Cicero's "Phillipics" - his 14 speeches in condemnation of Mark Antony. I'm feeling a little classical this weekend. Cicero pulls no punches : "You .... drank such quantities of wine at the marriage of Hippia, that you were forced to vomit the next day in the sight of the Roman people. O action disgraceful not merely to see, but even to hear of. If this had happened to you at supper amid those vast drinking cups of yours, who would not have thought it scandalous? But in an assembly of the Roman people, a man holding a public office, a master of the horse, to whom it would have been disgraceful even to belch, vomiting filled his own bosom and the whole tribunal with fragments of what he had been eating reeking with wine. But he himself confesses this among his other disgraceful acts. Let us proceed to his more splendid offenses."
I noticed where Ken had been reading the LIttle House on the Prairire books. I have read several of those books many times. The author of those books did not start writing these books until she was 60 years old. I have been impressed by that.
I recently started reading the first of the Wayward Pines books. I also purchased Escape last night, by Carolyn Jessop and Laura Palmer. I started watching Escaping Polygamy part way through last season, and wanted to at least start reading the book before the new season starts. I didn't see all of the episodes, so I'm also going to try to catch up on those before I start watching the new season. Here's a link about Escape and the situation, in case anyone's interested.
I just finished the first book in the Wayward Pines series. I haven't watched the show since last season, because I wanted to read the books first, so I'm letting this season's episodes collect on my DVR while I read the books. There are 2 more in the series, and I read a few pages of book 2 yesterday, but not enough to get a good feel for it. The first book was very similar to how Season 1 of the show played out, although I think maybe a little of book 2 was also present at the end. I definitely recommend both the books and the series. Sometimes there's a vast difference between the two, but I like that the show is sort of mirroring the book, and I'm not having any trouble reconciling the actors to the characters in the books, the way I sometimes do.
Today I'm reading "Le Journal d'une Femme de Chambre" by Mirabeau - its jubilant and humorous tone offsets the darker exploration of the differences between social classes and how servants in the 19th century were caught up in a form of slavery. Celestine is a gossipy little minx!
I finished the Without a Trace book and am now (sort of) reading the 8th Murder by James Patterson, Skeleton Key and the Hangman's Daughter. I just read when I am in the mood, and it is not a daily thing. I meant to read another book but it never materialized. I like to read, but to be honest, I prefer to be passively entertained by the movies.or TV shows. I think alot during the day so I need the downtime to unwind.
@K E Gordon Is the Without A Trace book based on the television series, or something else? That was one of my favorite shows. Even if it's not, it sounds like something that would interest me. I lean toward true crime and mysteries, although sometimes I will go in an entirely different direction.
Oh I loved the Little House books when I was a kid. I read all of them I think. One time about 10 years ago, I was a substitute guidance counselor in an elementary school. My office was just off the library. I started reading "The Long Winter" one that I had read as a child. It was gripping. One time we were traveling across South Dakota, I really wanted to go to the Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead...but it was too far out of the way....Next trip!
@Diane Lane, it has nothing to do with the TV show. It is a really good read though. The book was very reasonably priced on Kindle, I think it was 2.99 or something. I started another one, The Vanished Wife, but it costs a bit too much on kindle, I should check to see if the library has it. In terms of Wayward Pines, that is weirdly creepy, I have been liking the TV show, I bet I would like the book!
I fell right to sleep when I went back to bed yesterday morning, so I haven't gotten far, but I did a little more reading last night, and am about 1/4 of the way into book 2. It's just past where Season 1 ended, if I'm remembering correctly, although some of the details seem a little different. It's getting really good, into things they probably couldn't go into in too much detail on the show. @K E Gordon Were you able to watch Season 1 somewhere, or did you start with the Season 2 episodes? I don't remember how much I paid for the trilogy, but it was on a special, maybe $1.99 apiece, or $5 for all 3. Definitely worth the price I paid. The Vanished Wife sounds familiar. I think I've seen that, although I'm not sure if I have or have read it. Don't forget about Hoopla Digital, you can sign in via your library account, and they might have something you're interested in.
Yeah, I am going to check out Hoopla. Kindle does of course, have a number of free books, that is where I got Skeleton Key. @Diane Lane I just started with season II. Wayward Pines reminds me a little bit of the Dome, but with even more bizzareness. I need to finish up the books I have already started, as I have 3 going now. I just have a lot going on..and I have to be in the mood to read.
I would love to have something good to read. Please suggest something. No military or romance novels, please.
@Texas Beth , what do you like to read? I like long convoluted stories. One of my favorite authors is James A. Michener. I read The Source when I was 19, and I was hooked on historical fiction. Most of his books took me forever to read, because they are very long stories that generally go through centuries. His stories entailed so much knowledge about how 'things', and the 'people' of the world began that I was hooked on history.
@K E Gordon I'm still collecting the Season 2 episodes of Wayward Pines on the DVR. I am about 1/4 of the way through the 3rd book now. It's very interesting. I'm kind of dragging my feet, because I don't want it to be over, although I will still have the TV show to watch once I'm finished. I'll probably also check out his other books. I've already read one of them prior to buying and reading the Wayward Pines trilogy. I liked the show The Dome, especially the earlier episodes, but I haven't read the book(s?) yet.