p.penn, we love a trashy mag in the staff room at work! At lunch time we read out the answers on problems page and then try to guess the questions. You gain the most points for the more outlandish your answer.
I tend to favour biographies or Terry Pratchett at the moment, a bit sick of candy floss fiction. I`m currently re-reading "escape", the story of an american woman who was born in Salt Lake City, and married into a polyogomous marriage. She became very unhappy, and after years managed to escape. What a brave lady.
Or there`s always Dan Brown if I can concentrate that long.
Down The Lane Forum
A community of people sharing advice and ideas for a simpler lifestyle
What have you been reading recently?
I have just finished, Anything is Possible, by Michelle Dewberry. She won the Apprentice a couple of years ago if anyone remembers. She had a terrible home life as a child, a drunken abusive father who regularly beat her mother and herself, it's a miracle how she ever achieved anything in her life. A very inspiring story.
Ilona
Best children's book I've read in yearsBeing a teacher I have every excuse to read children's books and the best I have read this year is The Book Thief - Marcus Zusak, Leisel is a small German girl in the care of foster parents as unbeknown to her; her parents have been sent to their deaths as 'Kommunists' but Leisel is spared. Cared for by the Hubermann's and befriended by Rudy Steiner she finds a 'grave digger's manual' that she can't yet read and that begins her fascination with books. It is books that Rudy and Leisel steal from the burning embers of Nazi censorship, from the mayor's wife's house and unites her with a Jew called Max, who is hidden in the basement of the Hubermann's house. I'll tell you no more than to read it. It's children's book written for teenagers but that is no reason not to read it.
Trying to live a simpler life.
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Re: Best children's book I've read in years
My Mum has just read this book and loved it so much that she's bought me a copy for part of my Christmas pressie. She wouldn't lend me hers as if I like them I don't give them back 
Lucy x
Just dropping back in. I've had the chance to read:
Elves of Cintra-Terry brooks The Gypsy-Morph-Terry Brooks Book 6 of the d'Alembert series I previously mentioned I've finished Coelura by Anne McCaffrey and I've started The Contortionist's Handbook by an author I can't remember. The last book is really quite interesting. It's about a longterm drug user (and identity switcher) who is constantly changing the details of his life to keep from being put under the care of the State for his destructive behaviour. The book begins with him overdosing and being sent for a psych consult to determine if he over dosed as an attempt to kill himself. You get to watch as nothing but lies come from his mouth as he twists and turns to convince the psychiatrist that it was all just an accident. With every lie he tells you peel back another layer of his personality and you get to know the twistedness that is him. It also gives an interesting perspective on the psychiatric community.
Wonder if you booky people could help me out?
Its become a bit of a tradition that I buy my lovely OH a really weepie book for christmas, does any one know a good one - the general rule is you have to start crying about page 20 with no let up to the end - but in emergencies I have bought one that saves it all for the last few pages 
We've got The Notebook, that, I think is the standard (Although not fussed on anything else by the same author) and last year he got the Mitch Albom 5 people you meet in heaven and Tuesdays with Morrie. We also found Memoirs of a Geisha a bit of a tearjerker (but that might just be us! )
Grateful for any ideas! Amanda x Its an oldie but there is Love Story - it was made into a film in the early 1970s with Ryan O'Neal and Ali McGraw. I found a review on Amazon that said -
Review 'A lump forms in the throat and starts growing until it feels like a football coming up sideways. You either fight it or let it out' -- New York Times That sounds about right!
I think we need more information. What KIND of a tearjerker are you looking for?
For example, I have the Notebook and it was okay. But some of his other stuff is much more poignant and touching. In descending order: 1. A Walk to Remember (the only book I've ever cried while reading besides when I finished reading the Mallorean for the first time and new that there was going to be no more Garion for me to read about. But that's a different kind of sad.) 2. Dear John (really powerful) 3. The Wedding (surprising and excellent for husbands) If you have to get away from Nicholas Sparks then I would suggest A Thousand Spendid Suns by Khaled Housseini. I personally haven't read it yet. It's sitting on my shelf waiting for me. But it has come highly recommended as a tearjerker written by the same guy who wrote The Kite Runner. If you give me further information I could probably make a more targetted suggestion.
Just googled Love Story by Erich Segal and it looks pretty spot on! That's the sort of sentimental thing I'm after
I've read both, and loved both but A Thousand Spendid Suns blew me away - I did cry, lots. Not the feel I'm going for with this present though  Hope you get round to it soon and enjoy it.
Not read A Walk to Remember or Dear John so might keep an eye out for them, wasn't really taken by The Wedding. Found Message in a Bottle very dissapointing though... What I definitely don't want is any 'Child called It' true-horrible-story-type books. Its pure escapism, in a soppy sort of way. That probably doesn't explain it very well at all! sorry! 
Thanks for your advice so far
Okay... I'm not quite understanding your description but my translation would be:
a book that isn't predictable while still being romantically capable of tweaking the strings of your heart. Do you want to avoid all semblance of realism? Just curious. I'm glad you enjoyed Suns. I grabbed it because it was cheap and someone had recommended it. I'd tried Kite Runner but found the author's writing to not yet be mature. With Suns, I'd hoped that he'd taken on new weight as a writer. Message isn't that big a deal. The Wedding you'll note, I said was good for husbands. It's not a tearjerker per se. It's just a good instruction book of how to quit being a loser. The other two are really good. I'm not certain if they're what you want. Love Story might be what you're looking for. I guess we'll find out. |
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