Suggested Topics [ Edited ]

[Amanda_R]

If you know of an author, book, or currently hot subject that you think should be the subject of a thread of its own, let us know by posting a reply here!

Amanda

Message Edited by Amanda_R on 06-06-2007 11:58 AM

[anneparker]

Lisa Lutz's book The Spellman Files was great! Her gift for comic pacing is perfect and the outrageous Spellman family is a hoot. It was nominally a mystery, but there was just so much more besides.

[Nelsmom]

Amanda,

I just got Chris Stewarts new book The Second Sun. It is the third book in The Great and Terrible series. They are thrillers and I really enjoyed the first two books: Prologue: The Brothers and When Angels Fall. both were excellent and I'm sure that this third one will be two.

Toni

[caroline88]

http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/bn/blog/article?blog.id=TipsTricks&message.id=126#M126

Oprah selected Sidney Poitier's memoir, The Measure of a Man, as her latest Book Club pick. (....)

Though many have voted their interest in this book on the Book Club Blog, we are still waiting for the discussion of it.

[Redcatlady]

I've been lobbying since forever for Shan Sa's Empress, about the only female Emperor of China. I'd also like for you to invite Lisa See back to discuss her latest book, about to be released this month.

Melissa/Redcatlady

[hicetnunc]

Greetings...

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Wonderful read...author is an exceptional storyteller, you will find yourself fully engrossed in the plot..walking the streets of Barcelona Spain....good read.
Anyone with deep respect and appreciation for the marvel of books and the stories they tell...will apreciate this novel.

btw..I believe this to be the author's first novel translated into English and the translation is outstanding!

T

[Gin]

I just finished a number of books I think would be great for discussion.
Suite Francaise was "incoyable." It is by Irene Nemirovsky. It takes place in during WWII at the beginning of the French occupation. Well-written and terribly sad for the fact that the author did not live to complete the suite of novellas, nor survive the war itself. I guess that's what I kept thinking about the entire time--that this was a "real-time" fictional account of the war that has just been published for the first time.

Along similar lines, I LOVED reading East Wind, Rain by Caroline Paul. It is also a fictionalized account of a WWII event--a Japanese bomber crashes onto a sparsely populated Hawaiian island on the day of the Pearl Harbor bombing. But the really cool catch is that the people on the island are very isolated and don't know about the war, don't understand the surviving pilot is "the enemy." It is a great adventure story and I bet would actually make a really great movie--it reads like a movie because the writer is so good at describing the place, the people, the action.

Like pretty much the entire planet, I loved (well, and hated) reading The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. It was a heartbreaking story of a young girl growing up with mentally ill, addicted parents. It was hard to put down, and at the same time, quite sickening to see how easily a young child can overlook abuse from those she loves. I guess the human need for connection with those we love can transcend our need for basic comfort.

Each of these books would be really good to discuss because there is so much material to talk about, and there are so many ways to view them. I'd be so interested in hearing what other readers take from these authors, what messages these stories offer others. Both Jeanette Walls and Caroline Paul would be interesting to communicate with, if they would want to be involved in a book discussion.

[flyjo9]

This book was one of those offered in the old B&N University and was such a wonderful read and discussion. A very rich reading experience! Joan

[flyjo9]

---

flyjo9 wrote:
This book was one of those offered in the old B&N University and was such a wonderful read and discussion. A very rich reading experience! Joan

---

Sorry, I waas referring to Shadow of the Windin mypost. Notused to this system. Joan

[Nelsmom]

I would like to see a discussion on one of Clive Cussler's books. They seem to have both some myster/thriller but he also includes a lot of history. Another seies could be Tom Clancey's Net Force novels.

Toni

[Laurel]

Does anyone know anything about the new Tolkien book that is scheduled for release on April 17?

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780618894642&itm=1

[Paul_Hochman]

---

Laurel wrote:
Does anyone know anything about the new Tolkien book that is scheduled for release on April 17?

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780618894642&itm=1

---

It should be prove to be the sci-fi/fantasy release of the year, Laurel. The first original Tolkien work since The Silmarillion! Here's some more information:

"The Children of Húrin, begun in 1918, was one of three ‘Great Tales’ J.R.R. Tolkien worked on throughout his life, though he never realised his ambition to see it published in his lifetime. Some of the text will be familiar to fans from extracts and references within other Tolkien books but this is the first time the entire story has been presented in its complete form.

As Adam Tolkien elaborated in a recent interview: ‘This is a more difficult question than it seems: As you know, versions and pieces of the story of Húrin and his descendants have been published in various works (The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, The Book of Lost Tales, The Lays of Beleriand, etc). The text of The Children of Húrin is in part compiled from these extant texts, and particularly that which appears in Unfinished Tales.

‘But it is a new reworking of the complete story. Many parts of the text will be – if not identical – recognizable to the knowledgeable reader, but there are also pieces that have never appeared before. Also the format of the text, as a standalone and complete text with no editorial commentary to interrupt the tale, should in itself and in my opinion considerably transform the reading experience.

