What Are You Reading

[Fading Fast]

The first one I read was Murder on the Yellow Brick Road (second in the series), but I never did get around to reading the first. You could jump in anywhere, but I recommend reading one or two from the beginning. After that, I think it's pretty fair game.
Thanks!

Just put "Bullet for a Star," the first one in the series, in our Amazon cart. Amazon is probably the most meaningful relationship I have in my life after my girlfriend as I don't like to shop / go to stores, so most of the things that keep our household moving forward (and fun stuff like this book) come from Amazon.

 

[Harp]

Strapless: John Singer Sargent and The Fall of Madame X, Deborah Davis

Going through baseball and World Series withdrawl, so this weekend stopped at a local bookshop for a few game tomes but instead found Davis' study of Madame X. Grand slam.

 

[Fading Fast]

Strapless: John Singer Sargent and The Fall of Madame X, Deborah Davis

Going through baseball and World Series withdrawl, so this weekend stopped at a local bookshop for a few game tomes but instead found Davis' study of Madame X. Grand slam.

Saw the painting in Boston at the Museum of Fine Arts - it stays with you, as does his "Gassed" and "The Daughters." Haven't seen any of them in years, but think about them regularly.

 

[Harp]

Saw the painting in Boston at the Museum of Fine Arts - it stays with you, as does his "Gassed" and "The Daughters."

When I was in college I found what I thought was a bootleg Sargent original of The Daughters. Spent a wild week checking prov-after I shelled out
$250 in GI Bill money to lock it down, so certain I was of its authenticity. Now it hangs in my study.

 

[Fading Fast]

When I was in college I found what I thought was a bootleg Sargent original of The Daughters. Spent a wild week checking prov-after I shelled out
$250 in GI Bill money to lock it down, so certain I was of its authenticity. Now it hangs in my study.

Sometimes you got to take the shot. I'd rather have a few big misses in my life than have played it safe all the time.

 

[Harp]

seek

I'd rather have a few big misses in my life than have played it safe all the time.

I boloed the Belmont Stakes earlier this year when I left Creator in the show position behind Destin and Lani-even had Governor Malibu riding the rail in as fourth
Superfecta. Nursed a beer and watched Creator jump the chow line and make a mad dash towards the finish line, winning by half a nostril.
I knew that could have happened (ranked #7 in North America purse winning) but I discounted because of his bad trip in the Derby.
Could've heard a paper dollar float down and crash onto the floor. Somebody screamed "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot." A moment enshrined in my own
WTF hall of fame. But if a gambler can't laugh at himself and the odds on occasion, he should seek a less stressful occupation.

 

[Fading Fast]

seek


I boloed the Belmont Stakes earlier this year when I left Creator in the show position behind Destin and Lani-even had Governor Malibu riding the rail in as fourth
Superfecta. Nursed a beer and watched Creator jump the chow line and make a mad dash towards the finish line, winning by half a nostril.
I knew that could have happened (ranked #7 in North America purse winning) but I discounted because of his bad trip in the Derby.
Could've heard a paper dollar float down and crash onto the floor. Somebody screamed "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot." A moment enshrined in my own
WTF hall of fame. But if a gambler can't laugh at himself and the odds on occasion, he should seek a less stressful occupation.

As a fellow gambler (raised by a gambler and [almost certainly] a bookmaker) and a fan of thoroughbred racing, I understand it all, all too well.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

 

[AmateisGal]

Just put "Bullet for a Star," the first one in the series, in our Amazon cart. Amazon is probably the most meaningful relationship I have in my life after my girlfriend as I don't like to shop / go to stores, so most of the things that keep our household moving forward (and fun stuff like this book) come from Amazon.

I really enjoyed these Stuart Kaminsky novels. Great fun.

And I, too, ADORE Amazon. I know it's been bad for a lot of independent bookstores and even the bigger bookstores - like Barnes and Noble - but it is SO nice, especially for an introvert like me, to just click and buy and have it delivered.

 

[Fading Fast]

I really enjoyed these Stuart Kaminsky novels. Great fun.

And I, too, ADORE Amazon. I know it's been bad for a lot of independent bookstores and even the bigger bookstores - like Barnes and Noble - but it is SO nice, especially for an introvert like me, to just click and buy and have it delivered.

Could not agree more.

I, too, feel badly about the independent bookstores, but I frequented my neighborhood ones - and paid them more for books than Amazon - until they went out (all the old cool ones are gone).

But as you said, for a introvert like me (Myers-Briggs INTJ, very strong "I") - Amazon was heaven sent.

