Radio Paradise

For some reason I have been mistaking this book for another one involving a circus. That book was terrible but I read it all. Seems like most of the people who actually read it gave it a 1 or 2 rating, but there are enough "I can't wait to read it the cover sold me! ***** Five Stars!" reviews that it averages almost 4 stars. Inconceivable. So. Anyway. Night Circus is good?

I was purposely mute on opinion. Mixed. Morganstern has writing and creative chops, certainly. But she becomes enchanted by her devices. Too clever by half, and all that.
Good, not great, imo.

ScottFromWyoming

ScottFromWyoming Avatar

Location: Powell
Gender: Male

Posted: Nov 12, 2015 - 10:06pm
ScottN wrote: For some reason I have been mistaking this book for another one involving a circus. That book was terrible but I read it all. Seems like most of the people who actually read it gave it a 1 or 2 rating, but there are enough "I can't wait to read it the cover sold me! ***** Five Stars!" reviews that it averages almost 4 stars. Inconceivable. So. Anyway. Night Circus is good?

ScottN

ScottN Avatar

Location: Half inch above the K/T boundary
Gender: Male

Posted: Nov 12, 2015 - 9:54pm

bokey

Gender:

Posted: Nov 11, 2015 - 10:04am
I was bored the other day and started Bill O'Reilly's (hey,blame Pops) "Killing Lincoln".It is so far beyond awful you'd have to invent a new language to describe it accurately.He (or whoever really wrote it) interjects Booth's thoughts,what he smells like,what the people he passes on the street are thinking,etc. This is why we need the barf emoticon back.

ScottFromWyoming

ScottFromWyoming Avatar

Location: Powell
Gender: Male

Posted: Nov 10, 2015 - 10:42am

I gave it 5 stars on goodreads. But it's weird how many people feel the need to post long many-hundred-word "reviews" of books there... and end up missing the point entirely. Not that I got the point, either, but some of those people clearly did not. Most of them seem to review the first third only.

There are a lot of beautiful thoughts in this book, mostly around biblical-level forgiveness and how we (not "twitter," not "trolls") can or should (mostly) stop destroying others. Away from internet phenomena, the book discusses the many ways shame has contributed to many tragedies great and small.

Proclivities

Proclivities Avatar

Location: Paris of the Piedmont
Gender: Male

Posted: Sep 3, 2015 - 11:23am

islander

islander Avatar

Location: West coast somewhere
Gender: Male

Posted: Sep 2, 2015 - 9:20am

Alexandra wrote:

I don't have a device. I do have Kindle for PC, but that would mean only reading it when I'm at home. As small as my laptop is, I don't carry it around with me. I'd rather have a paper copy to carry to work, etc. so I can read it anywhere. I'm partial to paper copies.

That makes sense. I get that people like the feel of a book, but for anyone who travels at all and likes to read, Kindle (paperwhite, not fire) is an amazing tool. Entire libraries at your fingertips, easy on the eyes and totally portable.

Alexandra

Alexandra Avatar

Location: PNW
Gender: Female

Posted: Sep 2, 2015 - 8:42am

lily34 wrote:

yeah. when i finished it, i was all "i just don't get what the fuss is about" with that book. and, i haven't seen the movie, which i should do since i love Peck.

anyway...yeah. i mean, i LOVE The Magus, and i know plenty of people who couldn't even read it.

i really should get a good list of classics and pick my way through.

Gregory Peck is outstanding in that movie (I love him too). I'm not sure how Atticus was in the book, but I absolutely adore the screen Atticus. I always wished I'd had a dad like him. And those kids—for not having been actors to begin with—are also amazing.

I need to do the same - make a list of classics to read. The fringe benefit is that reading stuff like that improves my writing, too!

lily34

lily34 Avatar

Location: GTFO
Gender: Female

Posted: Sep 2, 2015 - 8:42am

Alexandra wrote:

i get that. i have a kindle and an ipad, and i do enjoy being able to read in bed without a light on since both are back lit. but, there is something about holding a book and seeing how far you've got left to read, etc.

