Happy Friday! (4/19) - what have you been reading?

[ufcasey]

What have you read this past week? What are you currently reading?

QOTW:
What book by/about a political figure (doesn't have to be an elected politician, could be historical) have you read and enjoyed? Or list the worst one you have read if you can't think of any good ones. Or name a political figure book you might want to read if you haven't read any.

[rainbowchip]

I'm reading There There and Getting Hot With the Scot. I'm about 1/3 of the way through both of them.

QOTW: I think I've only read 2 books about political figures and I really liked both. What Happened by Hillary Clinton and Becoming by Michelle Obama.

[dontlook]

I needed an easy read and found it in Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella. I enjoyed it while I read it but reflecting afterwards I realized it was a silly premise. Oh well. It was just what I needed.

I’m currently reading 3 books :/
- The Power by Naomi alderman
- On The Come Up by Angie Thomas
- Heist by Jeff Diamant

They are all really good and I hope I have more time to sit and read this week.

QOTW: I really enjoyed Becoming by Michelle Obama.

[litskispeciality]

Ugh I'm mad at myself for how long it's taking to finish "When". I'm at 90% so I hope to finish today. I also picked up The Miseducation of Cameron Post, which I'm excited to dive into at some point.

QOTW: I don't think I've read one? I have the Senator Edward Brooke book which I'd like to read as my mom worked for him. My husband loved Killing Lincoln and I want to read that someday too.

[msmerymac]

I finished Hit So Hard by Patty Schemel. It was good - more than intrigue about Courtney Love (for which a ton has already been written) it really centered on Patty's struggle with addiction. Not too long (I listened on audible) and I really enjoyed getting to know a lot more about her life, since she's one of the least well-known members of Hole. 4 stars.

I realize I have 5 books going on - audio, physical, kindle, phone app and computer app.

I'm also reading Ethan Frome, We Were Eight Years in Power, A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing, and Belleweather.

QOTW: Becoming by Michelle Obama was surprisingly good. Hamilton by Ron Chernow was good, though long. And speaking of long, I'm dying to get into the Robert Caro LBJ series.

Probably the best I've ever read, though, is Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie.

[ssmjlm]

Still reading Us Against You. I'm still enjoying it, but it's not a page turner for me. I've decided the author writes like you're watching the book versus telling a story and I have a hard time with that.

QOTW: Notorious RBG was my most recent and loved it.

[travella]

I finished The Women in the Castle, 2.5*.
I'm currently reading Circe.

QOTW: Politics is too prevalent in my day to day life, the last thing I want to do is read another person's take on it before bed so I usually avoid reading anything overly political. However, I might make an exception for Notorious RGB.

[meowmaps]

I finished A Curious Beginning. I really enjoyed it so I look forward to reading more of the Veronica Speedwell series.

I just started Before She Knew Him. It seems like it'll be a quick read.

QOTW: Like many here I read and liked Becoming. Many years ago in a college U.S. History class I read a book about Eleanor Roosevelt and it really made an impact on me. I wish I remembered what it was! I also read a book about Cleopatra a few years ago and while it was fairly dry, I appreciate what a badass she was for her time.

[wildrice]

I have been reading a book written by my FIL for like 3 weeks now. I'm really struggling to continue, and I think reading it for 3 weeks has made it even harder because I'm having trouble tracking what is even going on (partly the writing, partly the length of time I've been reading and only reading for like 10 minutes at a time). Anyway. I hope to finish it this week. I keep finding myself messing around on my phone instead of reading lately.

QOTW: Sorry to repeat everyone, but I loved Michelle Obama's book very much. I was lucky enough to attend her tour and I think that made reading it even more enjoyable because I enjoyed her talk first. I have Kamala Harris's book on my Kindle and it's probably my next read. I've heard it's only ok, but I am interested in learning more about her so I am looking forward to reading it.

[spedrunner]

Currently reading:

The girl he used to know by Tracy Garvis graves
All the ugly and wonderful things
November 9 by Colleen Hoover

This week I gave up on homegoing . I just could not get into it which made me really sad because I wanted to like it it was just too slow for me and too long

Qotd. Becoming

[abs]

Currently reading Maybe In Another Life. So far I really like it!