And here's the really crazy thing, in NYC, many things we order are free same-day delivery (we are Prime members, best $100/yr we spend).

Presently reading a book "Radio Girls" by Sarah-Jane Stratford - a novel about the early day of some of the women who worked at the BBC. Other than that it only touches on the Nazi's early rise to power (i.e., not too much WWII stuff), it's a very AmateisGal book - have you read it / seen it?

 

[Hercule]

Could not agree more.

I, too, feel badly about the independent bookstores, but I frequented my neighborhood ones - and paid them more for books than Amazon - until they went out (all the old cool ones are gone).

I agree about Amazon, but I don't feel bad for the book stores, esp the surviving chain stores (we don't seem to have any mom and pop bookstores anymore). Having a kid in grade school I've frequented many book stores in recent years only to be consistently disappointed. Rarely are we able to get what we go in for - quite often its classic standard lit books. It's always 'we can order it for you', well so can I. Books a Million is the worst for this. Borders was probably the last good book store in my opinion - good and varied stock for the most part; cafe was a definite plus. But that's ancient history. Somehow I can't care much for B&N - selection seems to be limited to recent and popular tripe, all in paperback and it's overpriced. Anymore the only book store I go to is Half-Price Books, then only every six months or so as their stock doesn't seem to change very much. Typically my only purchases there are an occasional impulse buy, but usually from the last chance shelf Working in a library with easy access to books in most public and academic institutions throughout the state, I find it very hard to part with money for a book, so I like Amazon with its suggestions and reviews, as well as other sites such as Goodreads.

 

[Fading Fast]

I agree about Amazon, but I don't feel bad for the book stores, esp the surviving chain stores (we don't seem to have any mom and pop bookstores anymore). Having a kid in grade school I've frequented many book stores in recent years only to be consistently disappointed. Rarely are we able to get what we go in for - quite often its classic standard lit books. It's always 'we can order it for you', well so can I. Books a Million is the worst for this. Borders was probably the last good book store in my opinion - good and varied stock for the most part; cafe was a definite plus. But that's ancient history. Somehow I can't care much for B&N - selection seems to be limited to recent and popular tripe, all in paperback and it's overpriced. Anymore the only book store I go to is Half-Price Books, then only every six months or so as their stock doesn't seem to change very much. Typically my only purchases there are an occasional impulse buy, but usually from the last chance shelf Working in a library with easy access to books in most public and academic institutions throughout the state, I find it very hard to part with money for a book, so I like Amazon with its suggestions and reviews, as well as other sites such as Goodreads.

We align very much (except that I part with way too much money, way too often for books) as I thought Borders was a solid bookstore in that its selection, prices and customer service made up for what it lacked in personality and staff-affection-for-books that was the joy of the old independent dealers.

But Barnes and Noble has always left me cold. The layout of the store, the selection, the decor, the staff - it's never felt right to me as they don't seem to care about or understand books - it's as if books just happen to be the widgets the store sells. And in the last decade, as Amazon has eaten them for lunch, the store has all but given up on books as a focus; instead, there's the cafe (which is poorly run), a bunch of junk like greeting cards, stupid gadgets and candy for sale everywhere while the actually breadth of the book selection has shrunk.

It took me several years to "learn" how to discover things to read online as I used to just peruse the independent sellers (and read the occasional review in a the papers) to find books pre-internet, but now that I have online sites and methods for finding books of interest, I don't need physical book stores (and definitely don't need Barnes and Noble).

That said, if the independents had survived, I'd still gladly pay more for books from them as they were my favorite go-to neighborhood place.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I used to be a pretty regular customer of Amazon, until I realized that Jeff Bezos is a creature who I don't care to encourage or support in any way. Our local independent new-and-used bookstore is good for current stuff, and what I can't find there I get from the hundreds of independent used-book dealers who use the Bookfinder.com network -- it's a really useful tool for locating rare out-of-print stuff, and it makes it easy to help independent book dealers all over the country.

 

[Fading Fast]

I like abebooks.com for the older / out of print / quirky stuff. It's basically a site (sounds like Bookfinder.com) that links to a lot of independent book sellers. Over the years, with one exception, we have only had good experience with ABE.

 

[Vera Godfrey]

I tend to frequent my library

 

[Fading Fast]

I tend to frequent my library

We are a pretty frugal household - certainly compared to today's conventions - but the library doesn't work for me.

One, I hate having any sort of time limit on my reading (I have plenty of that for work, which is fine, that's my job, but for pleasure reading, I don't want to think about a due date) and, two, I like to keep many of the books after I've read them (or pass them on to friends).

