Simple question: What are you reading right now?

If the book is good, a short synopsis might be in order for us potential buyers.

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2002

Answers

I'm about halfway through the new translation of Anna Karenina, but I have to confess that sometimes, I skip past Levin and his political philosophies and go right to the smutty adulterous parts with Anna and Vronsky.

If I had to pick the best book I've read this year, it would definitely be Middlemarch. Read it. It's great. The only George Eliot I had read prior to Middlemarch was The Mill on the Floss, and I had enough with Maggie and her brother. I mean, who dies with their arms wrapped around their brother? No, thanks.

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2002

I'm early on in reading "White Teeth" by Zadie Smith and it is a fine, fine piece of ink. Hard to paraphrase right now because i am tired. Umm, here. I'll give you a jacket blurb (because those are so helpful. Yeaaa....)

"As gut-busting and auspicious a novel as Pynchon's 'V'."

Really. It is a good thing, thus far. Heavy talent. Wicked lyricism and texture.

somebody else talk now...

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2002

Warning: I am a simple minded idiot girl and I never read these big important novels that win Pulitzers and are featured in book clubs like everyone else does. I read crap and I'm damn proud of it.

I just started the second book of the Summon the Keeper series by Tanya Huff. Fantasy, Keepers keep evil from leaking intot he world. So far it SUCKS compared to the first one and I'm rather bitter because I just finished Narcissus in Chains, Laurell K. Hamilton, wherein the kick ass necromancer and vampire slayer, Anita Blake, who was wicked cool in the first few books, has become basically a sex addict who kills people when she remembers too and fights off the 87 million men, werewolves, wereleopards, vampires, and werehyenas who LOVE HER BECAUSE SHE IS THE BEST WOMAN EVER. It sucked too and I need a good book.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2002

I tend to read a bunch of books all at once: some I read while I'm eating breakfast alone, some on the subway, and some snuggled up in bed or on the couch.

My most recent subway book is Ayelet Waldman's fun, zippy, and entertaining "Mommy-track mystery", Nursery Crimes. It's about a former public defender who decides to stay home w/her one kid & is pregnant w/her second, and who manages to solve a murder mystery. It's cute and funny, and may be of interest to Michael Chabon fans, b/c Ms. Waldman is married to him.

The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup (by Susan Orlean) is worth reading for the title alone. It's a greatest hits anthology of essays about interesting people: obscure pop group the Shaggs, the titular female matador, Maui surfer girls, Fab Five Freddy, and so on. Amusing, entertaining, and full of useless trivia.

My current fave is Paris To the Moon, by Adam Gopnik. It's full of his dispatches to The New Yorker, written from 1995- 2000, when he was living as an expat in Paris with his wife & new baby. I totally hated the introductory essay, which seemed really pedantic and jerky, but am now in love with the whole thing: it's full of thoughtful, often hilarious riffs on French culture, food, and politics, along with some really worthwhile navel-gazing about what it means to be an American living abroad.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2002

Can You Forgive Her? by Trollope. I like it more than the other Trollope I checked out, The Way We Live Now, but overall must say I quite like Trollope. All the absorption of a good novel plus the feeling that it's literature, so you're not rotting your brain.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2002

Right now: the 2nd Harry Potter.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2002

White Teeth is uneven but fun. There's a thread devoted to it over on Chicklit, if y'all are interested.

The last book I read, sadly, was a guide to how to get and benefit from an MBA. Before that it was Shopaholic Takes Manhattan. I feel like a lit loser.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2002

Aw, don't do that to yourself, WG. You know that ain't right. I bet even Martin Amis likes to curl up with a racy romance every now and again.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2002

right now I just "started" Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. actually, I just read the back of the book and haven't read in two days, but it's all good. I'll be starting on it tonight and tell y'all what I think. really, I think I'll like it cause it's a Murakami novel; none are ever, ever bad.

I'm also reading Love Hina graphic novels - they're funny ...all about this boy who does perverse things by accident and is the caretaker of a girl's dorm. the funniest line that I've found so far is "uh oh ...her breasts" and he's blushing. bwaaah!

