Racketeer ~ John Grisham

Stephen King - 11/22/63

I'm with you.
Every night I stare longingly at my growing pile of books and then turn away and stick my nose in my text books.


I was assigned a neat little book for one of my classes called [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Weetzie-Bat-ebook/dp/B00181YD2G/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1352550894&sr=1-1&keywords=weetzie+bat"]Weetzie Bat[/ame]. It's a novel for teen girls about a young woman who lives in LA with her two gay roommates. It's quirky, for sure, but I like that it explores alternative family situations.

If the post would hurry up... I have just one book left in the 50 Shades series...

i'm reading The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger's Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to be a Better Husband by David Finch.

Five years into his crumbling marriage, David Finch learns that he's got Asperger's syndrome... and along with it comes a great big "AHA!" moment. He drops the guilt and anger that comes with the fear of "not being a good enough husband," and instead concentrates on learning specific behaviors to fill in some of the gaps in his blind spots.

In true Asperger's fashion, he throws himself into identifying and categorizing these "normal" behaviors with the zeal of a Trekie at a sci-fi convention, and comes up with a list of social protocols that should, as the "Best Practices" part of the title suggests, be a part of any relationship's quality management system.

But don't let the QC reference throw you off. This book is anything but dry. It's funny and engaging, and, okay, I admit it...it's enlightening. More than a few friends and exes have described me as "Asperger's lite," and this book pretty much confirms it. As Finch spells out the Dos and Don'ts of social interaction, I keep bursting out laughing with self-recognition ("It's not okay to walk away from a conversation just because you're bored", "It's better to fold and put away than to take only what you need from the dryer").

Even for more intricate social situations, his advice goes straight to the core: "Just listen", "When necessary, redefine perfection", "Get inside her girl world and look around." Seems to me that it's not just the Aspies that might benefit from this book. :)

I seem to be stuck on The Unexpected George Washington ~ Harlow Giles Unger
Hard to pick back up as of late
...
...
...

Fifty Shades Darker.

I loved your review. I'd read some about this book and was curious. I can also id with certain traits of Asperger's: e.g. walking away when I'm bored in a conversation :D. Perhaps that's my adhd and introversion at play too. When BB and I go out anywhere, I always remind BB to "bring reading" - luckily BB likes reading enough to be ok with my quirky ways. I know it's socially off, though, like I was at a big dance party after a bar mitzvah, and I was engrossed in a book. Someone said disdainfully, "Why are you reading now?" Story of my life! :D

Year's back I tried reading Augusten Burrough's brother's memoir about living with Asperger's:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Look-Me-Eye-Life-Aspergers/dp/0307396185/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1352594310&sr=1-1&keywords=Aspergers+john"]Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's: John Elder Robison: 9780307396181: Amazon.com: Books[/ame]

"Look Me in the Eye" by John Elder Robison

It was enjoyable but I guess it didn't completely hold my attention because I only read half of it.

Not a book but on the topic of Asperger's I really enjoyed the movie:

OC87: The Obsessive Compulsive, Major Depression, Bipolar, Asperger's Movie

It's a doc a man made about his own experience living with Asperger's (ETC) and has a wry humor to it. I knew I'd like it the first time I heard the title, and I was right :D

I'm greatly looking forward to starting The Woods in Winter by Bernd Heinrich. he is an amazing naturalist who learned at his father's knee...then went on to get advanced degrees in botany and zoology. He teaches at the University of Vermont. He has the ability to put scientific things into layman's terms without dumbing it down....
The first book I read of his was A Year in the Maine Woods...he does a Thoreau basically....and writes about it...

I really must start posting in this thread ...
 

isn't this picture gorgeous? :) from: https://www.facebook.com/TitleWaveforBooks

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.n...98888786_n.jpg

Wizard's First Rule - Terry Goodkind

Currently the weekly flyers, because I haven't found a new book to focus on.

I am reading ..always..more than one book at a time...
and life will end before I get to read all I would have liked...

currently...
1. the Hobbit...love it...and soon the movie will be out

2. Burn Unit... about nursing care for burn victims... not for everyone..but I am a nurse and it is very interesting to me.

3. Emotional Sobriety... about not following old patterns I grew up with... how to outgrow them...

4. Mammarazzi... (lol ) ... a book on tips for photographing children...

plenty of reading for a while...

LOL ..sb...

reg the flyers...

ur a riot...

A Dangerous Inheritance, by Alison Weir. This is pure historical trash, although I enjoy her biographies.

It's parallel stories of Katherine Plantagenet, illegitimate daughter of Richard, Duke of Gloucester (and soon to be King), and Katherine Grey, sister of Lady Jane Grey. Both were real people, though I'm sure much license has been taken as to their personalities and characters.

Katherine Plantagenet is more a convenient character narrating the unfolding story of Richard, his sister-in-law the Queen, and his nephews. He of course has gone down as the wickedest uncle in history, killing his nephews and allegedly several other kin to snatch the throne for himself. Or was he??

The image of the hunchbacked homicidal power-mad Richard came out of the Tudors and Shakespeare. Henry Tudor, with only a flimsy claim to the throne, won the Battle of Bosworth and became Henry VII. That tenuosity would have ramifications throughout all the Tudor reigns and afterwards. Richard's much more sympathetic in the book. Others, including Henry, also had motive to brush aside the boy-king and his brother like mosquitos.

Katherine Grey was caught up in a plot by a powerful duke to prevent the Roman Catholic Mary Tudor (Henry VIII's daughter) from becoming Queen, after the Protestant Edward VI died. Part of this was marrying her to the son of one of his cronies, and there are teasing scenes of almost-consummation, but in reality the marriage was never consummated and ultimately annulled. Later, she brought down the rage of her cousin Elizabeth when she clandestinely married without the Queen's consent and had two sons, to boot. She died under house arrest. Her role in the book is to discover her distant relative Katherine Plantagenet and what happened to the nephews.

