Lynness: The Graveyard Book

Well, I got my October read yesterday and read it. It was quick and
not really scary, which is what I wanted, but unsatisfying. I liked
Nob and the story had a lot of potential, but the Indigo Man- why was
he even there at all? There were so many things thrown in that didn't
get addressed. I don't like loose ends not tied up, more questions
raised than answered. Anyway. I kept thinking the author's name
(Neil Gaiman) sounded familiar, but didn't read the jacket until after
the book. Personally, I think Coraline was a creepier book.

I looked up The Hunger Games and may read it, but all the copies were
reserved. I decided to find out more about it: our library has this
new "Find Out More" link for most books and it gives the summary,
reviews, etc. One review connected it with "The Giver" by Lois Lowry.
I thought I had read it at one point, but couldn't remember much, so
I looked that one up. Turns out I've never read it, so I've got that
one on hold now. Annie- I think you said you wanted to read that- we
can compare notes. Has everyone else already read it? (Probably
most.)

Lynness: yay Rae

Very good, Rae!! I really like a lot of T. S. Eliot's images and
lines, and I keep trying to like his poetry, but altogether it doesn't
do much for me, either. I have reserved (argghh, how do you do
italics in gmail online? I hate not having Thunderbird!!) "The
Graveyard Book", since it's juvenile and I'm a wimp- I don't like to
be scared. And it will probably be very quick, which is good, since
we're moving into our new house in October. Conrgats on the calling
and Chela- is your dad sealing them?

Raehink: Garlic and sapphires

in the mud. T.S. Eliot's Four Quartets. Don't know if it was original with him, though.

His poems don't do much for me, by the way.

Raehink: Premature Panic

Wow. I know how to get everyone to post now. Threaten to quit!

I can keep making the assignments if you would like me too. I didn't realize how much everyone cared. At the time I posted about my "hiatus" I had only been the Relief Society president for two weeks and my calendar was completely full. So unusual and unsettling for me. The initial rush has now settled down and I am figuring out ways to sharpen my saw.

So we can forge ahead, if all are agreed. And it sounds like you are. I agree with Lynness that each of us has had major (and minor but continual) events occur in our lives that have kept us from posting...but hopefully not from reading. For those of you who don't know yet, Chela is getting married in the Salt Lake temple on Nov 21. That and my calling and life are what might keep me from my personal reading time.

I have really enjoyed your posts. I'm always intrigued with what people choose to read. I too LOVED The Hunger Games but I do agree with Abby that it's somewhat graphic. I have had the sequel in the house for over a week now, but am really trying hard to finish books that I have already started FIRST. It will have to wait. Dan Brown's new book comes today and Kennedy's memoir the next day. But those will have to wait also! There's just so much out there I want to read...

I never got around to reading the royalty novels. Just couldn't get interested in them. But I'm on a Kennedy kick and they are seen as royalty to many in this country so I guess that counts for the assignment :)

So how about we let September go and skip right to the October read. How about something scary? I know we did this not too long ago but it fits the month and it's an easy pick. We are reading Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde for my other book group. It's pretty scary in its own right. I can heartily recommend The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. It's a Newbery winner and gave me goosebumps. I enjoyed it as much as anything I have read in quite a while. Gaiman just has a warped mind, I think.

So pick whatever makes the hair on the back of your neck rise and enjoy this time of year. Cooler temps, leaves turning, windows open at night, Conference time, etc.

And as always,

Happy reading!

Abby: Re Hunger Games, Garlic and Sapphire and reading assignments

Lynness, is Garlic and Sapphire a scriptural reference? The phrase seems familiar. (And I'm right here on the computer and obviously the internet so it'd be easy to look it up...but I'm not...)

Would anyone else be interested in giving out the reading assignment during Rae's hiatus? Also, if anyone else is bothered that I haven't updated our books read in the bar on the left or the books mentioned, if you have an interest in keeping up with that I can set you up as an administrator. We can have as many administrators as we'd like.

The Hunger Games is fiction and an alternate history (like The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde and The Alliance by Gerald Lund). I guess I should give a warning that if you don't like any kind of blood or war descriptions, you won't like the book. Other than that? I loved it and read it very quickly.

Here's the synopsis from Library Journal:
In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives.

Lynness re: reading blog

Definitely keep the blog going. This summer hasn't had much activity,
but 2 of us had babies, 3 of us moved, etc... we're still at my mom's
house until we close on ours and my computer (with all email
addresses, etc.!) isn't connected to the web, so I'm not sure how
often I'll get to post until we get set up in our new house. Rae, are
you still planning to make assignments? If not, do we want
assignments or just to read whatever and report on it? I personally
like the assignments, as it makes me look in new genres or pick up
books I might not have otherwise. Abby- tell us more about Hunger
Games.

By the way, I just read "Garlic and Sapphires: The secret life of a
critic in disguise" by Ruth Reichl (NY Times food critic). I enjoyed
it a lot, and there's recipes to boot. Bonus points to anyone who
knows where the title comes from! This has been my first real read
since Tabitha was born (6 weeks ago!!), since I moved 3 1/2 weeks
after that, and then John and Janis visited, and then school
started....and we're still trying to get a regular schedule together
while living in my parents' house.

My Shelf

I also wanted to say that I have many books on my shelf that I would LIKE to read before I venture to the library or book store, some of them I KNOW I might find difficult to read or get through BUT... I REALLY WANT to knock these out;
The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms by Dr. Laura Schlessinger
The Giver, Gathering Blue, and Number The Stars by Lois Lowery
Shiloh by Phillis Reynolds Naylor
Proffesor Diggins Dragons by Felice Holman
To Kill A Mockingbird
Pride And Prejudice
A Prophets Voice by Ed J. Pingar

... There ARE more...