Hey! What's the most RECENT ebook you bought?

[MickeyC]

Just got Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly

[SolRaven]

The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I have no idea how I found this 800pp. book but what made me buy is was that it had 5 full stars on Amazon with over 1,000 reviews! Then when I checked it out on Audible it had over 2,000 reviews with a rating of 4.89! So, I bought the ebook version AND the audible version so I could listen as I was doing chores around the house. I have about 100pp. to go but so far, this is a contender for the #1 spot of my favorite books. VERY well written and the audiobook version is definitely the best narration I've ever heard! They use 4 different voices for narration which adds a super nice touch.

[benham]

I just bought 3 (Don't you hate buying just one?) 2 Randy Wayne White and one John Lescroart.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by SolRaven

The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I have no idea how I found this 800pp. book but what made me buy is was that it had 5 full stars on Amazon with over 1,000 reviews! Then when I checked it out on Audible it had over 2,000 reviews with a rating of 4.89! So, I bought the ebook version AND the audible version so I could listen as I was doing chores around the house. I have about 100pp. to go but so far, this is a contender for the #1 spot of my favorite books. VERY well written and the audiobook version is definitely the best narration I've ever heard! They use 4 different voices for narration which adds a super nice touch.

That does look very interesting.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by SolRaven

The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I have no idea how I found this 800pp. book but what made me buy is was that it had 5 full stars on Amazon with over 1,000 reviews! Then when I checked it out on Audible it had over 2,000 reviews with a rating of 4.89! So, I bought the ebook version AND the audible version so I could listen as I was doing chores around the house. I have about 100pp. to go but so far, this is a contender for the #1 spot of my favorite books. VERY well written and the audiobook version is definitely the best narration I've ever heard! They use 4 different voices for narration which adds a super nice touch.

I thought this was an incredible book.

I'm from the South and was raised in the South, and we have a certain way when it comes to manners. (We're also aware when individuals DO NOT have manners.)

I found this book to have many Truths about the Black Help and also about life. It's a book that has a large degree of courage in its writing and in the depiction of its characters.

This is, in my opinion, an important novel.


Don

[Ea]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I thought this was an incredible book.

I'm from the South and was raised in the South, and we have a certain way when it comes to manners. (We're also aware when individuals DO NOT have manners.)

I found this book to have many Truths about the Black Help and also about life. It's a book that has a large degree of courage in its writing and in the depiction of its characters.

This is, in my opinion, an important novel.


Don

Do you think you might have these feelings and idea about this book beacuse of your background? I.e. do you think someone like me, from a rather different background would get as much out of the story? For one thing, I don't have a deep knowledge of American history or sensitivity to racial issues.

[Lycoming]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparrow
In passing, John Irving is going to be on BBC radio's Bookclub in December, talking about 'A Prayer for Owen Meany'.


Thank you for that information. Maybe there's some way I can get that here in Peru?


Don, et al. The BBC are considering how to make the iPlayer facility, which we enjoy here in the UK, available for overseas use. It's a tremendous way to catch up with programmes, either radio or TV.

You may want to have a look over this.
http://www.tvproxy.co.uk/bbc_iplayer_abroad.tpl

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Ea

Do you think you might have these feelings and idea about this book beacuse of your background? I.e. do you think someone like me, from a rather different background would get as much out of the story? For one thing, I don't have a deep knowledge of American history or sensitivity to racial issues.

Yes, I do think my background gives a certain view toward an understanding of Southern Writer's concerns. I suppose, because I feel a "connection" to the South's issues, such as prejudice (Southern) and the attendant political and social issues of the South, that I feel this connection.

I also like Saul Bellow, but as much as I admire his work, I can never identity with him in the same way I identify with the South. The North that Bellow writes about is a country I will never be able to understand.

I think your question is a very good question, but I'm really unable to answer it. There's a whole "Southern Culture" thing that exists in the South to this day. To penetrate the culture of the South is, in my opinion, something one has to live. On a humorous note, it also has to do with the understanding of rednecks and trailer trash.

As a suggestion, you might try reading "To Kill A Mockingbird," by Harper Lee. It's categorized as a Southern Gothic, but it deals with - and forgive me if you already know this - issues of racial injustice. Actually, there are many themes present in the book, not the least of which is Courage. Although it takes place during the 1930s, its themes are universal, which is the reason it is studied and admired to this day.

I hope my response has been helpful.


Don

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

.... On a humorous note, it also has to do with the understanding of rednecks and trailer trash.
...
Don

Hey I resemble that! Well, maybe not really but grew up sort of in the south -- Oklahoma Texas border -- I'm totally enjoying "The March" at the moment. I love the King of the Hill cause it has people exactly like I grew up with.

