I just finished The Help by Kathryn Stockett, which I found to be a powerful reminder of southern history. Then I read The Noticer by Andy Andrews, which was a tale that proved to be thought provoking in terms of this question: "What is it about me that other people would change if they could?" You may say, "Who cares? I'm me and that's that." But this book does cause one to pause and think about the manner in which we generally treat people. I just downloaded onto my Nook (which I LOVE): The Writing Circle by Corinne Demas and South of Broad by Pat Conroy. I'm not sure which selection I'll start first, but they both look intriguing. Here's to all of us who love to read!! We can be entertained any place at any time.......

Welcome Mary Anne! I love the name Mary Anne; unfortunately I didn't birth a girl or that would've been her name.

Hi and welcome, Mary Anne!

I just clicked on your link to your website and saw you are hosting a writing cruise. What a lovely concept - wish I had time to join you.

Will there be a sequel to your book "Eyelash" once you return? That book was a fun read.

I don't have a Nook, but I did just buy an iPad and I understand there are reader apps one can install. My mother just bought a Kindle and she is a convert!

I'm reading "The Centurian" by Davis Bunn and Jeanette Oakes. It's very good. Tells the story of Leah and Alban after the crucifixion. They are to find out what happened to Jesus' body. So far I like it a lot. Anyone heard of it?

Wrong title for the book. It's "The Centurian's Wife". Sorry about that.

I am reading "Wit and Wisdom," all quotes from famous people and quite interesting.

I'm reading the "Whiteoaks of Jalna" series lately. It's a series of 16 books about a family living in Canada from the late 1800's to the 1950's, written between about 1923 and the 1950's by Mazo De La Roche. Your public library may have it. I love the series and have been reading the books in the order of events, rather than the order written (because Ms. La Roche kind of started in the middle and then went back and wrote prequels). They're great as historic dramas but also fascinating in the oh-so-real characters with plenty of flaws and quirks and loyalties, etc. Lots of fun.

Carolyn

These books about settlers in Canada I must seek them out.

when I do even more research for my Ancestry project I see how many family members of my forbearers travelled to new lands.Sometimes due to famine or hard times here in Scotland.The potato blight hit Scotland as well as Ireland.In the 1926 depression two Gt Uncles emigrated.One to Canada the other to Australia.

So any book about the new life that people sought is of interest.The Winthorpe woman about the first settlers in America impressed me many years ago.Imagine building a home from scratch and seeking daily necessities in those long ago times.

I'm currently reading "The Secret Garden"; somehow missed it until now!

I also just downloaded "Cleopatra" (Stacy Schiff)and "To the End of the Land" (David Grossman)for reading next. I was watching "Need to Know" on PBS over the weekend and the authors of both these books were on; they both sounded like books I would want to read.

Also, Robert Alter was on the program; have you heard about him? He is writing new translations of the Bible (only Old Testament, I think). I downloaded a sample of The Wisdom Books to see what all the fuss is about. It seems there are a lot of people who think what he is doing is blasphemous (to put it mildly!) and I don't understand that. He is a renowned scholar who is translating from the original Hebrew. I love reading in the original King James version - makes it more like literature - and I want to see what he makes of it.

As well as reading books from the library I listen to audio books in the kitchen.This is while I prepare meals/ bake or wash dishes.I select a variety from a catalogue most last 20 hours...Favourites are Ian Rankin's Rebus books.Rebus is a detective who lives in Edinburgh where he solves crimes.The author is local and I like spotting local references to places I know well.I joke that I feel I have actually been up to the city such is the authors descriptive natative.
Bedtime reading isn't Rebus...the books are too grafic for unwinding before sleep.Its then I favour more peaceful books.