-- Anonymous, February 14, 2002

Just finished The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. I cried almost the whole way through it, and it made me crave my mother with white hot intensity, but it's good. Read it now before the movie comes out and ruins it for you.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

You're fuckin' kidding me. They're making a movie of it? It'll be the Steel Magnolias for the '00s. I should have guessed. Who's in it?

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Sandra Bullock and my Kappa sister Ashley Judd, I believe.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Little Altars Everywhere is the first book in the Ya-Ya story and is also fabulous. The author is Rebecca Wells for anyone needing to know.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

"my Kappa sister Ashley Judd..."

Hannah. That was shameful. I swear to God, I saw a new Mercedes at a restaurant the other day, the license plate was "KKG". Was that you?

I agree Little Altars was also good... I think one should really read it first, before Divine Secrets.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Was it blue and blue, with a fleur de lis dangling from the rearview mirror? Because then yes, it was.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Yes! I knew it! And there was a bobble-head owl doll in the back window and a golden key airbrushed across the trunk. Spiffy.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

You're just jealous because none of your sorority songs were sung in major motion pictures by Shelley Long.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

You're telling me you've seen "Hello Again?" Oh, I love you, love you, love you. That used to be my FAVORITE movie. Can I tell you how many times I've seen it? Except you probably just like the song, not the movie. And then I'd feel stupid. Except, Gabriel Byrne. God, I had such taste as a kid.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

"...You're just jealous because none of your sorority songs were sung in major motion pictures by Shelley Long..."

Shit, you busted me. Also, I was totally envious of the Chi-Os because it was their house that Ted Bundy chose to kidnap his victims from!

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2002

Actually, he killed them IN the Chi O house.

To bring this back on topic, [i]The Stranger Beside Me[/i] (about Bundy) is a true-crime classic, though I read it at far too young an age.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

I have got to read those Ya Ya books. People have been suggesting them to me for two years now.

Right now, I am about half way through The Dress Lodger by Sheri Holman. I really could not recommend it more. Historical fiction at its best with a truly unique style.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Okay, in Divine Secrets, y'all know that Connor McGill is gay, right?

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

And in terms of true crime stories, I highly recommend the (tabloid- esque) book about the Sara Tokars murder (especially if you live in Atlanta).

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Well, if we're going to talk about true crime books, I hope everyone has read the classic of that genre In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

T - what? No he is not.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Oh, come ON. Connor McGill, the set designer who hangs quilts from his exposed-brick walls? The man who was thrilled with the idea of getting married in a sunflower field?

Perhaps I'm buying into the stereotypes, here, but yes, regardless of him getting married to Sidda, he's gay.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Oh, Lord - I haven't read it in three years... I couldn't even remember who you were talking about. I thought he was one of the brothers at first. This is what happened to me when "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" hit its second wind. I was all, "um, I don't remember that part you're talking about."

I swear, I either read a book way too early (as above) or way too late (Just read the first Harry Potter, January 2002? Hi, that's me.) too be au courant. I suck.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

P, I read it a while ago, but I remember reading about Sidda's relationship with Connor and thinking, "But - she can't marry him - he's gay! Look at his walls, Sidda!"

I'll stop this train of thought, now.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Y'all. The man likes to garden. And not grow his own manly vegetables- he likes flowers. Little flowers.

So very, very gay.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

I mean, if Sidda thought she had issues from her childhood with ViVi as a mother, can you imagine what it will be like when she's dealing with her gay husband?

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Quit ruining it! You people.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Pineapple, do not feel bad! I was given the first three Harry Potters for Christmas and I have yet to even open the cover of the first one.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Goddammit, I just realized that there was a prequel to Divine Secrets. I HATE reading books out of order. Honestly, though, I didn't enjoy Divine Secrets that much, thought that the main characters were sort of unlikeable, so I don't know if I'll read Little Altars anyway.

I only just read the Harry Potters because my worlds-greatest-partner gave me the first 3 for Christmas. I'm saving the fourth so I have something to look forward to. I'm pathetic, nice to meet you.

