July Reads

[Lip Service]

Rabbit, rabbit, rabbit and all that 

July is here, the height of summer reading.

Feel free to comment on your latest reads

[Thomas William Farquhar vii BA]

Re-reading "My Family and Other Animals" by Gerald Durrell as good as I remember.

[officerripley]

I just finished re-reading The Fresco by Sheri Tepper, feminist SF which was even better than I remembered it being.

[Carci]

Just started The Goldfinch which has been highly recommended here.   WOW! ...over 1200 pages in large print and the first 50 were so boring I almost put it aside.  The story just got interesting but this author sure can overwhelm you with extraneous details...

Someone please tell me it is worth sticking with this book... I think I'll be doing a lot of skimming in the days ahead.

[rapa]

Carci, I did skim, but the end was worth the read!

[officerripley]

I just found out that theres going to be a sequel to one of my alltime fave bks, The Detainee by Peter Liney, the second in the trilogy is Into the Fire and it was just released today, yay! Cant wait to read it!

[Ioruach]

I finished Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger a couple days ago. I have been fortunate to have read some very good ones this year and Ordinary Grace has to rank with the best of them. You were right, rapa. Reading it was very much a treat.

[rapa]

THE STORIED LIFE OF A. J. FIKRY: a novel by Gabrielle Zevin, has been shipped to my library for me. As I recall, Loruach recommended this and I'm ready for a good read. It's taken me a month to wade through Deaver's THE SKIN COLLECTOR but the ending was worth it. Usually I usually read a book in about three days. DH being transferred again back to a rehab hospital. Hopefully they can help him regain his strength enough to walk.

[Lip Service]

Best thoughts to your husband and you, it has been quite trying for both of you

[Ioruach]

One of the best I have read this year.

[Mandy Muffin]

There hasn't been much action in the group, so here is my latest read:

"The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara.  This is reputed to be the best historical rendition of the Battle of Gettysburg.  My Library Challenge has a historical novel to be read this month.  I am accompanying the read with the Ted Turner production of "Gettysburg" with a rich cast and startling action.  I vaguely remember catching some of the original airing in 1993, but the connection to the novel makes it seem like you are there, with the characters bigger than life.  Of course, in my lifetime I toured the battlefield twice, once alone and once with family, but the most I remembered was Eisenhower's golf green in the back of his house. Luckily, most of the cannons were aiming the other way.  

[rapa]

MANDY, please let me know if there is much in either the book or movie about my far back uncle, Gen. George Edward Pickett who led the infamous raid on Gettysburg. Have heard such wild stories about him. I've visited Gettysburg and also made
several trips to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond where Pickett, his wife and many of his men are buried. BTW, I love wandering through cemeteries where stories rest for eternity.

[Mandy Muffin]

Yes, Pickett is a major character in the book and movie, appearing as a staunch Confederate and brave soldier.  But the major theme is the disagreement between Lee and Longstreet on strategy.  Longstreet would have preferred delaying and regrouping after a failed attack on the flank, while Lee wanted a direct thrust on the middle of the Union defense line, despite the entrenched Union forces.  Pickett lost 60% of his forces charging the hill, which was devastating to the Confederate army.  You share my passion, as I spent hours at Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Shiloh, etc.