad! And not the best choice for a new mom, I'm afraid. I'm finding it very gripping, though.

I think the other one is 19 minutes I haven't read that one. Did you like it?

April - huh, I'm not sure. I didn't know they were packaged as a series. I'm actually in my sister's room right now and she's got three of them (The Diviners, A Jest of God, and Fire-Dwellers - I've only read The Stone Angel and the Diviners) Anyway, there are no numbers on her books. You Americans and your need to compartmentalize! (just kidding)

I'm reading "A History of Love" by Nicole Krauss. You guys know how I have trouble picking the super-important Airplane Book when I travel. This one is filling the job nicely.

Sílvia wrote:

Sil, My Sister's Keeper made me sad!

I liked her book 17 (or 18 or 19) minutes. Those are the only two books of her's I have read.

My Sister's Keeper is unbearably sad! And not the best choice for a new mom, I'm afraid. I'm finding it very gripping, though.

I think the other one is 19 minutes I haven't read that one. Did you like it?

I think I was slightly tipsy when I wrote that! Yes, I liked it but it also sort of made me sad as well. I could totally relate the book to high school and the relationships that occur there and how some kids just don't fit in or try so hard to fit in. I don't think she writes any happy books!

Crystal Meth wrote:April - huh, I'm not sure. I didn't know they were packaged as a series. I'm actually in my sister's room right now and she's got three of them (The Diviners, A Jest of God, and Fire-Dwellers - I've only read The Stone Angel and the Diviners) Anyway, there are no numbers on her books. You Americans and your need to compartmentalize! (just kidding)

I dunno if they're necessarily "packaged as a series" (as in, whether they come in box sets or something like that), but the backs of the books say that they're from the Manawaka series. Eh, it must not be a big deal. I'm not too concerned. Thanks for the info! fwiw, I've started A Jest of God, and it's really good so far! I really like her writing style.

I think it only means that the stories are set in/around Manawaka.

In other news, I got $75 in book gift certificates for Christmas.

Obviously. At any rate, A Jest of God is awesome. I'm almost done with it.

And for book GCs!