Books like this usually just make me mad, as they are almost like fanfiction instead of reality. But, once in a while, a little trash is a good thing.

Reading is one of my favorite past times. I have been disappointed lately that schools are not using paper books anymore. There is so much value in turning the page of a book and the smell of it. Like in old bookstores.
I continuously read The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz and keep it in my nightstand. It is a book for ones life.

I feel exactly the same. I'm very sad to see books disappearing slowly. And like you, I've been reading The Wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh continuously for many, many years. It is a book for ones life as well.

I had to put "The Twelve" by Justin Cronin down for a couple of weeks due to school but I picked it back up tonight.

I also have "Survivor" by Chuck Palahniuk and an old Thanatochemistry book (the science of embalming human bodies) going.

Letters For My Brothers: Transitional Wisdom in Retrospect


Edited by Megan M. Rohrer and Zander Keig

It is good to know that I am not the only one who feels a loss of paper books. I do somehow believe that the classics will remain timeless. I have not read, The Wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh and will peruse it. I was recommended, The Untethered Soul, By Michael Singer, a book of the journey beyond yourself and think it might be quite good.

WILD by Cheryl Strayed

"On an icy trek across the frozen Northwest, a brave new writer finds her voice."

it was a quick easy read, chock full of tidbits that I didn't know.

example: in the James Taylor song
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXmgkvIgc0w"]James Taylor - "Carolina in My Mind " - YouTube[/nomedia]
the lyrics "It's been a holy host of others standing round me"
is a nod to The Beatles who had his recording contract at Apple Corps Ltd.

I'm a huge James Taylor and CSNY and the author weaves in and out of each of the artist history (mostly) in chronological order.





.

This was recommended to me by a wonderful friend, and I have to say it is amazing. Not just about civil conduct, but the "ethical underpinnings of manners". Puts a whole new spin on human interaction. I can't say enough good about it and I haven't even finished it yet. Light easy read. :glasses:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...SH20_OU01_.jpg


Book Description from Amazon

Publication Date: April 1, 2010
Most people would agree that thoughtful behavior and common decency are in short supply, or simply forgotten in hurried lives of emails, cellphones, and multi-tasking. In Choosing Civility, P. M. Forni identifies the twenty-five rules that are most essential in connecting effectively and happily with others. In clear, witty, and, well...civilized language, Forni covers topics that include:

* Think Twice Before Asking Favors
* Give Constructive Criticism
* Refrain from Idle Complaints
* Respect Others' Opinions
* Don't Shift Responsibility and Blame
* Care for Your Guests
* Accept and Give Praise

Finally, Forni provides examples of how to put each rule into practice and so make life-and the lives of others-more enjoyable, companionable, and rewarding.

Choosing Civility is a simple, practical, perfectly measured, and quietly magical handbook on the lost art of civility and compassion.

Written and signed by my own Dr. Adolphus Anekwe- "The Stamped Image" (Fiction)
The daunting discovery of a new chromosomal marking, HLA B66, otherwise known as the 666 gene, that is present in those who have committed heinous crimes, and the search for those everyday citizens who test positive.

LIARS, LOVERS, and HEROES (What the new brain science reveals about how we become who we are) By Steven R. Quartz & H.D & Terrence J. Sejnowski PH.D.

...Very interesting..

American Gods by Neil Gaiman
-recommended by my eldest

I came across an article from my reading list of materials this morning by Dr. E. Alexander, III (who is a highly skilled neurosurgeon) called:

Proof of Heaven

http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/191550000/191553843.JPG

Companion link to article (HERE)

And in light of reading the article above, I think I have found a compelling reason to work on End-of-Life as a core focus during my doctoral studies because of several observations found within his own narrative experience. Quoting a phrase from the article:

"But these invitations, he acknowledged, do not mean that his theory is gaining ground among doctors. In private conversations, he said, very few of his colleagues offered counterarguments. Some agreed with his conclusion that science could not explain what he saw, but none of them were willing to be named in his book," -- Dr. E. Alexander, III (Leslie Kaufman, The New York Times, Nov. 25th, 2012).

I understand exactly where Dr. Alexander (III) is coming from because I have experienced facets of my own death events to a particular degree. My feeling is that unless a person survives a near death experience, it would seem especially difficult for the person who has not experienced death (in order to be able to wrap their mind around items of interest mentioned in the interview), so there's a proviso of useful counter-arguments for further exploration.

Dr. Alexander is a featured guest on Oprah Winfrey's program which airs this coming Sunday night (Super Soul Sunday). I think Dr. Alexander was onto something when his first initial idea was to name his book, An N of One. I'm going to read his book the first chance I have next week; so I can craft my doctoral statement and future study proposal based on findings I read in his book, as well as including an extensive reference list I already have on-hand pertaining to events of death and End-of-Life care.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore~ Robin Sloan

Not reading anything at the moment. I just saw this on my FB feed and thought it apropos.

I hate the original song but this parody mad me smile.

Caroline (anonymous author)
 

Caroline is the story of an extraordinary woman--beautiful, strong and mischievous. Putting her looks and wit to good use, the young Caroline seduces her friend Harry and his sister Adelaide. Once married to Harry, and living comfortably with him and Adelaide, Caroline enlarges and enlivens their menage by creating an "academy" for young -- and not so young -- women requiring in initiation into the rites of love.
(f)

Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington


Fiction ~Set in Seattle, it's a story about some of the women working at Boeing durning the war.