A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Hobbies, Crafts and Creativity Avid Readers #2

Have any of you ever read Susan Howatch? When I was young I really enjoyed her book Penmarric. Then of course I had to read the entire later series... Mystical Paths, Absolute Truths, Scandalous Risks, Ultimate Prizes, Glittering Images, Glamorous Powers....

I still like to re-read those every now and then.


Merme

Maxi enjoys reading a series of book all about Star Wars. The stories concern all the familiar characters during times not covered in the movies, such as their childhood. LOTS of details you wouldn't know otherwise. Each book is about 200 pages, so they are the perfect size. They are well written enough most of the time that I enjoy reading them aloud to him also.

But once in a while when I do find something that is off a bit, I can point it out to him and talk about it, helping him become a better writer himself. The other day we came across a sentence "He came across the room and hugged him." I explained that it isn't really a good idea to use two pronouns in the same sentence because then the reader can't know which person went across the room and gave the hug.

Reading aloud inspires a vast assortment of conversations!

Merme

I just can't bring myself to re-read a book. I like to get used books cheap, read them, then I donate to the library. Or, I'll check out books from the library.

I haven't read a book in ages, DD is an avid reader though. It seems just when I get interested in it, I have to do something then the book just sits and I ever get back into it.

Most books I can not read again, either. But there have been certain books I've met in my lifetime that have been so beloved, they are well worth the re-read. How Green Was My Valley was one of those.



Tam girl, you need to set aside time for just you. Perhaps next fall once she is safely away at college, you will have some extra time to dedicate to luxuriating in a worthwhile book.


Merme

How true, I remember those 'Little House on the Prairie' books as a child, they got re-read hundreds of times. I still look for a set when I go to yard sales.

well written and WHOLESOME along with some history of the culture of our past. I love reading those to the kids.

I loved the Little House books when I was young and so does Maxi. We plan to get the other series written much later about Laura's mother and grandmother.

Merme

OFFICIAL NOTICE!


Merme is now Cricket's Mommy!


Rules for having Merme as Mommy:


1) Each day you must have some fun and at least a little adventure.

2) You never have to eat lima beans if you hate them really bad.

3) You get one fake bad dream coupon a month and can use it to con me into staying up late and telling stories or reading aloud.

4) Be prepared for anything because Merme/Mommy likes to invent happy surprises.




Merme

aaawwwwww.....I've only been a part of this forum for a few months and already feel like family!
Who wants to be my sister, brother, cousin...????...(just no inlaws, please!)!!!!
I'll even eat the lima beans, but please do not force me to eat spinach that has been cooked to mush!

have you read Summer of the Monkeys to maxi, merme? I believe he is a bit older than my son, buy not by much. It is written by the same author that wrote Where the Red Fern Grows. my kids (and me) especially loved that book!

No, I haven't read The Summer of The Monkeys to Maxi. I will ask him about it for he may know of it. Maxi is 12. We enjoyed Where The Red Fern Grows.

I'm with ya 100% on spinach cooked to mush!

Merme

Is Summer Of The Monkeys about the boy who is trying to earn money to buy a horse and ends up capturing escaped monkeys from a circus train for the reward?

When I asked Maxi if he ever heard of that title, he said "Yes, Mommy, we have the movie! We just watched it last week!" THEN I remembered that DVD. So now I'm wondering if it is the same story.


Merme

Don't tell Mark I said this, but I read Tuesdays with Morrie to him. He didn't want me to at first but he got into it after a few chapters. I knew he wouldn't read it himself and it was such a touching story and moved me, and I wanted him to hear it.

I just finished reading a book that my Nana sent me.....Joan Jonker, Many a Tear Has To Fall.

Very touching story about a family in Liverpool. It's always so neat because it's full of English words that I know....and English expressions. They always take place in Liverpool because that's where she grew up.

My Nana loves to read like I do, and she always sends me the best books out of her collection.

Sounds like something I'd do.
yes, it is the same story. of course the book is better. we were dissapointed in the movie. it didn't touch the heart of the story at all. but, it did give us an opportunity to compare and contrast the things that were different.

I just started reading Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, to my kids. I had to MAKE them sit and listen to the first chapter, but now they are hooked.

Cricket ~ that is how we felt about the book and movie Christie. The book was marvelous, the movie was trite. I am going to read Maxi the book this summer.

Merme

Nevil Shute, the Australian author, published On The Beach in 1957, the year after I was born. A couple of years later they made a movie of it starring Gregory Peck and Ava Garner. I remember reading the book for the first time when I was in high school. It was a very poignant, memorable account of a post-apocolypse world at the end of WWIII, set in 1964.

Yesterday the original movie (I thnk there was a remake in 2000) was on TV without commerical interuption and I thought Maxi would enjoy it. Although there are hole in the plot line, Shute's characters are worth getting to know and very dear as they are in all his work.

First Maxi noted that the film was in black & white and wanted to know how to tell what color the actors are? I explained we were seeing white people on the screen just then. He said "so where are the black actors?" I explained the film was made in 1959 and there probably weren't any. He got annoyed. Then when he figured out the end was total annihilation of mankind, he called it a "stupid movie" and refused to watch it!

Surprisingly, he wasn't interested at all in the character study of people facing doom. He would have watched it happily if at least one person survived ... um, maybe by rocketing to Mars or someplace. We've watched so many films of this genre, I was startled by his reaction to this one.

Still, I think it is a very good "read" and also an excellent film.


Merme

Maybe it was because he couldn't identify with it very well? no black actors among other things that weren't in the movie because of the year it was made? If there were too many distracting elements like that in the story (for him) I can see where he would have a hard time buying into any of it.
Kudos in even getting him to watch a black and white movie! I've tried to get my kids to watch some of the classics that are in black and white and they just can't get interested in them.

Some of those book titles sound very familiar. I'll have to hunt up some info about them and refresh my memory.

my cousin is a 5th grade teacher (specializes in reading and history) and gave me some sugguestions for books that are good 'read aloud' books she might think I'd like to read to the kids this summer. anyone heard of these? The Giver, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, the Invention of Hugo Cabret, The Page Master. (she couldn't remember the authors off hand)

I haven't heard of any of them, Cricket, but thanks for the list! Maxi might be interested.


Merme

Today Maxi and I were researching true adventure stories that might interest a boy of his age. I immediately thought of "Annapurna" by Herzog and "Kon Tiki" by Heyderhal (spelling?) because I read both when I was young and was enthralled.

Anyone have any other ideas?


Merme

If you like horror/suspense/psychological thriller type books I just read Shadowman by Cody McFayden and loved it! Kept me in suspense on who the bad guy was until almost the end of the book.

Loz, have you read the Twilight series at all? If not, I highly recommend them to you.

I read mysteries--fiction--and if it is a good mystery I can re-read again & again.---I espoecially not being wble to decipher who the villian is.--if I can it is not a good book to me.

Carol Jean ~ do you like Agatha Christie?


Cheryl ~ We can't do "spooky and scary" in our house because it really bothers Maxi. But every once in a while I don't mind it for myself.


Merme