Olivia Goldsmith writes the best chick-trash evah, and I'm racing through Fashionably Late right now. She's stingy with the trashy sex scenes, but if you are ever in the mood for fantastic not-literature reading, Flavor of the Month is the BEST. That book is my guiltiest pleasure.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

First Wives Club (the book) had some seriously trashy sex scenes, as I remember.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

See, Hannah, this could be indicative of the fact that I personally am trashy, but I just didn't find anything in First Wives' that bad. Sex on a conference table at the office? ring-a-ding-ding. And the rest was all tender Sweet Sweet LoveMaking.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Al, I could not agree with you more about The Dress Lodger. That book kicks some serious literary and historical booty. I can't wait for Sheri Holman to write another book.

I read most of the Ya-Yas in the D/FW airport last month, and kept thinking of the MATHletes -- I mentally cast AB as Teensy, Al as Caro, and both T & HB as Vivi. Necie didn't get cast (I thought she was a totally dispensible character), and I couldn't really shoehorn Mike in there, but the rest of you were featured performers as the young Ya-Yas in the little movie in my head as I read the book.

I thought it kind of fell apart towards the end, but the flashbacks had me totally rapt and reaching for my hankies the whole time. I just have a sinking feeling that in spite of the mad skills of Maggie Smith and Ellen Burstyn and Callie Khouri's potential as a director, the movie is going to bite the wax tadpole. Full casting is here. Ron Eldard as Connor? No. And it looks like the Jack-Vivi relationship is completely absent from the movie.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

On the other hand, I think Cherry Jones will rock as Buggy.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Hee. Sophie that cracks me up. I too totally pictured AB as Teensy. I thought it fell apart at the end too. But still a worthwhile read. (Also read it on a plane.)

I think Ashley Judd will be great as the young ViVi. But Sandra Bullock as Sidda. No. Hell no. In my head Sidda looked like the eldest daughter from Providence.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Oh, H, totally.

Sophie, I'm just glad that you didn't cast Mike as Connor McGill. I don't think I need to restate my Connor McGill analysis.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Okay, this plot synopsis doesn't even make SENSE:

"Siddalee, tired of her mother's eccentric behavior, moves away and doesn't invite her mother to come to her wedding. Later, she gets in the mail her mother's diary, chronicling her memories from the 30's."... from the IMDB.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Leaving out the Jack-ViVi relationship is just wrong, wrong, wrong. You have to have that to really understand the wonder that is ViVi.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

What's the point without the Jack/Vivi relationship, really? I mean, all you learn about Vivi then is that she was a bratty kid with a crazy mother. And weren't we all?

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Oh, non non non, Hannah cherie. Such painful oversimplifications, I can barely stand to read! The point of the Jack-Vivi relationship (a mon avis, anyway) was that Vivi was always a bit of a whirling dervish, and Jack was the one man in her life who was a soothing presence. The Ya-Yas were wonderful friends and her rocks, socially, but she needed the steadying presence of Jack to keep her less healthy impulses in check. Plus, there's the whole First Love That Never Dies Even When Its Object Is Tragically Killed During Wartime thing.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

I can't believe ya'll are dissing Sandra and casting Melina Kirkacircualmotion as Sidda. I know she only does one character but I love Sandra. And she's very funny in the (very short) trailer.

Seriously, if they make this movie without the poot scene? I'll be very unhappy.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

I wouldn't have cast the Greek Malina, but that is certainly the look I would've been looking for. First, Sandy dear, while close to Sidda's age, looks too young. Secondly, she's too dark and just NOT right. She's not. I'm telling you.

I can see cutting Jack for the film, as films are wont to cut important things that don't neatly tie, but his was an important role, even if we don't really read much about him. And also, isn't the point of Jack that Conner looks so much like him? Please tell me y'all picked up on that.

-- Anonymous, February 20, 2002

Except, Connor is gay.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

I have to read this book, don't I?

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

I love Sandra too, but she is so NOT Siddalee. When I was reading the book, I was seeing someone almost like Debra Winger in "Terms of Endearment," though a little more feminine. Very non-cutesy. Sandra Bullock is Walking Talking Cutesy - ain' no other way to cut it.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

WG, yes, but start with Little Altars, please please.

