What are you reading now? Suggest something good!

[Pontotocmom]

cpurdon said:

You can check it out at the library. I've read the book a few times. My husbands aunt bought it before it came out.

Books are kinda like kids - once I have them I like to keep them.

I can't blame you there. I have 6 book cases in my house filled with books of all kinds. I pass on a lot of books then I have my save books. And I sorta like keeping the kids I get too.....

[granny2young]

That was funny mom. I read all these ads about how important reading is and teaching your children good reading habits, and I totally agree, but what I don't agree with is the price of books. One of my daughter always enjoyed reading when she was a teen and it seemed that every other day or so she was wanting $20 or more for a new book. That is something I would never say no too, but you would think the price would be lower for something that is so beneficial.

[King Rat]

granny2young said:

That was funny mom. I read all these ads about how important reading is and teaching your children good reading habits, and I totally agree, but what I don't agree with is the price of books.

So true, Granny, about the price of books. My daughter is constantly bringing home those Scholastic book order forms from school and the books in them are so overpriced it is a shame. But, wanting to be a good parent and not wanting my daughter to be the only one in class not getting books when the teacher started handing them out, I would always order a couple for her. But three times in a row they substituted books that I did not order because they were out of the ones I ordered. Once they substituted a single book for a collection of books I'd ordered. So I explaned to my daughter that we would no longer order from school. Instead, I take her to the bookstore and let her pick out her own.

But I have recently found that an even better alternative is to order used books from Amazon. That takes care of the price issue and all the books I've ordered would have passed for new.

She has a library card but I guess I'm trying to teach her a love for books - keeping them and taking care of them after you've read them.

[Pontotocmom]

I buy a lot of my books at Wise Owl in Tupelo. You can't beat the prices and the books are in good shape. The lady who owns it even puts books aside that I may like ( and that is hard since I read about every kind from humor to romance to mysteries to westerns) and they have a real good selection for my 8 year old. She also cuts me a deal since I buy so many. I have never traded a book back in to her. I keep it or send it to the nursing home if I just can't find a place for them.

[King Rat]

I've been to the Wise Owl but it was some time ago. I like browsing for books at a bookstore when I've got time but I hate browsing through books not well organized (such as the bargain tables where things are lumped together).

Which reminds me of something I experience when browsing that I wonder if anyone else experiences: When I start browsing books on a shelf by looking at the vertical print on the bindings I get dizzy. I can read it but after a few of them my eyes start stinging and I get lightheaded. So I end up pulling a lot of books from the shelf and reading the front cover.

Just another reason to buy online - though I do miss actually handling the books bofore making up my mind.

I just get more weird by the minute, huh?

[missfairy]

There's always the library...But if you don't have time like most people these days to do that...here's my suggestion:

Amazon.com or Half.com. I tend to use Half.com because the prices are excellent. The shipping on paperback is like 2.30 or something and you can usually find bestsellers for 75 cents. So for around 3$ you're good to go!

Otherwise, I check out the shelf at thrift stores and dig thru boxes at yard sales. =D

[Pontotocmom]

King Rat, while I was reading the Pontotoc Progress today they have some articles from the book "From these Hills" And is suppose to do more articles in coming weeks. Not the same by any means but will get you an ideal of the book.

[King Rat]

pontotoc said:

King Rat, while I was reading the Pontotoc Progress today they have some articles from the book "From these Hills" And is suppose to do more articles in coming weeks. Not the same by any means but will get you an ideal of the book.

I haven't read the Progress in years. Have they learned to spell yet? And have they stopped forgetting to print the last half of articles continued from some other page? And have they stopped cropping articles in mid-sentence in order to fit in another ad? If so I might give them another shot.

[Pontotocmom]

Actually they have really improved since the new editor has taken over. They use spell check too.. They did have a problem with cutting off articles but not for about a year or so.. I have seen where they forget some of the last few words of a sentence. But all in all it has gotten to be a decent paper. I have read it every week for years thru all the changes.

[Frey]

The two most recent books I have read are Island of the Sequined Love Nun and Practical Demonkeeping, both by Christopher Moore. His books are a surpising mixture of horror and humor. I definitely plan on reading more by him!

Off topic...One of my favorite characters in Practical Demonkeeping is the king of the Djinn (a genie) who has an interesting way of cursing.

[missfairy]

I finished Talisman a few weeks ago.

I just finished The Gunslinger last night (it was AWESOME!)

Started on "Drawing of the Three" immediately after I finished.

I can't believe how excited I am about these books.

[kontan]

The Loop by Nicholas Evans

In an attempt to restore the endangered wolf population wolves were released into various areas of government land. When a pack ventures into the Rocky Mountain ranching town of Hope, Montana the citizens are not happy. As their stock is threatened by the wolves, tensions grow to levels uncontrollable. The majority of the town opposes wolf restoration and humane removal of the pack. One family is split in their attempts to protect on one side and exterminate on the other. At the center of controversy is Helen Ross. She is a wolf biologist sent to Hope to determine the amount of alleged damage done by the wolves and protect them from those who wish to illegally destroy them. Falling in love with the son of her most powerful opponent does not help the situation.

For a nature loving “bunny-hugger” story with a little romance thrown in this is a good read. Author of another great work, The Horse Whisperer, Nicholas Evans takes no particular storyline over the top. There is a perfect balance throughout the work that would appeal to anyone looking for a relaxing read. Sometimes I find myself scan reading when a book takes a turn to the slow side. That never happened with this work. There were times when I had to force myself to put it down because I knew I wouldn’t be able to get up the next morning. Despite the fact that I understand the frustrations of the ranchers, I was pulling for the wolves throughout the book. Add it to your list of things to read sometime…you’ll find a great escape into the world of fiction as Evans describes the sights and sounds of the mountain setting, as well as a storyline dotted with humor and suspense that may even touch the heart.

[calliope]

I've been reading "Promise Me," by Harlan Coben. It's a fictional mystery involving a teen who disappears in the exact same way that a mob boss's teen daughter disappeared. The plot twists and turns until virtually everyone in the book becomes a suspect, including the protagonist. There are all kinds of interesting topics brought into the story, including a pair of mob hit men who like to torture their victims by biting off chunks of flesh.

The end is a little off, but the story is worth reading just for the characters. Besides the nutzo hit men, there's Big Cyndi, a 6-foot, 300-lb. retired wrestler; Win, an Ivy-League type with a serious Batman complex; Zorra, a cross-dressing Jewish assassin; and a host of other interesting types who give the story a much-needed shot of humor from time to time.

I'd recommend it for any mystery lover.

[calliope]

By the way, there's an antique mall called the Mason Jar, located just off Main Street in Pontotoc, where you can buy all kinds of books anywhere from 50 cents to $5. I got a hardcover copy of "Promise Me," a 2006 New York Times bestseller, for $4.

There are antique books, of course, and they're higher, but I've found everything from John Upqueer to John Grisham to Agatha Christie to Danielle Steele to religious books to sociology books there, all for $5 or less, and usually closer to $2 or $3. When the last new Harry Potter book came out, I found a hardback copy for $3, just a week after the book's release. And it was like new! Compare that to $20 from Books-A-Million.

There are also a lot of neat records there, too, for those of us who still have record players.

It's a pretty nifty place. It's in an old grocery store building, and there are something like 70 different vendors there, and probably 1/3 to 1/2 of them carry books. Definitely worth a visit. It's one block west of Main Street at Reynolds.

[calliope]

John UPQUEER? Stupid word filter. I typed "John U-p-d-i-k-e." For Pete's sake...