It is probably our only true indulgence - we buy books. That said, we do use Amazon, Abe and some other sites to keep our costs down and most of the books we buy are not at all expensive.

My mother is the library queen though, she lives in Phoenix and is intimately familiar with its library system to the point that she knows how to get the system to order books it doesn't have just so that she can read them (unfortunately, this was more true when she was in better health than she is now).

And playing off that point, my mom is (really, was) an avid reader, but she is not, and never was, passionate about books or reading. She doesn't keep any of them and if you asked her what is her favorite book she'd find it a boring topic. I think reading for her is simply a way to pass time - like someone else would knit or do the crossword puzzle (something else she loves). She doesn't seem to connect with books / reading the way passionate readers connect, but she has read hundreds (probably even thousands) of books in her long life.

 

[AmateisGal]

I used to be a pretty regular customer of Amazon, until I realized that Jeff Bezos is a creature who I don't care to encourage or support in any way. Our local independent new-and-used bookstore is good for current stuff, and what I can't find there I get from the hundreds of independent used-book dealers who use the Bookfinder.com network -- it's a really useful tool for locating rare out-of-print stuff, and it makes it easy to help independent book dealers all over the country.

There's also ThriftBooks.com and I've found a LOT of used books through them.

 

[AmateisGal]

Could not agree more.

I, too, feel badly about the independent bookstores, but I frequented my neighborhood ones - and paid them more for books than Amazon - until they went out (all the old cool ones are gone).

But as you said, for a introvert like me (Myers-Briggs INTJ, very strong "I") - Amazon was heaven sent.

And here's the really crazy thing, in NYC, many things we order are free same-day delivery (we are Prime members, best $100/yr we spend).

Presently reading a book "Radio Girls" by Sarah-Jane Stratford - a novel about the early day of some of the women who worked at the BBC. Other than that it only touches on the Nazi's early rise to power (i.e., not too much WWII stuff), it's a very AmateisGal book - have you read it / seen it?

That sounds like an interesting book - I'll have to go check it out.

Is anyone on Goodreads? I really like it as I can keep track of what I'm reading, what I want to read, new books coming out in every genre imaginable, etc. It's like my online library.

 

[AmateisGal]

We are a pretty frugal household - certainly compared to today's conventions - but the library doesn't work for me.

One, I hate having any sort of time limit on my reading (I have plenty of that for work, which is fine, that's my job, but for pleasure reading, I don't want to think about a due date) and, two, I like to keep many of the books after I've read them (or pass them on to friends).

It is probably our only true indulgence - we buy books. That said, we do use Amazon, Abe and some other sites to keep our costs down and most of the books we buy are not at all expensive.

My mother is the library queen though, she lives in Phoenix and is intimately familiar with its library system to the point that she knows how to get the system to order books it doesn't have just so that she can read them (unfortunately, this was more true when she was in better health than she is now).

And playing off that point, my mom is (really, was) an avid reader, but she is not, and never was, passionate about books or reading. She doesn't keep any of them and if you asked her what is her favorite book she'd find it a boring topic. I think reading for her is simply a way to pass time - like someone else would knit or do the crossword puzzle (something else she loves). She doesn't seem to connect with books / reading the way passionate readers connect, but she has read hundreds (probably even thousands) of books in her long life.

When I was younger, the library was my haven, so much so that when I was old enough, I got a job there. It was a very small town library - our town had 1600 people - so the selection wasn't the best, but I read voraciously anyway. Sometimes I'd go to the library of the largest city in the area - population 20,000 - and would get a little overwhelmed by all the books! THEN I went to college (a small state college) and wow, all the research books!

But the ultimate experience for me was when I went to graduate school at a major research university and went into the library. An entire section on the French Revolution or the American Revolution...AMAZING. And the World War II section? If I were the fainting type, that would have been the moment for me to keel over. All those books...

I have a nice-sized home library, and I never tire of getting more books. They are like old friends to me. In the times that I have moved in my life, the house does not feel right until I get my books situated in their various bookcases.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I grew up at the main library downtown. Nowadays it's hard to get to, and from reports, it's filled with homeless people talking to themselves. I use the college library where I work. If I want to buy something I go to abebooks.com; I've picked up hardcovers and paperbacks there. One was a 1963 paperback copy of the Alfred Hitchcock collection Fear and Trembling, which I'd never seen. It came looking brand new, as if I'd just purchased it from the newsstand or drugstore in 1963!

Oh, I'm reading some short stories by Dorothy M. Johnson, a collection including "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance."