Fall & Winter Reading

[BookSaver]

American On Purpose, Craig Ferguson's memoir, is an easy read and I thought it very interesting. He writes like he talks. I've asked my boss to try to get the audio version of this book because Craig read it himself. Normally I'm too impatient with audiobooks (plus I just love the feeling of holding a book in my hands) but Craig is a great story teller and I think it will be fun to hear his voice telling his own story. CAUTION: If the F word greatly offends you, be forewarned. I wonder if they have beeped it from the audio book the way they censor it from his show?

The Lace Makers of Glenmara by Heather Barbieri is a nice story and reminds me of books by Maeve Binchy.

Swan for the Money by Donna Andrews -- 11th in the mystery series with Meg Langslow, her new husband, and her eccentric family. These characters crack me up.

[Nancy]

I just finished the book by Jon & Kate plus eight and Beth who helped write it.
A fascinating read before the marriage troubles hit the news.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this one
especially on how she coped with plans lists, cards,
and came up with a daily routine feeding
schedules etc.

[Harriet]

My dmom is reading:

Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America 1789-1989 by Michael R. Beschloss

I believe it was copyright 2007.

It is available in large print, so could make a good gift for older persons who remember some of the history and like to read non-fiction.

DD11 is still loving the Series of Unfortunate Events books, which are, interestingly, dsonil's favorites, too!

[Harmony]

Hi! I am spending more time reading, less time watching TV.

I am currently reading my way through Eugenia Price's historical fiction books. She has at least 18 fiction books and a bunch of non-fiction, I have not read any of those.

These are all based on real people, real places, etc., pre and post civil war. I have read 6 of them so far. Many of them are 500+ pages!

On another note: I have a reading journal where I list books and authors I want to read, and books I have read with a few sentences on what I thought of them. I started this about a year ago when I found myself bringing the same books home from the library.

Now for the sad part, last trip to the library I must have left it behind. Nobody turned it in. I am heartbroken as I cannot recreate it like I had it. I finally had to let go of my distress and I bought another journal and I have been making lists of stuff I read to just put down as titles & authors. I'll never be able to recreate my notes. But in recreating my lists, I was surprised to see how many of the classics I have read. I'm unhappy at how much of them I forget except for the ones I've read over and over like Little Women.

I feel like I've only got so many more years left to read what about a million books I'd like to read!

[lucylee]

I feel like I've only got so many more years left to read what about a million books I'd like to read!

Oh, yes! Amen, amen, amen, Harmony.

I LOVE Eugenia Price!!! I think I've read all her historical fiction novels. I just wanted to cry when I got to the last one she was writing when she died. Y'all may remember dh took me to Savannah & St. Simons Island on our 25th anniversary.

Since dmom enjoyed The Help so much -- at my insistence that she read it -- now I'm pushing her to take up Eugenia Price. I can't believe she hasn't read any of her books. I know she would LOVE them. But dmom says she has trouble reading now -- either she falls asleep or her eyes bother her or something. She's only 64, you know. But I can definitely relate to the falling asleep problem. I can't read in the car at all -- for that reason. Just being IN the car puts me to sleep.

I'm still slowly slowly reading The Shack.

[Harmony]

Lucy, did you really go to St. Simons Island? What did you think of it? Did you see the churchyard and all the gravestones? I can't believe you read ALL of her books. I have read New Moon Rising, Savannah, To See Your Face Again, Bright Captivity, Where Shadows Go and Beauty from Ashes.

Do you think E. Price makes too many assumptions about plantation owners' guilt over the slaves they kept? I'm sure she would have liked her characters to feel much concern over their people, but I'm thinking even though they might have been kind, they still expected much of them as the economics of the times dictated.

I have been working on recreating my journal this evening. I feel better about moving on with my new one now.

[lucylee]

Yes, Harmony -- we went in the church and the lighthouse and saw Eugenia Price's grave. I don't remember finding everyone's graves that were mentioned in the books -- but seems like I did recognize a lot of family names.
I started reading these YEARS ago. The local librarian pointed me towards them and I just devoured them. I may have missed some, but I read everything we had in our library. Then I started buying the hardcover copies of the last three, b/c I couldn't wait until they came out in paperbook or got to the library. I read all the ones you mentioned, plus I remember Beloved Invader -- I think that is one of hers -- and Maria's Story, or maybe it's just called Maria -- ? It part of a St. Augustine (Florida) trilogy and supposedly, Maria lived in the oldest house in St. Augustine.

It's been several years since I read the last ones, so I don't remember real specifics on slavery... but I think you're probably right. The "good" people in her books are almost too good to be true, aren't they?

Oh -- we also saw the fort that is mentioned on St. Simon's island.

Come to think of it, that trip was really a lot better than this 30th anniversary trip. I guess dh & I are just much better w/history than we are w/fun & sun...

[Harmony]

I'm reading The Waiting Time right now, and for a change this is a rice plantation on another Island and their home in Darien. In one of her books I mentioned above she gives a detailed description in the afterword of the cemetary of how to find all the headstones of the people she wrote about.

I think this book was her last one. I was surprised to read (yes, I looked at the last page written by Joyce Blackburn) she says E. Price was fighting a battle to not lose her eyesight. How sad!

However, as much as I am enjoying these books, I think I will read another time period to get away from reading so much about Slavery. At least for a while.

Lucy, did you really find a lot of history still left on the Island or is it pretty much a touristy island? I mentioned I'd like to see some of this and DH didn't sound like he'd ever want to go...but if I begged, I might talk him into it some day.

[sherinjoy]

Hi - I just found this forum and had to say - I love The Help, haven't finished it yet but best book I've read in a long time. Lucylee - you can take credit for me reading it, I remembered how much you raved about it when you read it. I checked the library but they had 281 holds on it - I figured it must be good if that many people wanted it! So, I took my birthday gift card to Barnes and Noble and bought it a month ago, and finally just started reading it. I just can't put it down when I start, and read for 2 or 3 hours at a time, which is not like me usually. I don't want to finish it because I know I'll want it to go on, like the Mitford series. I am so sad that is over because I loved that series and the characters. Being that I was born and raised in California, I have no background with the Southern culture except what I saw on TV shows. It is fascinating and so sad to read of the race relations in The Help, but our comparable situation in California is with Latino maids. Unfortunately, it probably isn't that different for them now then it was for the black maids in the South. Latinos do all the domestic and yard jobs, and probably get paid below mimimum wage.

I have never heard of Eugenia Price, so I'll have to check out some of her books at the library.

[lucylee]

I guess St. Simons was pretty touristy, but we enjoyed seeing the lighthouse, the church, and the fort. It was not crowded-touristy at all. It was very quiet when we were there. Of course, I'm sure I got a lot more out of it than dh, since he knew nothing about the books, but I think he enjoyed it also. We only spent one afternoon there; we probably could have found more if we'd had more time.

sher -- I'm so glad you're enjoying The Help! It IS sad. Like I said, I cannot relate to the maid situation at all b/c no one in my family ever had one! However, I've got a feeling it is all very true. The personalities of all the women -- black and white -- was what lured me in, though. Don't you just feel like they are sitting there, talking to you face to face?
I know just what you mean about not wanting it to end! I am always like that with books I really enjoy. I loved the Mitford series, too, and when I got to the last one, I was like, "NO! You have to write MORE!!!"