‘The text as a whole can be said to be “new” as it is a recomposition of published texts and other “pieces” that weren’t published previously. The completed puzzle, in a sense.’"

[Arterry]

I recently read Lynn Hoffman's Bang BANG. May I give the ISBN? What a terrific writer, and the topic, handgun control, is SO in need of a national dialogue. In the story, Paula Sherman, a plump waitress with a great singing voice is a witness as her best friend is gunned down by a robber. When inadvertent statements she makes are picked up by gun advocates and twisted to aid their campaign, Paula decides to get even. The weapon of choice? A pellet pistol and a pair of Rollerblades. Paula goes after those neat little windshield stickers the United Gun Association (read NRA)gives to members. As she rollerblades her way to a new svelte self, Paula's cause is taken up in other cities and soon, the UGA is on the run.
I'd love to see a thread opened on the subject. Lynn Hoffman is a seasoned author, former restaurant critic for a Philadelphia newspaper, and an expert on wines and beer.
ps - the reaction has already begun. I noticed WalMart does not offer Bang BANG for sale on-line. This can only be because in the book, a group of enraged nuns invade a WalMart gun department and trash all the handguns.

[lady_hockey]

How current of a book does it have to be? I would love to open a discussion on Jasper Ffordes's The Eyre Affair (one of the best books ever written), but it's a few years old. How does this message board stand on that?

Message Edited by lady_hockey on 04-14-200705:29 PM

Message Edited by lady_hockey on 04-14-200705:29 PM

[70x7book]

EXP Magazine just called Salvatore Sapienza's new novel, SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN (Harrington Park Press): "Recommended Reading for Gay Persons of Faith"

The novel has already received glowing reviews by DAN SAVAGE, "Windy City Times," FELICE PICANO, "Bay Area Reporter," and IN L.A. Magazine.

See more reviews at www.70x7book.com

or buy from B&N:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&;isbn=1560235993&itm=2

[Nelsmom]

How about starting a group that takes new authors that have just had their first or second book come out or authors that seem to sell well but still stay in the background. I mean authors like Margret Coel, Shirley Rosseu Murphy, William Frosthye, Piers Anthony, and Orson Scott Card are just a few I can think of right now.
Toni

[cherylktardif]

Whale Song by Cheryl Kaye Tardif has a controversial assisted suicide theme, and with the imminent parole of 'Dr. Death' Jack Kevorkian (June 2007), it is timely and a great topic for book clubs.

Could you 'pull the plug' or assist in someone's death if they were dying and in pain? Would you?

Whale Song is already an Amazon.ca bestseller (and hopefully soon an B&N bestseller!) and has numerous Hollywood film companies interested.

[cherylktardif]

The Game by Derek Armstrong is a tongue-in-cheek thriller that explores our love for/addiction to reality TV shows. But in his novel, someone is killing off the people involved. This would be a great topic for discussion too. Do we take reality TV too far? How hooked are we? I've read this novel and I give it 5/5 stars!

[Arterry]

I think the new author idea is wonderful, Toni. It's SO hard for new authors to gain name recognition. Every little bit of exposure helps.

Have you heard of Kunati Inc, the Toronto publisher? They seek and publish new authors. This spring, they published eight titles. Of them, six were debut authors.

As one of the fortunate six, I had an opportunity to read advance copies and have posted reviews to the B&N online pages and elsewhere. Those interested can go to www.kunati.com for a closer look, but maybe a brief mention of the debut titles is appropriate.

T K Kenyon's "Rabid" is highly controversial (collected a starred review from Booklist). Kenyon takes on pedophilia in the Catholic Church, and out-of-control scientific research in her scorching hot novel.

In "Toonamint of Champions" golf humorist Todd Sentell goes after the Augusta National, home of the "Masters", and believe me by the time he gets done the place is a smoking ruin. I laughed myself silly.

For those of us who're carrying around a few years, Ric Wasley sets his "Shadow of Innocence" in Newport, RI, during the 1968 Jazz Festival.

Derek Armstrong satirizes Reality TV in "The Game", a TV show where the contestants are locked up in an eerie old mansion and the last person standing, wins - until a killer starts slicing up people right and left and it's not in the script.

In "Mothering Mother" an intelligent and touching memoir, Carol O'Dell unleashes a formidible eye for detail and a wonderful sense of humor.

I'm not here to self-promote, so I'll only mention my title in hopes someone will be interested enough to have a peek.

My book is "The Secret Ever Keeps", also from Kunati.

[chrisiyer]

I just finished reading "Rabid" by TK Kenyon. Absolutely an awesome read. The cover art and the reviews drew me into ordering the book. Finished it in a couple of days despite my tight schedule as I couldn't put it down. Terrific pace..Here is the info:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=rabid+kenyon&z=y&cds2Pid=9481