[msmerymac]

wildrice, I'll be interested to know your thoughts on her book. I really like Harris, so if it's worth it, I'll read it.

[monkeyfeet]

I’m reading There, There and Where the Crawford’s Sing, both for book clubs next week!

QOTW: I started the Presidential Challenge a few years ago and while I’ve learned a ton, I think I probably learned the most from Washington: A Life by Chernow. I also enjoyed Becoming!

[krystee]

I have almost finished Beyond the Point. It was a Book of the Month book club, so I’m surprised to find a lot of it to be sort of like Christian chick lit. I’m not at the end so I won’t rate it yet, but it’s not my favorite.

I also finished When You Read This, and some parts were very touching (about a woman who blogs about her terminal cancer), and the intern was kind of funny, but overall three stars.

Next on the list: Normal People.

My favorite political book, by far, is To Obama, With Love, Joy, Anger and Hope. It is about the 10 letters he read each day, and it is so good.

[mx27]

Apr 19, 2019 10:45:32 GMT -5 dontlook said:

I needed an easy read and found it in Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella. I enjoyed it while I read it but reflecting afterwards I realized it was a silly premise. Oh well. It was just what I needed.

I’m currently reading 3 books :/
- The Power by Naomi alderman
- On The Come Up by Angie Thomas
- Heist by Jeff Diamant

They are all really good and I hope I have more time to sit and read this week.

QOTW: I really enjoyed Becoming by Michelle Obama.

how funny, I just finished reading “Surprise Me” a few days ago! I enjoyed the fairly light-hearted story and found the premise relatable. I, however, did not like the twist...I thought it was super random and silly (in an, “ I thought it was dumb” sort of way). 3 stars.

Currently reading “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance

[Vespasia]

Apr 19, 2019 15:25:01 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

wildrice, I'll be interested to know your thoughts on her book. I really like Harris, so if it's worth it, I'll read it.

I enjoyed it but it really read like an extended campaign speech!

[ally]

In the past two weeks I read:
Circe, Madeline Miller - 4 1/2* I really enjoyed it, an interesting take on some things I remember from school  Well written.
Dark Matter, Blake Crouch - 5*  Great, fascinating, possibly scary premise.  I have recommended to DH, though he does not seem to be listening to me!

Currently reading:
The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (expect to finish today)
The Double Bind, Chris Bohjalian - start tomorrow for IRL book club
I also have about 5 holds up from the library - we'll see what happens in the next two weeks.  I have EVERYTHING else on hold for 7 - 21 day!

QOTW: I don't read a lot of non-fiction, political books included.  I could imagine reading Becoming, What Happened, Notorious RBG - but would need a push to actually choose any of them. 

[closertofine]

I listened to Us Against You earlier this week and am in Truly Madly Guilty now. I have been ever so slowly working through The Girl with Seven Names. I like it, but I do most of my reading as audio. I just don't have the time for real reading anymore. Educated is up next, probably Sunday.

Qotd. I enjoyed Becoming very much.

[sassypants]

I'm reading the Hidden Lives of Tudor Women by Elizabeth Norton, and I'm really liking it. She writes a very readable social history.

QOTW: Like others I loved Becoming, but I'd add to that the books by Sarah Vowell, especially Assassination Vacation, which is a reflection on a trip where she takes her 10 year old nephew on a tour of sites associated with presidential assassinations.

[dontlook]

Apr 19, 2019 15:53:26 GMT -5 mx27 said:

Apr 19, 2019 10:45:32 GMT -5 dontlook said:

I needed an easy read and found it in Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella. I enjoyed it while I read it but reflecting afterwards I realized it was a silly premise. Oh well. It was just what I needed.

I’m currently reading 3 books :/
- The Power by Naomi alderman
- On The Come Up by Angie Thomas
- Heist by Jeff Diamant

They are all really good and I hope I have more time to sit and read this week.

