[stylist] What are you Reading Right Now?

Fri Oct 14 18:21:24 UTC 2016

I keep a running list of books that I read. Barred says I have read or at leased downloaded 250 books since January 2016 and it may be close to 300 now. I don't know if I read all of them. Sometimes I start something and then say no I can't finish that just because of the subject matter or the way it is written or who knows. I read the girl on the train. I could not put that one down. I have a subscription to TuneIn Radio and one of the things they have is access to audiobooks. I usually read the Bard  I have not  books on Kindle but I am sure I will do that actually. Along with fiction I enjoyed reading memoirs and biographies.

Shelley, Queen of Bells out!
See Trespasser my first published novel, 2015
Http://www.lulu.com/queenofbells712

> On Oct 14, 2016, at 8:48 AM, Jackie Williams via stylist <stylist at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Bridgit,
> A wonderful list to keep and work on. But for a lifetime, perhaps not two
> months.
> When do you sleep?
> 
> Jackie Lee
> 
> Time is the school in which we learn.
> Time is the fire in which we burn.
> Delmore Schwartz     
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bridgit
> Kuenning-Pollpeter via stylist
> Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 11:12 AM
> To: 'Writers' Division Mailing List'
> Cc: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Subject: Re: [stylist] What are you Reading Right Now?
> 
> This is what I have read in the last 2 months. Each is either available on
> Kindle or BARD:
> 
> Miracles from Heaven: A Little Girl, Her Journey to Heaven, and Her Amazing
> Story of Healing by Christy Wilson Beam
> *Memoir: A mother shares the amazing journey of a fatal condition her
> daughter was diagnosed with, and the miraculous healing. Details the family
> dynamic, and how the illness affected everyone. After falling 30 feet down a
> rotted tree, the daughter's condition no longer existed.
> I'm not a Christian, but I was fascinated by this story. It was recently
> made into a movie, which I have since watched as well. Whether you believe
> in any of this or not, you have to admit that something miraculous happened
> to this little girl. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of writing.
> I expected a basic re-telling of events, but this has a narrative and
> employs craft. It was a good read.
> 
> Disabled, Female and Proud: Stories of Ten Women with Disabilities  by
> Harilyn Rousso and Susan O'Malley
> *Collection of Personal essays: Several women write about their experiences
> as disabled females. Two of the essays are by blind women. This book is
> outdated as it was written in the late 80s. One of the blind stories is
> great, in line with Federation ideals, but the other blind story was more
> stereotypical to me. Regardless, it was a good read, not great, but good,
> and I would recommend it.
> 
> The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
> *Fiction: A must read. Read before watching movie just released. An
> alcoholic woman rides the train everyday into London. She passes a
> neighborhood with a couple she fantasizes about, creating a friendship with
> them in her head. After a murder, the main character, Rachel, is a suspect,
> but she has no memories of the night in question because she blacked out.
> Must, must, must read! I could not put down. Chalk full of deliciousness!
> Twists and turns, you won't believe.
> 
> A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin
> *Fiction/semi-autobiographical: Redound writer posthumously published a
> collection of short stories. They are based or loosely based on her real
> life. Beautifully written. Feels like you're reading a portrait of words. I
> highly recommend.
> 
> Thunderdog: The True Story of a Blind Man, his Guide Dog and the Triumph of
> Trust at Ground Zero by Michael Hingson and Susy Flory
> *Memoir: Hingson recounts his experience evacuating the Twin Towers the day
> of the 911 attacks. Describes how he and his guide dog worked together to
> make it out safely.
> A terrifying account of the events that transpired that day. Well-written
> and worth the read.
> 
> Waist-high in the World: A Light Among the Disabled by Nancy Mairs
> *Memoir: Disabled writer addresses being disabled, describing her
> experiences. Mairs's was diagnosed with MS in her late 20s. Her condition
> progressively got worse. Her attitude and philosophy towards disability is
> very much akin to the Federation's. She has been recognized for her work
> towards creating a better concept towards disability in addition to her
> writing.
> A fantastic read that I highly recommend.
> 
> The Danish Girl by David Ebershoff
> *Fictionalized account of a diary: Tells the story of Lily, the one of the
> earliest transgender people. Lily was a real person, but this book is a
> fictionalized rendering of her transition.
> This is a beautiful story about Lily and her journey through transition.
> It's also heartbreaking. An academy award nominated film was made about this
> book and is equally fantastic.
> 
> Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget by Sarah Hepola
> *Memoir: Hepola shares her journey through alcoholism and recovery. Details
> her life-long struggle with drinking, beginning at the age of 8 or 9.
> Well-written and will hook you from the beginning.
