Now Reading

[pillowy star]

 

 

 

 

Book Description from Amazon.com:

For more than two years, one book has taken over Germany's hardcover and paperback bestseller lists, reaching number one in Der Spiegel and setting off a frenzy in bookstores: The Swarm. Whales begin sinking ships. Toxic, eyeless crabs poison Long Island's water supply. The North Sea shelf collapses, killing thousands in Europe. Around the world, countries are beginning to feel the effects of the ocean's revenge as the seas and their inhabi-tants begin a violent revolution against mankind. In this riveting novel, full of twists, turns, and cliffhangers, a team of scientists discovers a strange, intelligent life force called the Yrr that takes form in marine animals, using them to wreak havoc on humanity for our ecological abuses. Soon a struggle between good and evil is in full swing, with both human and suboceanic forces battling for control of the waters. At stake is the survival of the Earth's fragile ecology -- and ultimately, the survival of the human race itself.

 

The apocalyptic catastrophes of The Day After Tomorrow meet the watery menace of The Abyss in this gripping, scientifically realistic, and utterly imaginative thriller. With 1.5 million copies sold in Germany -- where it has been on the bestseller list without fail since its debut -- and the author's skillfully executed blend of compelling story, vivid characters, and eerie locales, Frank Schatzing's The Swarm will keep you in tense anticipation until the last suspenseful page is turned.

 

I hesitated to start this book, as I usually have my problems with books that voluminous - but I am glad I listened to everyone who recommended it to me. It is awesome. Thrilling, innovative, frightening.

[kidsmoke]

That sounds like a great, involving read, Dunja! I shall look into it!

[Reni]

 

I know I mentioned this before - but I started it yesterday. It is crazy!! On the train I was either giggling or picking my chin up off the floor. A friend and I are having a mini long distance book club - this is our first pick.

[kimcatch22]

Kate, that reminds me of the Christian store I walk by every day on the way to work!! You know, the one with all those t-shirts that rip off pop culture logos and stuff. I remember seeing a lot of kids wearing them in Jesus Camp.

[Hodie]

This is further derailment of the lovely Now Reading thread, but this photo just started circulating yesterday, and it fits -- it's for real, from a car on the red line of washington dc's metro, and that's what I call good grafitti...

[dagwave]

I can't put this one down.

 

[yermom]

I have that! It's good "bathroom reading."

[poppydawn]

"Everyone Poops" is good, but it's completely blown away by the sequel.

 

 

It's a much more nuanced story, with a riper plot.

[austrya]

 

One of these days I'll have my own bee hive in the yard.

 

Ever since we had the swarm on our patio chair, I've been fascinated with bees. Plus, honey is just soooo good.

 

Here's a video of it:

 

[M. (hristine]

It's a much more nuanced story, with a riper plot.

 

NR:

 

 

Rick Bass comes as close to my experience of the solitude and the natural world as any writer I've read. I have tears of recognition each time I read it.

 

Thanks for the turn on, carlos.

[the carlos]

NR:

 

 

Rick Bass comes as close to my experience of the solitude and the natural world as any writer I've read. I have tears of recognition each time I read it.

 

Thanks for the turn on, carlos.

I'm really happy you have found something similar in his writing. He conveys the seriousness of the natural world(both in it's struggle to exist on it's own let alone what we throw in it's path) and the playfulness of it's residents(animals, fish, trees, creeks, US!) at the same time. I'm reading his book, Colter: The True Story of the Best Dog I Ever Had right now. so good. so good.

[kidsmoke]

I'm such a sucker for books about life with dogs....."Marley & Me", "A Good Dog", etc. But I always wind up crying my eyes out and getting a headache when the dog dies!

[poppydawn]

But I always wind up crying my eyes out and getting a headache when the dog dies!

 

...because they always die! "Marley and Me" literally gave me panic attacks in the last chapters. I couldn't finish it.

[kidsmoke]

...because they always die! "Marley and Me" literally gave me panic attacks in the last chapters. I couldn't finish it.

 

So, in your world, Marley lives on forever! Niiice.

 

Though a really good cry can be therapeutic.

[anthony]

[VenusStopsTrain2]

 

What are his books like?

[anthony]

What are his books like?

This my first - and only 50 pages in or so. So far, I am really enjoying the writing style. Verbose, yet sly-ly humorous. Rich character development without being to obvious.

 

So far, so good.

[Azzurri]

I'm such a sucker for books about life with dogs....."Marley & Me", "A Good Dog", etc. But I always wind up crying my eyes out and getting a headache when the dog dies!

 

you might like this one then:

 

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Story...61374227/?itm=1

 

 

i've heard really good things about it

[poppydawn]

So, in your world, Marley lives on forever! Niiice.

 

In my world animals never die.

 

 

I love this book.

[kidsmoke]

you might like this one then:

 

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Story...61374227/?itm=1

 

 

i've heard really good things about it

 

Wow, that looks incredible! Thanks for the recommendation, I'm going to read that.

 

I also have to try "The Corrections" again.....I read a little of that years ago when it was new, when my local library was putting a chapter at a time online as a library promotion. Then they moved on to a new book and everybody on earth was checking out "The Corrections" so I never managed to lay my hands on it. Time to revisit that one!

[lost highway]

[jimmyjimmy]

On This:

 

 

I loved this book and love Larry Brown's writing.

Just finished it. There's an incident on page 303, I think, were you are simultaneously shocked with horror and overcome with amusement.

Brilliant stuff.

 

 

NR:

The book on the Boston Molasses flood of 1919

[the carlos]

Larry Brown is the awesome.

[myboyblue]

I also have to try "The Corrections" again.....I read a little of that years ago when it was new, when my local library was putting a chapter at a time online as a library promotion. Then they moved on to a new book and everybody on earth was checking out "The Corrections" so I never managed to lay my hands on it. Time to revisit that one!

 

Yea, thanks Oprah! The Corrections is a great book.

 

Now Reading: George Pelcanos - Hard Revolution

[Mrs. Peel]

Still on the Chronicles Of Narnia. Just finished Book 4:

 

 

Now on to book 5:

 

 

 

I was surprised to learn that the newer editions of the Narnia box set have the books in a different order than they are in my older set. I'm reading them in the order they were originally released, which is also the way the movies will be released. But in the new sets the 6th book comes first, with the 1st moving to 2nd. A couple others are out of order as well. They have reordered them to go chronologically, which doesn't really work because there are references to things you are supposed to learn at a later time that you will have already read about if you break the original order. If that makes any sense.