Tea & Books - What are you reading?

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Among other things, I’m re-reading Flowers in the Attic, purely for nostalgia. I’m also trying to get further in Reamde, which I started last spring and then got away from.

gmathis said

V.C. Andrews was hot stuff when I was in high school—never read them, but was highly surprised when my mother started on them. Remind me—-scary, gross, or just suspenseful-creepy?

Southern Gothic Trashy, really. I’d say suspenseful rather than anything. Flowers in the Attic was the first adult novel I ever read. It’s essentially about four siblings that are locked away in the attic of their grandparents’ massive estate. Grandma is a fire-and-brimstone Bible thumper who believes her grandchildren are devil spawn and must be hidden from the world. Mom is trying to win back grandpa’s love and get back in the will before he croaks, and could never do so if he knew about the kids. Beyond the first book, the others are about revenge and long grudges. I watched the Lifetime movie the other night, so I decided to read them again. This particular series were the books we all passed around in junior high, and were pretty scandalous in their time. There’s incest and rape and the like. The grandmother was played by Louise Fletcher in the first movie version, if that gives you any idea of the tone.

gmathis said

OK, that answers why Mom read ’em—-she liked gothic genre, but more along the lines of Victoria Holt most of the time.

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gmathis said

“I Capture the Castle” by Dodie Smith—of 101 Dalmatians fame. This, however, is an adult novel replete with humor, tea, castles with leaky roofs, teenage crushes, day trips to London, a penniless and eccentric novelist, green dye, and a bearskin coat in a hilarious cameo role. Highly recommended for a tea-and-crumpet read.

I tried to read I Capture the Castle once before, and just didn’t get far. I’m going to have to give it another go. Maybe with a nice mug of tea.

I Capture the Castle is one of my favorites!!

gmathis said

Have you read any of her other novels? Equally good?

I read 101 Dalmatians years and years ago. I haven’t read anything else of hers, though.

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In the middle of I, Wabenzi by Rafi Zabor at the moment. Really gripping reading actually, pleasantly surprised as to how much so.

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I just started The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt yesterday. I can’t believe it has been ten years since I read The Secret History.. but I guess it was published way before that.

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Uniquity said

Plans went a little sideways and rather than Dr Who and essays I am 1/5 of the way through The Onion Girl by Charles DeLint. A friend of mine is a big fan and has loaned me a couple of the Newford story collections but this is the first I’ve read that is almost entirely about Jilly. It is mostly heartbreaking so far, as it focuses on her recovery from a hit and run and delves into the emotional pain of her past but it’s really interesting,

Lynxiebrat said

Someplace to be flying is my favorite deLint novel. But the Onion Girl was really good.

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Kamyria said

I’m reading The Talisman by Stephen King. What an amazing story… I’m 100 pages into it and can’t put it down.

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Currently reading Terry Brooks the Shannara timeline. I started with the Genesis books than had to go back as I realized the Word and Void trilogy happened about 100 years before that. So I went back to Running with the Demon and started from there. I finished those trilogys and now I am on Bearers of the Black Staff.

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Lala said

OK I totally had to come and post this right away.

I am reading Life After Death by Damien Echols. It is his autobiography. For anyone unfamiliar, Damien Echols was one of the West Memphis Three.

Here is a direct quote from the book, he is talking about his time in prison and how he used to cook food over a light bulb or an open flame. “I used this method to brew myself some tea on many occasions: fill a soda can with water, tie a piece of dental floss or a string from a bedsheet to the top of the can, then dangle it over the flame until the water begins to boil. Put your tea bag in a cup and pour the water over it. I love tea. Others make hot chocolate, or even chili.”

I guess a tea lover always finds a way.

I am only about a third of the way through the book. So far it has been an excellent read.

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I’m studying Spanish, so not much time to read. But I’m reading The Law of Success by Napoleon Hill. Next I’m going to read: Influence by Dr. Robert Caldini. I’m into business philosophy.

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I also just bought the Science of Yoga by William J. Broad, a must for any Yogi out there. That doesn’t even count the fiction books I’m in the middle of, but can’t seem to finish.

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