04-01-2024, 05:57 AM | #31786 | |
Diligent dilettante
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Quote:
Thanks for this recommendation! My Dad grew up in Punjab (and could rattle all five of them off even as his memory faded in his late 80s), and the majority of the people I work with and for (including all the company's directors) are Sikh. Add in that I enjoyed Kushwant Singh's Kipling's India and his [Collection of Urdu Poetry[/i] and it seems likely that this is one I'll enjoy. |
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04-04-2024, 03:58 AM | #31787 |
Guru
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New York City
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It took me six weeks to read Madonna: A Rebel Life by Mary Gabriel. The kindle version was 1190 pages, not including notes, photos, etc. I'm not a Madonna fan, but it was an interesting read.
I've started The Most of Nora Ephron, a collection of her writing. I don't expect to read it straight through. Last year I re-read Ephron's I Feel Bad About My Neck in hardcover, and I think that collection is included in "The Most . . ." |
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04-04-2024, 11:09 AM | #31788 |
Diligent dilettante
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4.25/5 at The Storygraph for Venice: The Remarkable History of the Lagoon City
by Dennis Romano. Informative but a challenge to get through. Six hundred pages (excluding end matter) to cover 1200 years of venality, cupidity and stupidity. VERY happy to tackle my April prompt for the MR TBR reduction challenge at the Storygraph now, PGW's Uncle Fred in the Springtime. Not sure I would go back to Venice even if I cxould, but I'm ALWAYS happy to go back to Blandings |
04-04-2024, 08:13 PM | #31789 | |
Snoozing in the sun
Posts: 10,137
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
Device: iPad Mini, Kobo Touch
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04-05-2024, 11:31 AM | #31790 |
Wizard
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Location: Ireland
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I have just finished The Bees by Laline Paull
The Bees By Laline Paull This enchanting tale concerns the life and times of Flora 717, a worker bee in a hive. The forty-three chapters are set in the world of the Hive. They are bookended by a prologue and epilogue set in the world external to the hive—both are brief but quite significant for the overall plot. The world of the hive is is one that most of us would recognize; there is a Queen Bee, workers,and drones. The class system is carefully defined with the Sages—a priest class— followed by the workers within the hive, themselves being carefully differentiated. Foragers are the bees who leave the hive to search for nectar. They are unique in that they perform the dance that reveals the sources of the nectar. Finally we have the drones who exist only for reproductive purposes. What makes this novel so marvellously fascinating is that the insects are given self-awareness and personalities. These characteristics are put within a theocratic, doctrinaire, matriarchal system informed by three prime values—Accept, Obey, and Serve. Questions are not permitted. Only the Queen may breed and she gives forth an aura which creates a total love for her and the hive. The situation of the drones is especially intriguing. They are characterised rather as spoiled aristocrats coddled and worshiped by the sister workers. But few have a realistic concept about their ultimate destiny. Other insects make their appearance. Wasps play an important part. Ants share a language with the bees. The arachnid spiders are strange and sinister. The main focus is Flora 717. She moves through a series of classes and must face a problem when she feels that the greatest rule of all is one she must violate. After reading this book, you won’t ever think of bees the same way again. |
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04-06-2024, 04:01 AM | #31791 | |
The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠
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Quote:
Next up: The Demon Awakes by R. A. Salvatore, got as a freebie from the Sony ebook store back in 2009! Last edited by pdurrant; 04-06-2024 at 05:30 AM. |
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04-07-2024, 03:05 AM | #31792 | |
The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠
Posts: 71,514
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Norfolk, England
Device: Kindle Voyage
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Quote:
Next up: The Merry Men and Other Tales and Fables by Robert Louis Stevenson. |
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04-08-2024, 04:24 AM | #31793 |
Guru
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I have started Famous Father Girl: A Memoir of Growing up Bernstein by Jamie Bernstein. It's on Kindle from my public library.
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04-09-2024, 05:20 AM | #31794 |
The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠
Posts: 71,514
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Norfolk, England
Device: Kindle Voyage
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04-09-2024, 10:36 AM | #31795 |
(he/him/his)
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It's been a grim stretch, Paul. I hope the Weber/Flint does the trick.
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04-10-2024, 06:49 AM | #31796 |
Diligent dilettante
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After my "Masks" prompt for the MR TBR reduction challenge at The StoryGraph turned out to be intolerable and untenable, I pivoted to the "treats" option instead, and have started this one - by some Yorkshireman with a beard like a rhododendron bush, apparently.
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04-10-2024, 07:01 PM | #31797 |
Wizard
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Device: PW3, Fire HD8 Gen7, Moto G7, Sansa Clip v2, Ruizu X26
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I'm still chugging alone reading the Harry Potter novels that I never got around to reading when they first came out. Just finished the fourth one, "Goblet of Fire". Now starting the 5th, "Order of the Phoenix".
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04-10-2024, 11:48 PM | #31798 |
Is that a sandwich?
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Definitely different than what I usually read. Creating a new world every time the MC falls asleep takes work and creativity. The book was action-packed and ironically kept me awake several nights. I did get frustrated over the MC's pacifism. (Probably intentional) And Minna's ability to do almost anything was a touch Deux-ish. The ending was anti-climactic (strange that). Still, this was fun, and the sequel was placed on my TBR list. Rated C+ [3 stars].
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04-11-2024, 09:31 AM | #31799 |
Professor of Law
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I have no idea when the last time I posted here was, but this is what I'm reading right now:
Kobo:
Audio:
DTB:
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04-11-2024, 12:08 PM | #31800 |
Wizard
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Just finished Eagle's Conquest by Simon Scarrow. He's a very good writer - lots of detail without bogging down. This is book 2 of the series. Historical fiction following 2 Roman soldiers at the time the Roman Army is taking over the Britons.
Still reading Rule of Three by Jeffrey Deaver; freebee novella, but it turns out to be as long as a book. Good so far. Next up is Festive In Death by J D Robb. Haven't read any of this series in awhile, so looking forward to it. Last edited by Tarana; 04-11-2024 at 12:17 PM. |
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