What Are You Reading in 2013?

[Jilly]

You go, Alice, listen as fast as you can!

[AmeliaJane]

Recent reads: "The Ocean at the End of the Lane" by Neil Gaiman and "World War Z" by Max Brooks, since I had just seen the movie. I liked the Gaiman--it was a nice, short read and a change from the children's books he has been doing lately (which I also like). I was not as in love with World War Z as many people seem to be...the "Oral History" format means you never really get any character development since you see only one or two people more than once. Also, since it's an oral history, there isn't a lot of suspense since you know 1) the humans win and 2) everyone you're hearing from lives. I think it was more unique when it first came out in 2006...the onslaught of zombies in fiction was just getting started then.

[Florence]

Spiritual Ecology by Thich Nhat Hahn

Don't you love it when a book puts into words what you have felt but couldn't articulate? That is what this book did for me-- things I had pondered and felt but couldn't quite turn into words.
This is a collection of essays by several thoughtful, spiritual people writing from a variety of perspectives. All point toward a lack spiritual groundedness at the core of the ecological devastation we are currently participating in.
It is not a book to be read in one easy sitting but should be read slowly, carefully, thoughtfully.
It would be difficult to pick a favorite but if I did, it would be Wendell Berry's
"Contributions."

[Lainey]

I think it was someone up thread who mentioned Louise Penny's mystery books. I'm finishing my 3rd book of hers and really enjoying it.
Reminds me of Jacqueline Winspear's books - mysteries with smart, thoughtful, intriguing characters.

[Jilly]

When I finished Cronin's The Passage, I was able to fetch the next book, Twelve, the following day. I am a bit more than half finished with it and went on-line to research the next book in the series. This one is taking longer to read because I am so busy.

There I found some truly terrible reviews about Twelve, from people who loved the first book, but despised this second one.

I must be reading an entirely different book, because I am liking this as much as the first one. It has a slower, more considered pace and is filling in all of thoughts I had about certain people and issues from The Passage. There have been some significant and sort of astounding changes for some characters; this may be a factor in series books, something with which I am not familiar, not having read any other series. Does anyone have any insights about this? It is very satisfying, although the third book has not yet been published. I suppose I can wait, as there is no other option.

For the person who introduced me to this author, thanks, and I am at the part, about halfway through, where can be found Sara, that car and the introduction of a completely new dynamic. I wonder if there will be a reunion at some point.

[Rogar]

Jilly, I like The Twelve even more than the Passage, which I really liked. It obviously takes a little imagination to appreciate the two books, but I thought the Twelve got just a little too fantastic for me towards the end, but I don't want to ruin it. It was still a greatly fun read. It's funny, because I am not normally entertained by the mainstream vampire stories and most of the zombie plots are little more than cheap entertainment (which I can sometime appreciate). But I thought the two books were a class act of good plot and character development.

Actually, one of the scariest books I have read was Stephen King's "Salem's Lot", which is a vampire story. I remember that it gave me bad dreams and have to desire to re-read it, but it was pretty much the quintessential vampire story for me. I could see some similarities between The Twelve and Passage to King's The Shining, which was also a favorite of mine.

[Jilly]

The first time I read The Shining, I was not able to read it at night or when I was alone in the house. My daughter's favorite King is The Stand. She is probably on her 8th or 9th copy, mostly because she keeps getting paperbacks. I will have to give Salem's Lot another go; I do not remember it freaking me out.

I really like zombie books. I think they are a nearly perfect reflection on the compromises we make in our lives, the societal stresses we all face, and they offer an interesting viewpoint on the politics of religion and, of course, of politics. It is big-picture stuff of the highest order.

I especially like Handling the Undead, by John Ajvide Lindqvist, and one by another Scandinavian author, escapes my mind right now. Frankly, I will take a taste of just about anything even remotely dystopian lately.

Have you heard or read anything about when Cronin's third volume is to be published?

[puglogic]

I'm reading Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan. Liking it very much, as it really separates a lot of fairytale from reality, and gives a good historical view of the social/economic/political times in the Middle East at that time. Not without its flaws, but interesting nonfiction nontheless.

[mamarazz]

The Orphan Train
Life in a Jar--the Irena Sendler Project
The Sandcastle Girls
The Quiet Storm
The Light in the Ruins
And the Mountains Echoed

and then some fun stuff!!

[Florence]

I am in the Goodreads Science and Nature group and this month we are reading The Social Conquest of Earth by Edward O. Wilson. Just started reading and it seems very interesting. We shall see.