And before y'all go saying she doesn't have to, hear me out:

(how to do this with no spoilers?) Okay, you know the Big Thing that happened? It was a Big Thing by way of providing background -- but it isn't intrinsic to the plot of Divine Secrets. But because it was so Big, and Wells hints at it all the way through, you are waiting waiting waiting to hear all the details.

Then you don't really get them. You get them in Little Altars though (which was written first), so then when you read Divine Secrets, you can enjoy the real point -- which is why Sidda and ViVi's relationship is the way it is and how that has manifested in Sidda's adult life.

Did any of that make sense? This is why people don't invite me to book clubs, y'all. For reals.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

And can I also say (because my goal is hijacking this thread, right?), how glad I am that more people have read these books? Because, I was joking once about how AB "dropped her basket" one day when Mad was being particularly six-years-old (not in a ViVi way!!! Y'all know better.), and nobody else seems to understand that reference.

Which is good sometimes, because I guess if you are going to be discussing -- while in Big Daddy's liquor store, naturellement, for that full-on Gothic motherhood experience -- the discipline of an unruly child, it helps if people don't quite get it.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

I have dropped my basket on several occasions. I'm not proud.

And y'all...I love you, but when you type "Vivi" as "ViVi?" It makes me crazy. I can't even explain why, but I think it's because I read it in my head as "Vie-Vie," and that's just wrong.

I just looked at the trailer, and cute Sandra looks like she's working the Siddalee pretty well. Not nearly as cutesy as usual.

As a side note, my car is named Siddalee. I love her.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

All I can say is that Ellen and Sandra have played mother/daughter before. As an eccentric Texan and a Queen of Corn cum midwestern housewife I can believe. But as Vivi and Sidda, I'm just not buying it.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

Y'all. I'm sorry. But who are these people?

http://www.ya-ya.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

Man, PG, I read these books years ago, we should have hooked up and bullied others back in the day.

So Little Alters was written first but published second? Because I read them in publication order (I thought), Divine first, and I really didn't like Little Alters that much.

Then again, I love Vivi and think Sidda should get the stick out of her butt and be glad her mom is just that cool despite being, well, you know, how she is/was (this is hard to discuss without spoilers). So I may in fact be crazy.

And I do think Connor looking like Jack is important to the understanding of the relationship between Sidda and Vivi. But I don't think Connor is gay anymore than I think Frank of Trading Spaces is gay. I think some men are in touch with their feminine side and some women with their male side and the automatic "oh, your gay because you X" makes me crazy. Am I gay because I haven't worn a dress in years, don't wear make up, could care less about my fingernails, and like to play violent videogames?

Man, talk about hijacking a thread.

And Sandra can do non-cutesy. She wasn't cutsey in The Net. She wasn't all that cutsey, or even likable, in Hope Floats.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

All I can say is that Ellen and Sandra have played mother/daughter before. As an eccentric Texan and a Queen of Corn cum midwestern housewife I can believe.

Actually, Gena Rowlands played Sandra's mom in Hope Floats.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

Digressing from the topic momentarily:

Was Hope Floats any good? I've always wanted to see it.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

I couldn't sit through it. Even though Gena? Also a Kappa.

My mother and sister really liked it, though, so who knows.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

T, I double dog dare you to go onto that Ya-Ya message board and start a thread about what we know about Connor McGill.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

Damn, you're right WG.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

Hope Floats was fairly lame. Of course, I have yet to see a Sandra Bullock movie that I didn't think was lame, so consider that as well.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

I know you're not calling Speed lame. I love that movie, an unnatural amount.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

Alright, I'm not proud. Hope Floats makes me cry buckets. Notice that I used the plural sense, because I have actually watched it several times. I weep every time.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

Oh, me too Robyn. The first time I saw that horrible child actress chase her daddy down the street I thought I'd stop breathing.

We've gotten way off topic.

Books: I'm finally going to start Memoirs of a Geisha which has been sitting beside my desk for months.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

..."when you type "Vivi" as "ViVi?" It makes me crazy."
Don't blame me, I haven't seen the thing in forEVAH. I was just copying the other, smarter people on this board. hee.