> I initially didn't think I would like this book, assuming it was another
> run-of-the-mill confessional narratives so popular these days. But from the
> first sentence, I realized this was a master of language. She crafts this
> book so well. Her language and description are unique and what move this
> story along. I highly recommend this book.
> 
> The Revenant by Michael Punke
> *Fictionalized account of real person: A man is viciously attacked by a bear
> and left to die. He survives and wants revenge on the men who left him to
> die in the wilderness.
> This takes place in the 1800s. I watched the film before reading the book.
> The film is beautifully tailored and well-done. I was excited to read the
> book but found it to be a bit of a let-down. It doesn't have much of a
> narrative thread, reading more like a history book. And I actually love to
> read history books, but when I open up something intended to be fiction, I
> expect more to it. This book was just a little lacking for me. Anyone into
> the early 1800s wilderness stories may enjoy this, but I give it a 2 out of
> 5 stars.
> 
> Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse
> *YA historical fiction: Story about a young girl living in Holland during
> the Nazi occupation. She attempts to solve a mystery while avoiding the Nazi
> forces.
> I really enjoyed this and found it hard to put down.
> 
> Yes Please by Amy Polar
> *Memoir: SNL and Parks and Rec actor shares her experiences in the
> entertainment industry along with her life.
> A fantastic read. So funny, I laughed out loud a lot of the time. Highly
> recommend.
> 
> 'Tis Herself by Maureen O'Hara
> *Autobiography: Actress Maureen O'Hara shares her life story. Begins with
> her early days in Ireland and her eventual move into the movies.
> This was a great read. It was funny, heartfelt and interesting. A look into
> the life of an icon in the film industry. And she's still alive! I love to
> read entertainer bios, and this is one of my favorites.
> 
> Room by Emma Donoghue
> *Fiction: A young boy tells his version of how he and his mother live in a
> room and their eventual escape. Through the boy's eyes, you realize his
> mother is a sex-slave and has been held captive for years.
> This book is gripping. The author accomplishes to tell the entire story
> through Jack's perspective, who is only 5, which is quite  a feat,
> especially given the subject matter. I highly recommend this book and the
> film.
> 
> Nevermind by Edward St. Aubyn
> *Fiction/semi-autobiographical: Man shares family stories through his
> younger self. His family is highly dysfunctional.
> This is a part of a bigger collection of novellas called the Patrick Melrose
> novels. They are fictionalized accounts of real people and events. I found
> myself tuning in-and-out a bit at times while reading this. It was good and
> juicy, but it just didn't capture my attention as much as I thought it
> would. Worth checking out though.
> 
> Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women by Harriet Reisen
> *Biography: Tells the life story of Louisa May Alcott, author of Little
> Women.
> I have loved LM Alcott since I was a little girl. This bio is intriguing and
> full of little-known stories about Louisa and her family. I had read bios on
> Alcott before, but this one is really interesting. Recommend to any Alcott
> fans.
> 
> A Wolf at the Door and other Retold Fairytales edited by Ellen Datlow and
> Terri Windling
> *Fiction: Several notable authors re-tell various fairytales.
> Most the stories in this collection didn't have enough of a narrative thread
> to keep my attention. But as a lover of fairytales, I enjoyed it
> nonetheless. If you like fairytales, and fractured fairytales, check this
> anthology out.
> 
> Bridgit
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Vejas via
> stylist
> Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2016 9:56 AM
> To: Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter via stylist <stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Vejas <alpineimagination at gmail.com>
> Subject: [stylist] What are you Reading Right Now?
> 
> Hi,
> We used to talk about books all the time, but not anymore. I thought I would
> start this thread.
> The book I'm reading is called Smack by Melvin Burgess. It's about 2 English
> teenagers in the 1980's, boyfriend and girlfriend, who run away from their
> messed up families, then have their lives changed because of a new drug.
> How about everyone else?
> Vejas 
> _______________________________________________
> Writers Division web site
> http://writers.nfb.org/
> stylist mailing list
> stylist at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> stylist:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/bkpollpeter%40gmail.com
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Writers Division web site
> http://writers.nfb.org/
> stylist mailing list
> stylist at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> stylist:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/jackieleepoet%40cox.net
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Writers Division web site
> http://writers.nfb.org/
> stylist mailing list
> stylist at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for stylist:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/salongi712%40yahoo.com