Challenge: 50 Books discussion

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE THE WORLD AS STAGE
Bill Bryson

THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX
Kate DiCamillo

#3
LITTLE WOMEN
Louisa May Alcott

#4
THE DUMBEST GENERATION
Mark Bauerlain

#5
FOUR PLAYS
William Inge

Meredith wrote: "#3
LITTLE WOMEN
Louisa May Alcott"

Re-read or first time? This is one of my all-time favorites!

I'm embarrassed to say I'm 30 years old and just read LITTLE WOMEN for the first time. I'm so glad I finally did. It was so lovely and has taken a spot on my bookshelf next to one of my most favorites, A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN.

Inge! one of my favorites!

I'm designing costumes for BUS STOP at a theater in Brooklyn (Gallery Players). I'm surprised I haven't run into Inge before. The mid century "midwest"--simple people with universal problems--very reminiscent of Shepard and, for me, even Williams.

absolutely! I'm directing Fiddler on the Roof Jr.--with 5, 6, 7th graders...oh fun oh joy! Actually, they had an incredible rehearsal Friday...I'm pumped. Now if I can get them in the right place at the right time...it's rather like herding cats...

5-7th graders or grown adults. They're always like herding cats. :)

LOL!

#6
THE BEST AMERICAN NONREQUIRED READING 2008
Ed. Dave Eggers, Intro by Judy Blume

#7
BEFORE SHE MET ME
Julian Barnes

#8
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
Jane Austen

#9
KAFKA ON THE SHORE
Haruki Murakami

#10
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
Kenneth Grahame

Great book! A gusty wahoo for your first ten!

Opening Fiddler on Wed...they are scary good...hope they didn't peak this week~

I love Fiddler! I did it with my local group when I was in high school.

Good luck!

#11
BLACK POSTCARDS: /A ROCK N ROLL ROMANCE
Dean Wareham

We ROCKED last night...middle schoolers can pull things together!

Yay!!

#12
MIDDLESEX
Jeffrey Eugenides

#13
One Hundred and Forty Five Stories in a Small Box: Hard to Admit and Harder to Escape, How the Water Feels to the Fishes, and Minor Robberies

by Sarah Manguso, Dave Eggers, Deb Olin Unferth

#14
1984
George Orwell

1984 is one of my all time favourite books

#15
BRAVE NEW WORLD
Aldous Huxley

LOL, you are totally going for the weird classics!

Just wait--I've got a whole lineup!

Aprile, define weird...this is a 'drama twinkie' here, us drama twinkies are all a little weird! heehee

#16
FAHRENHEIT 451
Ray Bradbury

I wear my weirdness as a badge with honor.

Yes!

LOL, me too. Those are the books that usually end up on my favourites lists LOL

#17
THE GIVER
Lois Lowry

#18
THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY: MURDER, MAGIC AND MADNESS AT THE FAIR THAT CHANGED AMERICA
Erik Larson

Meredith wrote: "#18
THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY: MURDER, MAGIC AND MADNESS AT THE FAIR THAT CHANGED AMERICA
Erik Larson"

I am about halfway through this and need to finish it by tomorrow morning as it is due back to the library and can't be renewed. Looking forward to a fun night of reading since I am totally engrossed in this book. Not just the creepy serial killer plot but the fact that everytime the fair took a step forward the roof of some building would collapse or one of the key architects would die of some illness. I can't wait to find out how they pulled it all together!

I definitely found the Holmes story more compelling--I was always so excited when the story switched over. I kept seeing him as some variation of Tom Cruise--charismatic and crazy.

I read it for a book club meeting on Sunday and my husband has to start it :)

Meredith wrote: "I definitely found the Holmes story more compelling--I was always so excited when the story switched over. I kept seeing him as some variation of Tom Cruise--charismatic and crazy.

I read it fo..."

My husband read it first then passed it along to me. Finished it up this afternoon - funny how even though nothing is a surprise it is still so intriguing. I was a left feeling a little set up at the end though because it created so many more questions than there were answers for. I still don't understand why he was dragging that family around since not his normal sickening victim of choice. And I would have loved to know what his "wife" at the time felt when the truth was revealed. Overall it was a cool book that taught me a lot and entertained me even more.

Molly--
A friend of a friend just noticed that the Field Museum in Chicago has joined the Flickr Commons. They put up a nice set of images from the Chicago World's Fair that I thought you might want to see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/field_mu...

Meredith wrote: "Molly--
A friend of a friend just noticed that the Field Museum in Chicago has joined the Flickr Commons. They put up a nice set of images from the Chicago World's Fair that I thought you might wan..."

Hey thanks Meredith! That was really cool. I wish the book had more photos and then here you give them to me ;0)

#19
THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE
Audrey Niffenegger

Meredith wrote: "#19
THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE
Audrey Niffenegger"

This is the next one on my list to read! Did you like?

OMG--sooooooooo good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I called everyone I knew who hadn't read it and recommended it. And since we're having this discussion, I'm not sure if you've read MIDDLESEX, but also a truly amazing novel.

Not to set up expectations or anything...

Meredith wrote: "OMG--sooooooooo good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I called everyone I knew who hadn't read it and recommended it. And since we're having this discussion, I'm not sure if you've re..."

Oh well good! My new GR friend Donna told me it was her favorite book and I promised her I would read it soon. If you're looking to talk to someone about it I'm sure she would be happy to!

I haven't read Middlesex yet - but nice to hear another ringing endorsement. I am wary of it for some reason - maybe because the expectation level is now so high ;0)

#20
GATHERING BLUE
Lois Lowry

#21
MESSENGER
Lois Lowry

#22
Love as Always, Kurt: Vonnegut As I Knew Him

Loree Rackstraw

#23
THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES
Sue Monk Kidd

#24
THE NAMESAKE
Jhumpa Lahiri

#25
McSweeney's Issue 30
Ed. Dave Eggers