The MR Book Thread

[brywool]

Do you have ANY idea what has been going on in schools from about 4th grade through graduate level education in this country for the last 25~30 years? Total leftist agenda 99% of the time.

Examples please?

I'm not Matt, but sex ed is one of the things I would cite.

Yeah, better to have kids getting other kids pregnant because their parents are too friggin stupid to clue them in. If that's "leftist" then the right needs to either get off the anti-abortion bandwagon, adopt these kids...

or shut the heck up. Seriously. Sex Ed leftist? My God, get a grip people...
It's common sense. Teach the kids what they should and shouldn't be doing.
Left or right, without sex ed, aids would be a lot more rampant than it is. So would teenage pregnancy. Without Sex Ed, we'd be like Africa.

And by the way... I hardly think it was "leftist" that took Evolution (a proven scientific fact) and replaced it with the fairy tale version.

[brywool]

Personally, I find King to be one of those authors who has ridden fame for 30+ years due to a couple of 'decent' efforts...the U2 of writing, if you will...I consider him extremely verbose, and uninteresting....'insomnia' was a misnomer...and IT was disappointing in the fact that the supernatural element was a fucking arachnid...the only saving grace to that whole topic was TIM Curry.'The Dark Half' was sorta cool...but his crowning achievement was 'Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption'...and even being a Red Sox fanatic I found ' The girl who loved Tom Gorden' completely contrived....

Shawshank Redemption- Holy Crap. One of my ALL TIME favorite films and I spaced that it was King. Ugh! Yeah S2M- I find myself reading him all the time, but I would have to agree with you that a lot of what he does is kinda churned out.

[brywool]

Wow! Some people will take any topic and turn it into an anti-religion rant I guess...

I agree there...let's keep it on "pleasent" topic please

Oops, I missed this before replying. Sorry!

[Don]

The Green Mile and Stand By Me brought a nice change of pace from king's usual work.

[brywool]

If this has already been discussed I apologize but I haven't had time to read the whole thread.

Has anybody else read King's Dark Tower series?

How about The Talisman and Black House by King and Peter Straub?

It was on page 1 or 2 I think... I've not yet conjured up the energy to launch into Dark Tower.
I wish I'd done it 11-12 years ago when I was fully into my King phase (read the majority of his stuff in one summer).
Back then there were only 4 DT books, would have been easier to keep up...lol... I don't even know how many there are now.

King favorites of mine:

Insomnia, Rose Madder, The Long Walk (written as Bachman), Pet Sematary, Four Past Midnight (all four novellas are amazing), The Body.

Insomnia has to be my favorite. Read it twice and couldn't put it down either time!

The movies never compare to books, and are usually kind of lame, but seriously, Pet Sematary is THE ONE movie in the world that still scares the shit out of me.

I couldn't get into Pet Semetary. I really didn't care much for a lot of King's earlier work. It was the Dark Tower that got me reading his work. The Dark Tower has seven books: The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Wastelands, Wizard and Glass, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Suzanna and The Dark Tower. Inigma, like Hearts in Atlantis, tie into the Dark Tower story. So do the two by King and Straub.

I like his collections of short stories and novellas better than some of his novels and The Body is one of my favorites. That became the movie Stand By Me. Rose Madder is another of my favorites.

Gads, Pet Semetary was one of the worst films ever... whoo boy!

[brywool]

The Green Mile and Stand By Me brought a nice change of pace from king's usual work.

I didn't "get" Green Mile. It was good, but just didn't do much for me. I remember everyone just raving how good it was... yeah, I guess. Just kind of left me cold. It's a pile of doo compared to Shawshank Redemption.

[Don]

Anybody like Gerald's Game? I thought that was very well done, considering the minimum amount of Characters.

[brywool]

Insomnia and Rose Madder are tied in heavily with the Dark Tower, as well as The Stand and several others.

As ohsherrie said, there are seven books, but there are rumblings that an 8th one might be in the works. Of the seven, Song of Susannah was my favorite, but the whole series is such an incredible ride...

King has said that Pet Sematary was his most horrific book to write - he couldn't even finish it for a while. I agree - scared me like no other one had...

I'm hoping there will be an eighth and that they will bring Jack Sawyer in from Talisman and Black House. The one thing I was disappointed about with Dark Tower was that he brought Patrick from Insomnia, Ted from Hearts in Atlantis, Callahan from 'Salem's Lot, but left out Jack.

Oh yes, Captain Tripps, Randal Flagg and the crows in the Stand, how could I have forgotten that, another of my all time favorite books and also the movie.

The Stand and It were both good-- EXCEPT that King used his typical "I'm done with this" ending on both. I was really disappointed with the ending of IT. A turtle. A TURTLE??????????????!!!!!!!!!

[brywool]

Anybody like Gerald's Game? I thought that was very well done, considering the minimum amount of Characters.

'sat the one with the guy at the cabin? that was okay.

[Don]

Anybody like Gerald's Game? I thought that was very well done, considering the minimum amount of Characters.

'sat the one with the guy at the cabin? that was okay.

Yes.

[Angel]

All of this talk about books has me so excited to read fun books again.....but for now I must go read Varney's Midwifery.......soon, very soon I'll be able to read fun books again!!!!!!!!

[bluejeangirl76]

Anybody like Gerald's Game? I thought that was very well done, considering the minimum amount of Characters.

Ooooh, yeah... didn't think of that one right away - that was a great one!

[ohsherrie]

The Stand and It were both good-- EXCEPT that King used his typical "I'm done with this" ending on both. I was really disappointed with the ending of IT. A turtle. A TURTLE??????????????!!!!!!!!!

I have to admit that King does that a lot, but then it's like he says, the read shouldn't be about reaching the end, it should be about whether or not you enjoy the journey and I've certainly enjoyed the journey in most of his books.

