It's Friday, so what have you been reading this week?
Note: Please go ahead and vote in all the polls for Book Club if you want to participate in our book club discussions in 2021. Non-fiction book voting will be up later this afternoon. Voting ends the night of Tuesday, December 22.
QOTW: Do you like getting books as a gift (for whatever occasion - birthday, holiday, anniversary, etc)? Do you like to give books as a gift? Have a particular good book giving/getting memory you would like to share? If you don't like to give or get books as a gift, why not?
Post by litskispeciality on Dec 18, 2020 12:47:09 GMT -5
Happy Friday! So glad we made it. I'm still chipping away at "Too Late to Say Goodbye" and "You Are Not Alone" (mostly audio).
QOTW: I LOVE getting books as gifts, and often try to keep in mind books with long holds that I could just ask for as gifts. I have so many unread paper books though I have to read and donate some before I can get more books lol. My dad loves getting books too, so I love giving them.
A couple of best memories, our cousins gave us a Garfield book of several short stories when we were kids. We read it so much (my dad also read it out loud) that it fell out of the jacket and had to be put back together. I then gave it to kids I babysat for when Garfield made another comeback. Another more recent memory was of my dad going to Barnes and Noble and picking out a couple of books for me that he thought I'd like. Just the effort to ask for advice as we don't share the same taste was so special.
Post by litskispeciality on Dec 18, 2020 12:47:58 GMT -5
And a question for a captive audience, any thoughts on where I could donate books right now? Someone had recommended a local women's shelter, but I read a lot of heavy stuff that contains triggering themes. Anywhere you can think that would get some use or raise some money?
I've been having a tough time with books lately. Stopping and starting a lot. Between Monday and today I've only read The Thursday Murder Club. It ended up being decent but for a relatively short book, it was a bit of a trudge. I started Piranesi today and I almost gave up after a few pages but I've decided to soldier on. I should expand my horizons a bit. I don't delve enough into fantasy/sci-fi.
QOTW: I don't mind getting books as gifts but I can be particular so it doesn't always work out. I like to give books and I'll do it during off times (having nothing to do with a special occasion) if I see something that I think someone would love. I got myself a book-related gift one time that wasn't successful. I did the book of the month thing with Politics & Prose. You provide them a list of your favorite books and then they'll select newly published books that fit your criteria and mail them out to you. I think I read and/or was interested in only a third of the books selected. It was also fairly expensive as they tended to pick hardcover books. I won't do that again!
And a question for a captive audience, any thoughts on where I could donate books right now? Someone had recommended a local women's shelter, but I read a lot of heavy stuff that contains triggering themes. Anywhere you can think that would get some use or raise some money?
My library is accepting donations again so that's where I took a few books last week. You could always try a thrift store that's connected to a non-profit. I used to work in animal rescue and the proceeds that the adjacent thrift store made went right back into the rescue.
I finished All The Devils Are Here by Louise Penny. I will probably start The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate next.
QOTW: Typically I don't like books as gifts unless I specifically asked for that book(I usually save books requests for my kids because books are cheap). I also don't give books for the same reason. You never know what the other person will like. I prefer to give a book store gift card instead.
I read: Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert - 3 stars/romance: I enjoyed this but I liked the second book better (which I accidentally read first, but these can be read as standalones)
Venom by Jennifer Estep (#3 in series) - 3.5 stars/paranormal romance: It's been four years since I read the previous book in this series, and I don't know why I waited this long to pick this up. I'll hopefully read the next one quicker haha
QOTW: I almost never get books as gifts, and I would prefer for people to get me a book store gift card so I can pick out my own books anyways. I always give my kids books as part of their Birthday/Christmas presents but other than that I don't generally give other people books as gifts.
Post by monkeyfeet on Dec 18, 2020 16:34:18 GMT -5
I rarely post here anymore as I'm reading like 2 books/mo if I'm lucky, but love seeing what you're all reading. I also wanted to give a huge thanks to UFCASEY for organizing book club!
I'm reading The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger and enjoying it.
QOTW: I never get books, but that's fine because I prefer to use the library as I don't reread books. I sometimes give books as gifts, always to my kids!
I finally finished A Promised Land. I read the first 75% and listened to the last 25%. I’m definitely getting the audiobook for book 2. Such a great experience.
I’m currently reading The Vanishing Half and a cookbook.
QOTW: I would love to get books for gifts if they were classics that I would read again and agin. H has a habit of buying me the worst books. I love giving books as gifts. I bought my uncle Obama’s book for Christmas and my DD asked for the next book in a series she’s reading. I bought the last 3 books. She’s going to be so pumped.
Slow week! I’m reading a new ARC now but I’ve been falling asleep too fast at night!
Shed No Tears by Caz Frear (I really enjoy this series! I don’t have too many straight detective/police series I read anymore but this one is fun)
The Sober Lush: A Hedonist's Guide to Living a Decadent, Adventurous, Soulful Life--Alcohol Free by Amanda Eyre Ward and Jardine Libaire (I picked it up because I like Amanda Eyre Ward but eh. It was the second book I’ve read this year that was co-written by friends in the third person!)