Alexandra

Alexandra Avatar

Location: PNW
Gender: Female

Posted: Sep 2, 2015 - 8:40am

islander wrote:

Why? I know a lot of people don't like to read on a kindle, but is there something specific about this book or is this an aversion you have in general?

lily34

lily34 Avatar

Location: GTFO
Gender: Female

Posted: Sep 2, 2015 - 8:39am

Alexandra wrote:

Oh, okay. That I didn't know. Now it makes sense.

I must confess...I have never read TKAM all the way through - just parts. I want to do that before reading the prequel. I understand about not liking certain classics that others hold in high regard. There are a few big ones that I just thought pfft.

Thanks.

islander

islander Avatar

Location: West coast somewhere
Gender: Male

Posted: Sep 2, 2015 - 8:35am

Alexandra wrote:

Has anyone read Harper Lee's new one? I thought it was a sequel to "To Kill a Mockingbird" but someone corrected me and called it a "prequel." But I thought it took place when Scout was grown up?? (I also understand that she wrote it years ago and it's just now being published)

Anyway, my sisters said they read it and liked it but did not elaborate more. I don't want to hold a big hardback book, nor do I want to read it on Kindle—-so I'm waiting for paperback (who knows how long that'll be).

Why? I know a lot of people don't like to read on a kindle, but is there something specific about this book or is this an aversion you have in general?

Alexandra

Alexandra Avatar

Location: PNW
Gender: Female

Posted: Sep 2, 2015 - 8:30am
ScottFromWyoming wrote: It's more of a first draft of TKAM, from what I've heard. Like it should never have been published except as a companion piece for scholars to study... Hmm. Even more good info.

ScottFromWyoming

ScottFromWyoming Avatar

Location: Powell
Gender: Male

Posted: Sep 2, 2015 - 8:29am

Alexandra wrote:

It's more of a first draft of TKAM, from what I've heard. Like it should never have been published except as a companion piece for scholars to study...

Alexandra

Alexandra Avatar

Location: PNW
Gender: Female

Posted: Sep 2, 2015 - 8:10am

lily34 wrote:

it was written prior to TKAM, and never published until now, for whatever reason. and has a totally different Atticus, from what i've heard.

i have not read it yet, but i expect to. i have heard many were disappointed for various reasons. and here's the thing. i may be in the minority, but having just read TKAM for the first time ever a couple months ago, i just don't get what all the fuss is about it. i didn't love it.

Oh, okay. That I didn't know. Now it makes sense.

Thanks.

ScottN

ScottN Avatar

Location: Half inch above the K/T boundary
Gender: Male

Posted: Sep 2, 2015 - 8:01am
It's very good. I very much appreciate Atwood and her writing. But for the first time in my experience her book could have used more careful editing. Its length was unnecessary, imo.

lily34

lily34 Avatar

Location: GTFO
Gender: Female

Posted: Sep 2, 2015 - 7:54am

Alexandra wrote:

Anyway, my sisters said they read it and liked it but did not elaborate more. I don't want to hold a big hardback book, nor do I want to read it on Kindle—-so I'm waiting for paperback (who knows how long that'll be).

it was written prior to TKAM, and never published until now, for whatever reason. and has a totally different Atticus, from what i've heard.

i have not read it yet, but i expect to. i have heard many were disappointed for various reasons. and here's the thing. i may be in the minority, but having just read TKAM for the first time ever a couple months ago, i just don't get what all the fuss is about it. i didn't love it.

Alexandra

Alexandra Avatar

Location: PNW
Gender: Female

Posted: Sep 2, 2015 - 7:48am

Page: Previous 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... 13, 14, 15 Next

Taming the Violence of Faith: Win-Win Solutions for Our World in Crisis