What Are You Reading?

[Catwoman]

I have just started "The Shack".  It is a fictional account of a man's conversation with God.  I have found it to be fascinating so far.  It is interesting enough that it doesn't need to utilize any holier-than-thou lecture tactics...It lets you draw your own conclusions.  I can't wait to see how it ends. :-)  Another one I've just read is "Peaks and Valleys".  It, too, is fictional respresentation but deals with how you can make the low points in your life (the valleys) in to peaks (the high points in your life) and how you can stay on the "peaks" longer.  Very practical information for leading a happier, more fulfilled life.  Oh, how I love summer reading! :-)   

[Rudy Taylor]

My wife recently read "The Shack" and found it to be life-transforming.  All the time she was reading the book, she would say, "I only read one or two chapters at a time because I don't want it to end."

That's the mark of a good read.

She highly recommends "The Shack," although she says it's only for those who can bend with their traditional visions of what God and Jesus might look like, and how they might interact with us.

[Diane Amberg]

HMM.... based on what you both have said, I'll read it too.

[Wilma]

I think maybe I should, too.

I am trying to read the second book of a trilogy of Nora Roberts'.  Can't seem to stay with it when the forum is so much more interesting.

[sixdogsmom]

Well folks, I am going to be in the minority here. Maybe I was expecting too much, but I did not care for 'The Shack'. Perhaps it was the pain that man endured, or the almost sacreligous depiction of God and Jesus Christ. I am not a narrow minded person and can accept a lot of things but sorry, I was unimpressed. Just me or maybe it is the particular point in my life.

[Joanna]

I read a lot, mostly science fiction or fantasy.  I have enough reality on my plate most days.  I like to read old stuff and new popular titles and can go through 2 or 4 paperbacks a week when I'm not in GARDEN mode.  I enjoy the poular 'action mysteries' too and recently read "The Lost Constitution" by William Martin; "Cold Plague" by Daniel Kalla; "The Judas Strain" by James Rollins; "The Bible of Clay" by Julia Navarro; all 4 of the Twilight vampire series by Stephanie Meyer; and just finished "Angels & Demons" by Dan Brown. I enjoyed them all... I've noticed that a lot of current popular fiction involves religion and religious artifacts (both real and imaginary).  It seems surprising to me that several of them promote faith in God, though the same books have few good things to say about organized religion of any denomination.

I'll not watch the new Angels & Demons movie though, I did that with Da Vinci Code and it stunk... I know, the book is always better; but sometimes it seems the movie makers just use the chapter outlines and skip all the interesting details of the story to pack in more action & destruction... as if the viewers are all 8 year olds who need that constant visual stimulation to 'stay tuned'.  I guess I wouldn't know how to make a movie myself though, so maybe I shouldn't whine about it.  I'll just keep reading.

[larryJ]

I am with you, Joanne.  After I first retired I was reading 2 or 3 books a week.  This went on until my wife decided the money I was spending at the book store was sorely needed for food.  So I renewed my library card and started in on hardbacks.  I still buy an occasional paperback when she lets me go to the store by myself. 

However, being a genealogy nut and with my cousin, a family history specialist (ours) my interest in history has taken over most of my reading.  Two weeks ago I read about the Santa Fe trail and gained some interesting insights into how the American traders and the army sent to protect them pretty much pushed Mexico out of New Mexico.  I spent some time living in SE Colorado and I was aware that the northern route of the Santa Fe trail went through that town, but it didn't mean much to me then.  The town still celebrates Santa Fe Trail day. 

I am currently reading a book called the "Southwest" by David Lavender.  I secretly snuck in Dean Koontz' "The Husband" and Ludlums "Bourne Sanction" between the two library books.  "Southwest" is a little boring in the beginning as it deals with the early exploration efforts of Spain and the enslavement of the Native American population.  It promises to get better.  I don't like to read about a population that was subjected to that kind of treatment. 

Larryj

[Diane Amberg]

Have you read any Tony Hillerman? Joanna, I'll admit I saw both the Da Vinci Code and just saw Angels and Demons, liked them both just for what they were, adventure stories. A& D follows the book a little closer but neither is as good as the books are.

[Wilma]

Tony Hillerman, is he the one that writes about the Indian rez police?  I read all of him that I can get.  I also like J. A. Jance's Sheriff Joanna Brady and James D. Doss's Charlie Moon.

[Diane Amberg]

Yes, Tony Hillerman wrote about the Navajos, Joe Leaphorn, and Jim Chee. I think I have read them all.