I'd second Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Excellent and a classic for a reason.

[Ea]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Yes, I do think my background gives a certain view toward an understanding of Southern Writer's concerns. I suppose, because I feel a "connection" to the South's issues, such as prejudice (Southern) and the attendant political and social issues of the South, that I feel this connection.

I also like Saul Bellow, but as much as I admire his work, I can never identity with him in the same way I identify with the South. The North that Bellow writes about is a country I will never be able to understand.

I think your question is a very good question, but I'm really unable to answer it. There's a whole "Southern Culture" thing that exists in the South to this day. To penetrate the culture of the South is, in my opinion, something one has to live. On a humorous note, it also has to do with the understanding of rednecks and trailer trash.

As a suggestion, you might try reading "To Kill A Mockingbird," by Harper Lee. It's categorized as a Southern Gothic, but it deals with - and forgive me if you already know this - issues of racial injustice. Actually, there are many themes present in the book, not the least of which is Courage. Although it takes place during the 1930s, its themes are universal, which is the reason it is studied and admired to this day.

I hope my response has been helpful.

Thank you, it was. I think I may try "To Kill a Mockingbird" - it's translated into Danish and I know about it - just haven't read it.

I've had a bit of conversation with someone from 'The South' - we discussed manners - and myself coming from a culture where you are, by comparison, quite open-mouthed and direct, and in her eyes probably extremely uncouth, it's difficult to get or understand the importance and nuances of behaviour.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Hey I resemble that! Well, maybe not really but grew up sort of in the south -- Oklahoma Texas border -- I'm totally enjoying "The March" at the moment. I love the King of the Hill cause it has people exactly like I grew up with.

I'd second Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Excellent and a classic for a reason.

Slightly OT:

Yes, to understand and enjoy King of the Hill - which I, too LOVE! - is to fully understand the Southern Redneck Way of Life (or perhaps to have been born and raised in Texas! )

Don

[SolRaven]

I just finished The Help and I was reading through tears for the last 50pp. or so. This has only happened one other time, eleven years ago. Up until now, that was my favorite book, now it has a contender.

I'm not sure what the tears are about, maybe some sort of redemption but I'm starting to think it has more to do with enjoying the book so much and not wanting it to end, that I just start bursting from my tear ducts.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by SolRaven

I just finished The Help and I was reading through tears for the last 50pp. or so. This has only happened one other time, eleven years ago. Up until now, that was my favorite book, now it has a contender.

I'm not sure what the tears are about, maybe some sort of redemption but I'm starting to think it has more to do with enjoying the book so much and not wanting it to end, that I just start bursting from my tear ducts.

Yes, I too, felt something wet on my cheeks, but didn't know what it was until I did some research and discovered they were tears!

Seriously, it's a book that celebrates the human spirit.

Don

[kennyc]

You guys have just about convinced me, I just wonder if it's not a "girly" book though. Some of the reviews on amazon say the characters are poorly developed and the writing is not so good, but other reviews praise it to high heaven.....guess I'm still a bit on the fence...

[SolRaven]

Originally Posted by kennyc

You guys have just about convinced me, I just wonder if it's not a "girly" book though. Some of the reviews on amazon say the characters are poorly developed and the writing is not so good, but other reviews praise it to high heaven.....guess I'm still a bit on the fence...

I don't even know how to reply to that, but I try not to read "too" many reviews because there is always someone who has something bad to say. I will read a few reviews, then see what the over all rating of the book is and how many people reviewed the book. It was the 5 Full stars with over 1,000 people rating it that got my attention. I figured I could look into it all I wanted, but until I read it, I'd never know for sure how great it was.

That's funny that you should ask about it being too girly. It was such a good book that I wanted to share that joy with my beau, but the only way I could was for him to read it. How do you convince a big athletic guy who is way into any game that's on TV, that a book about domestic help in the south in the 1960's is an awesome book that he would love? I just thought about how he was a journalism minor and used to write about sports in his local Ann Arbor newspaper. Then I thought about how many books that I've read that I didn't think I could relate to but turned out to be fantastic books. My favorite that may get bumped from it's top spot is I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb. That's about a man's journey through life who's identical twin is schizophrenic and his internal battle because of it. Or the book that I mentioned to my beau was the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. What would I have in common with a little boy growing up in Afghanistan before the Taliban took control?

Well, after mentioning those books and how a great book really has no boundaries, and telling him that that audio version was the best narration I've ever heard. That is was more like an updated radio program in the way it was read, he decided that he would prob. enjoy listening to it on the plane since he has to do quite a bit of traveling this month.