Tuesday, January 24, 2012

What's On Your Nightstand?


I'm joining up with 5 Minutes for Books
here's what Jennifer says:
 Each month on the 4th Tuesday we give you the opportunity to reflect on what you’ve read and/or tell us what you want to read.

Its been a while since I participated. Somehow the date always slips by me. My Book Club meets once a month to discuss a certain book. January is our planning meeting when we choose the books for the year. I'd like to share some of those with you here and also review a book I recently read.



The Descendants
(now a movie)
Amazon's description:
Fortunes have changed for the King family, descendants of Hawaiian royalty and one of the state’s largest landowners. Matthew King’s daughters—Scottie, a feisty ten-year-old, and Alex, a seventeen-year-old recovering drug addict—are out of control, and their charismatic, thrill-seeking mother, Joanie, lies in a coma after a boat-racing accident. She will soon be taken off life support. As Matt gathers his wife’s friends and family to say their final goodbyes, a difficult situation is made worse by the sudden discovery that there’s one person who hasn’t been told: the man with whom Joanie had been having an affair. Forced to examine what they owe not only to the living but to the dead, Matt, Scottie, and Alex take to the road to find Joanie’s lover, on a memorable journey that leads to unforeseen humor, growth, and profound revelations.
This is our February selection which I read in about 2 days....There is very little Hawaiian history in the book. It is mostly about an absentee father having to pay attention to his daughters for the first time when their mother ends up in a coma after her accident. I found the book extremely depressing. The children are undisciplined and disrespectful to their Father. He is clueless. I certainly do not recommend this book. And I won't be seeing the movie.
Amazon says:
The Brighton to London line. The 7:44 am train. Cars packed with commuters. One woman occupies her time observing the people around her. Opposite, a girl puts on her make-up. Across the aisle, a husband strokes his wife’s hand. Further along, another woman flicks through a glossy magazine. Then, abruptly, everything changes: a man collapses, the train is stopped, and an ambulance is called.
The story is about how each of these people's lives are changed by this one moment in time.
This book is our selection for March. 

My daughter and I have read all of Elizabeth Berg's books 
and enjoyed most of them.
Once Upon a Time, There was You
is the story of a divorced couple who are brought
back together  when tragedy strikes their only child...
Can they discover what brought them together 
in the first place?
Elizabeth Berg shared this quote by
Marie Von Ebner-Eschenbach  “An interesting book is food that makes us hungry.”

I have felt that about certain books when I reached the end and wished there were more.

Please take the time to visit 5 Minutes for Books 
to get some great recommendations of
books others have read or maybe
just to get the name of one you
might want to know more about.

10 comments:

  1. Thanks for recommending that we don't read or see "The Descendants." I like hearing what NOT to read as much as hearing what to read. I don't like spending time on depressing stuff.

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  2. I think I'd feel the same as you about the first one. The second one sounds really good. I copied that quote -- I have a file going with quotes about books and reading. That one is very true.

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  3. Have you read The Help? I feel it is even better than the movie which I saw first. It was a long read for me because of the language. I had to really concentrate and by end of story had caught on to words spelled different and what they were expressing. I am so busy trying to get 300 neck scarves crocheted before next fall that I don't read much at this time. Also bought a new TV -- hadn't had one for three years -- and it is easy to sit and watch TV while crocheting. One day, I will read again when I have finished this challenge.

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  4. I didn't realize "The Descendents" was a book first. Interesting. I haven't read any of the ones you recommend, but "One Moment, One Morning" sounds intriguing. I read another review and thought that too. I'm going to look for it.
    Thanks for participating!

    elizabeth
    5 Minutes for Books

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  5. I am a big Berg fan as well, and the Rayner books sounds intriguing as well. I would love to be in a book club (other than online book blogging, which I enjoy too!).

    Trish
    5 Minutes for Books

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  6. Thanks for stopping by my blog-and thanks for the reviews here. I was wondering about "The Descendents" book.

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  7. The Descendants does sound depressing. I wonder why they decided to make a movie out of it.

    I hope the books chosen for your book club are better than that one!

    Happy reading!

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  8. Here I was all ready to like The Descendants, since we went to Hawaii last summer. But from the description, it sounds like a bit of a downer. The others you reviewed sound more uplifting!

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  9. I always enjoy hearing someone else's opinions on books/movies. I don't think I'd want to see The Descendants movie either unless they really loosely based it on the book!! lol If they did follow the book to a T, then why would anyone want to go watch a depressing movie is beyond me. I'm glad that you're enjoying your book club:-) xoxo

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