QOTW: I really enjoyed Becoming by Michelle Obama.

how funny, I just finished reading “Surprise Me” a few days ago! I enjoyed the fairly light-hearted story and found the premise relatable. I, however, did not like the twist...I thought it was super random and silly (in an, “ I thought it was dumb” sort of way). 3 stars.

Currently reading “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance

The twist is what made me dislike it. The whole idea of wanting to spice up your (long) marriage was relatable and cute but the twist took it in another strange direction. It felt like it was thrown in just for something extra. I would rate it a solid 3 as well.

[mrspez07]

I finished Witch Elm last night. I’ll probably start the Seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo tonight. I need to finish listening to a Louise Penny book though. It’s been a rough week to read dark murder stories so reading has been slow.

QOTW:
I have 2 that I’ve liked in the last few years.
I listened to John Adams by David McCullough. It was a solid lengthy wealth of information (maybe too much), but I feel like I got a great sense of both John and Abigail and the details around the development of the constitution were fascinating.

2nd one: Who Thought this was a Good Idea by Alyssa Mastromonaco. It was about her time working for Obama. I also listened to this one. I enjoyed it because she was so relatable and sounded like just another kid that grew up around the same time I did but ended up in this amazing place doing amazing work.

[aurora]

I finished The Map of Salt and Stars . It's not easy reading in terms of the subject, but I really recommend it, especially if you're trying to expand your horizons beyond the US.

Now I'm reading There There for book club and listening to Mr. Mercedes.

QOTW: I appreciated Clinton's What Happened , but in a rage sort of way. I loved how Obama came across in Alyssa Mastromonsco's Who Thought This Was a Good idea , but it's not really about him.

[estrellita]

Still reading Circe but almost done. Also started listening to the 3rd HP book, I'm probably about halfway done!

QOTW: I've only really read one, at least recently, and it was Becoming. I really liked it!

[Vespasia]

I absolutely flew through Daisy Jones and the Six this week. I don't think the oral history style is for everyone but I loved it. I particularly loved the way each character's memories could contradict each other.

QOTW: Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles by Margaret George. And Becoming. 😉

[Nonny]

I'm currently reading All Our Wrong Todays (like it, but it's a bit rambling), and The Italian Teacher (for one of my book clubs, it's a giant snoozefest so far).


QOTW: I remember liking Audacity of Hope when I read it back in about 2007. I really can't read political books of any flavor right now because they just piss me off given the current political climate.

[minzy]

I just finished There, There for book club. I am ready to discuss!

QOTW: I agree that Becoming by Michele Obama was very well written. Amy Klobuchar’s memoir was okay, though I’ve since seen unfavorable things about her. I didn’t love the flow of Kamala Harris’s book and really wish climate change had been featured more prominently than it was. I haven’t loved most of the Trump related ones I’ve read, but that is because of the subject matter and not necessarily the writing style. I will likely read whatever has been written by whoever becomes the Democratic nominee, if applicable, if I haven’t already by next summer.

[Gato]

I finished The Unwinding of the Miracle by Julie Yip-Williams.  IDK how to feel about this book.  On the one hand, it's a brutally honest look at her experience as a cancer patient with a terminal diagnosis.  I appreciate the lack of saccharine, feel-good cliches.  There are some really beautiful, heart-wrenching chapters.  On the other hand, she's SO insistent that she's honest and logical, yet she, too, chooses to indulge in magical thinking when facing death.  I don't blame her, but it makes her seem a little hypocritical after going on for many chapters about her own complete honesty and fearlessness.

I'm going back to Nature's Mutiny, and probably putting it down again, lol.  It's really good but I'm feeling the need for something lighter.

QOTW:  Have I ever read a book by a politician?  I don't think even Obama.  I think it would be fun to read about Ann Richards's life and time in office.

[spedrunner]

Apr 20, 2019 12:07:14 GMT -5 Vespasia said:

I absolutely flew through Daisy Jones and the Six this week. I don't think the oral history style is for everyone but I loved it. I particularly loved the way each character's memories could contradict each other.

QOTW: Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles by Margaret George. And Becoming. 😉

 BAd on paper podcast just did a review and discussion of daisy if you are interested!