The Less People Know About Us: A Mystery of Betrayal, Family Secrets, and Stolen Identity by Axton Betz-Hamilton (interesting story but she really glossed over some details)
QOTW: I don’t think I’ve received a book for a present since I was in HS! I don’t give books either, my parents are/were readers but library goers as are my reader friends. My husband has bought books for his parents though. They don’t seem to use the library which annoys me because the NYC public library system is amazing! We don’t know any children but if we did, I would give them books.
And a question for a captive audience, any thoughts on where I could donate books right now? Someone had recommended a local women's shelter, but I read a lot of heavy stuff that contains triggering themes. Anywhere you can think that would get some use or raise some money?
The little free libraries in my neighborhood seem to be still active.
I'm reading The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead by Michael Bungay Stanier. I'm trying to be a more thoughtful and strategic communicator, and this book is really helpful. I've taken a ton of notes and have already started using some of the strategies.
QOTW: In general, I dont like gifting. (I know, I'm weird.) Books especially are hard unless they know I want a specific book. I hate it when someone gifts me a book that they love and then I dont like it and it feels like homework.
David and Goliath - Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Batting Giants by Malcolm Gladwell. I usually like his stuff but I didn’t totally love this one, it seemed to be all about the “gotchas” and I got tired of that. I found it interesting though, how successful some people become who have lost a parent during childhood (i.e., a disproportionate number of US Presidents), somewhat in spite of the loss.
All We Can Save - Truth, Courage and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson. Many of you know I have a science background and that I’ve read a ton of books (~25?) the last few years about the climate crisis, and am actively trying to do something about it in my corner of the world. Climate change encompasses and exacerbates every other problem you can think of and we need to get off of fossil fuels as soon as possible. In this book, with entries completely written by women, I feel seen, acknowledged, sad, hopeful, resolute. If you read only one book on climate, make it this one.
QOTW: I’m trying to think of the last time I received a book as a gift... one of my friends bought me Drawdown (another climate book) when she saw how influential I found it. People otherwise don’t tend to buy me books and I’m pretty picky. A good rec is gift enough! 😊 I buy books for kids all the time though. My girls are each getting a batch I picked out for them from Scholastic for Christmas. We otherwise use the public library. I was cracking up this week when I discovered a message between our elementary school media specialist advertising book pickups, and a cheeky response from my first grader: “we don’t need your books since we go to the regalar (sic) library.” 🤣
And a question for a captive audience, any thoughts on where I could donate books right now? Someone had recommended a local women's shelter, but I read a lot of heavy stuff that contains triggering themes. Anywhere you can think that would get some use or raise some money?
If I had to offload them I think I’d do a secondhand store and donate the proceeds to my library friends group. I’m on the board of our library friends group and we can’t take donations right now. We also have a ton of books already on hand since we were basically on the eve of the last sale when the shutdown started. Each month at our meetings we discuss “what to do with all of the books.” The current plan is to hold them for now and probably sell at least some off in a big lot to some retailers who have approached us, to free up space in the library storage area. Library staff has plans to fix up that particular area in the next six months so we need to give them some room to work.
I’d also look at donating to little free libraries, though they probably would be better for smaller amounts.
I also want to say thanks again to ufcasey for organizing the picks for next year. So systematic and orderly, making sure everyone has adequate chance to give input to the candidates, vote in the “primaries,” and finally also make a choice in the “general” election/selection. Bravo! 👏
My in person(/virtual) book club utilizes a much more haphazard process, lol.
And a question for a captive audience, any thoughts on where I could donate books right now? Someone had recommended a local women's shelter, but I read a lot of heavy stuff that contains triggering themes. Anywhere you can think that would get some use or raise some money?
Maybe an assisted living, nursing home or your own library? Our library does a book sale every year (friends of the library host it), and then they use the money back into library programs, etc.
I got A Promised Land from my library and started it this week. It's the audiobook, and at first I thought there would be no way I could finish in the 3-week loan period, but then I remembered it's Obama and I could probably still understand him at 1.2x.
I am reading The Dutch House. Slow reading this week because I’ve been using my free time to watch Christmas movies. It’s really good so far!
I do love getting books, but I tend to only ask for books that are things I’ll reread or revisit. For single-read books, I prefer the library.
I tend to give books to kids all the time, but rarely to adults unless we’re super close and have the same tastes. This year, though, I got my dad and H both a copy of A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson because they are doing a 300-mile through-hike next summer.
Post by rainbowchip on Dec 19, 2020 23:55:57 GMT -5
I finished The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk. This book was entirely too sad for me to read right now. The characters were great but I just couldn't love it.
I also finished Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. He's one of those people who use more word than are necessary and that grate on my nerves, but there were some interesting and lol funny parts.
QOTW: I haven't had anyone buy me a book as a gift since 2008ish. I mostly read on my kindle and rarely buy books myself.
I love getting other people books. Especially kids.
I just finished “Where the Lost Wander” by Amy Harmon - it’s historical fiction about wagon trains in the mid-1800’s. Overall a good read though there were some flat parts toward the end.
QOYW: I love getting and giving books for gifts. If I don’t give books I often give gift cards for local bookstores as gifts.