To reiterate: all of you must be sure that I am in no way comparing AB, who is the Best Mother Ever(psst, AB, send the check to my home address) to Vivi.

Now, back on topic: I am currently reading Skin Tight by Carl Hiaasen. It's brain candy, I know. Hush. We can't all be reading highfalutin stuff all the time.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

Finished up my Olivia Goldsmith and started Practical Magic last night (speaking of Sandra Bullock...). I did enjoy the movie and so far the book is nice, too.

Someday I'll learn how to do tags, y'all. Honest.

-- Anonymous, February 21, 2002

You all must go read Feeling Sorry for Celia, because it is wise and cute and well-plotted, and then you will call your best friend and tell her (or him, but given book and audience, more likely her) how much you miss her.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

I love love love Hiassen. He always makes me laugh. And if you love him, you'll love reading Louisiana Power and Light, by John duFresne. I'm all for kooky southerners.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

You read that book, K? Did you know it was set in big Funroe? It was.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

I haven't read it in at least four years, but yes! Go read the wacky hijinks of Funroe. I mean, it's fiction and no one could possibly be that wacky. Yes.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

LOVED Louisiana Power & Light. What's a good Hiassen book to start with?

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

I think the first one I read was Tourist Season. Some of the books have continuing characters, but even if read out of publishing order, you won't be lost.

Another fun read: Where Is Joe Merchant? by Jimmy Buffett

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

On Hiaasen: I finished Skin Tight this weekend, and it was great. My only complaint: it was written in 1989 and is sooooo 80's referential... the music, the pop icons, etc. It was quite distracting.

As a starter, I would recommend Sick Puppy, which was hilarious.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

My bedside stack is getting so large, I am afraid it is going to fall on me one night (especially if I bang my head on the bedside table as I did a few weeks ago during a weird dream in which I was chasing Annie Potts through the airport, but I digress).

I finished The Dress Lodger, Chris is reading it now, and have moved on to reading Sheri Holman's first book A Stolen Tongue which rocks just as much, if not more.

We were in the book store last night and saw some Hiassen and felt the influence of MATH+1 strongly urging us toward the cash register. But I waited so I could come back here and be sure to get started in the right order.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2002

I'm reading "Good in Bed," which is really good. Just thought I'd share. And I just finished "Arrogance of Power," which I believe the MOC recommended. Can someone explain to me how $100,000 in 1970= $1 million in today's numbers, but $1 million in 1971 = $4 million in today's numbers? Is this an economic thing, or did the value of money change that much in one year, or is money worth less as you have more of it, or is it an error? I enjoyed the book, but that is driving me crazy.

-- Anonymous, June 04, 2002

I finally read Sick Puppy last week and am now hooked on Mr. Hiassen. Just started Lucky You (picked up by my Mom at a yard sale this weekend), and have Tourist Season waiting in the wings. I'm also reading the collected works of Lemony Snicket (which are hilarious, if unfortunate), and am promising myself that I will get around to reading some Big, Important Novel this Summer. Or maybe this Fall.

-- Anonymous, June 04, 2002

I checked out Deep in the Shade of Paradise by John Dufresne yesterday. Again, about Funroe and the Fontanas and other wacky hijinks people. I haven't read very far, but I like it already.

-- Anonymous, June 04, 2002

I just finished Tanya Huff's duology "Of Darkness, Light, and Fire" which is "Gate of Darkness, Circle of Light" and "The Fire's Stone" in one volume. Both are excellent, top-notch fantasy. Huff does an amazing job creating characters that pull you in and make you care about them. I actually cried at the end of "Gate" and I rarely cry when I read books.

Another excellent book is "Ariel" by Stephen Boyett. Unfortunately, it's out of print but you can sometimes find it in bookstores or through amazon.com's used book network. It's the story of the world after the Change, the change being the moment when technology suddenly stopped working and magic appeared in the world. More importantly, it's the story of a young man and the unicorn he befriends and what happens to them in this new world. It's not hokey at all, it's actually a very moving story. Worth the search.

-- Anonymous, June 04, 2002