Shawshank & Green Mile are both exceptional reads.

How about Duma Key and Lisey's Story, anybody read them?

[Don]

Even King was impressed with what Frank Darabont did with the movie ending to The Mist, one of better Downer endings in film.

[ohsherrie]

I didn't see the Mist movie. I would really like to read the story again before I see it though. It's been several years since I read it.

[donnaplease]

my issue with the production of a fictional work of the bible is the producer's interpretation is what you get. fine for entertainment, but i take it with a grain of salt.

As are the four gospels of the new testament. Since you're reading more in the bible, etc, I really think you might like the books. I know of several 'non-religious' people who have read them and say they're wonderful. And they are designed for entertainment, but also to make folks think and pursue things further (if they so choose). There's lust, infidelity, murder, love, and general mayhem in there, just like in your typical Grisham novel.

i've read several versions of the bible, including the one my mother gave me at 12 years old. i enjoy reading the bible, studying and discussing interpretations with small groups. i am reading a version (new revised standard) my aunt gave me while in new york and am ordering a NIV for church.

I like the study groups too. It's great to throw ideas off each other in order to try to gain a better outlook on things. I actually prefer that setting to a Sunday worship service.

the comparison to the anti christ seems to be another one of the right wing'S scare tactics. seems the right wing needs to remember the teachings of Jesus and admit Jesus was a liberal.

I think that's possible, but I think it's also possible that some people truly believe it, at least in part. My personal opinion is that there are a lot of things in today's world that are designed to 'get our attention'. Whether or not he is one or not, I'm not sure. Then again the bible says that there are many anti-christs out there, not necessarily the 'big guy' himself. IDK, and I won't begin to speculate.

As for Jesus, I think I might consider him a 'moderate'. Can we find a middle ground there?

[bluejeangirl76]

Shawshank & Green Mile are both exceptional reads.

Totally. I read the Green Mile when it was first released as 1 part per month.
Waiting for each part was hell because I was so into it.

Shawshank was great.

How about Duma Key and Lisey's Story, anybody read them?

Not Duma Key... I bought Lisey's Story but I never did get to it.
Just started on "Under the Dome".

All four of the novellas in Four Past Midnight are awesome.

[TRAGChick]

oh GOOD LORD....What hath I WROUGHT...???

All of this talk about books has me so excited to read fun books again.....but for now I must go read Varney's Midwifery.......soon, very soon I'll be able to read fun books again!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU!

Seriously, I thought this Thread would sink to the bottom like the Titanic.....never underestimate.....

Here's some other books I've read....it's a VERY short list:

"Thinner" ~ Stephen King

"Rose Madder" ~ Stephen King - Scared the HELL out of me....gotta try it again...

"We Don't Die: George Anderson's Conversations With The Other Side" - I've heard he was a "hoax", but PLEASE...READ THIS before you make a decision


"Haunted Heartland" ~ Now, this is for the "Ghost Hunter" set...."true" stories from the Midwest. Chilling.

[walkslikealady]

Wish my eye infection would clear up 'cause I love to read!

Science fiction was my favorite genre for the longest time.

Classic British mysteries (Christie, Rendell, & Francis) came in second.

Then supernatural things came along (S. King, C. Harris, L. Hamilton, etc.)

I like the Cat Who... series. Also, both the Mrs. Murphy and Joel Grey series.

[Moon Beam]

OMG!!! I was just watching his biography on Bio last night. I love MeatLoaf! He's awesome!!! It seems like he did go 'to hell and back' in his career.

Great to see you here, G!!!

Thanks Donna, nice to be noticed.

I'm half through this one, good stuff indeed......

[Archetype]

Unintended Consequences by John Ross is my favorite book of all time.

[Andrew]

(Andrew, if you like John Sanford you really should check out Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series.)

I have several. I forgot about Mike. Lincoln Lawyer is another great read.

And you should check out Michael Kelly...

Yeah, Lincoln Lawyer was the last Connelly I read. I will try Michael Kelly. I've been having trouble finding an good new mystery author that is up to the standards of Sanford and Connelly. Thanks

Michael Harvey sorry... His main character is Kelly. Really terrific stuff and a must if a fan of Sandford. Must be read in order - The Chicago Way, Fifth Floor and Third Rail being the recent one. Loved them!

[ohsherrie]

Shawshank & Green Mile are both exceptional reads.

Totally. I read the Green Mile when it was first released as 1 part per month.
Waiting for each part was hell because I was so into it.

Shawshank was great.

How about Duma Key and Lisey's Story, anybody read them?

Not Duma Key... I bought Lisey's Story but I never did get to it.
Just started on "Under the Dome".

All four of the novellas in Four Past Midnight are awesome.

I haven't read Under the Dome yet. My son-in-law has it though so I'm going to read it when he finishes. Lisey's Story is a very good book. It leans more toward fantasy than horror, but it does have some scary parts.

Duma Key is more horror with a touch of fantasy.

[ohsherrie]

(Andrew, if you like John Sanford you really should check out Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series.)

I have several. I forgot about Mike. Lincoln Lawyer is another great read.

And you should check out Michael Kelly...

Yeah, Lincoln Lawyer was the last Connelly I read. I will try Michael Kelly. I've been having trouble finding an good new mystery author that is up to the standards of Sanford and Connelly. Thanks

Michael Harvey sorry... His main character is Kelly. Really terrific stuff and a must if a fan of Sandford. Must be read in order - The Chicago Way, Fifth Floor and Third Rail being the recent one. Loved them!

Thanks, I might run over to the library during lunch.

[Babyblue]

My faves are

1.Nora Roberts

2.Amy Tan

3.Jane Austen

4.Nicholas Sparks

5.Sophie Kinsella