I woke up this morning with my daughter's feet in my face. It happens sometimes. I gently kissed her, trying not to wake her, and proceeded to get my day started. And here I am . . .
For months now I have not listened to my audio book, but last week I finally dove back into it. Well, maybe dove isn't the right word. I am able to listen to an audio book about half an hour each day. One of the reasons I do not like to listen to long books. It feels like it takes me years to get through one. Fortunately, I had no problem picking up where I left off with Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese. The twins are school-aged now, being raised by a couple of doctors who took them in after their mother's death and their father fled; our narrator is as gregarious as can be while his brother says nothing. My goal is to finish the book by the end of the year.
After finishing The Maxwell Street Blues by Marc Krulewitch, about a young private investigator who takes on his first murder investigation, that of his best friend, and discovers corruption at every turn, I spent some time on Friday reading more of Michaela Carter's Further Out Than You Thought. Gwen, the female protagonist in the novel, unwittingly drove right into the heart of the L.A. Riots. The year is 1992. Her fear is palpable. The anger and sadness and frustration--and the fear--of those she encounters is all very real. I like the book so far.
I am also reading Joshilyn Jackson's Someone Else's Love Story, Jackson being an author on my "must read" list since forever. I have heard great things about this novel about a young mother, her three year old son and the man she falls in love with during a hold up. I can see why so many are smitten with the author's writing. It's still too early to tell, but I have a feeling I will really like this book.
What are you reading at the moment? Is it something you would recommend?
Every Tuesday Diane from Bibliophile By the Sea hosts
First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where
participants share the first paragraph (or a few) of a
book they are reading or thinking about reading soon.
Here is the opening paragraphs of The Maxwell Street Blues, the first in a new mystery series set in Chicago, by Marc Krulewitch:
"I feared you wouldn't know me."
His ashen face did not remind me of the quaint grifter or winsome confidence trickster. Nor did I see an aging racketeer broken by prison. But I knew Bernie Landau--my father. He found me through "contacts" who specialized in making sure people were found. He wore dingy gray slacks with an argyle cardigan sweater that draped his eighty-year-old frame as though slung over a wire hanger. His pasty cheeks sagged like someone had disfigured a clay face. In his hand he griped part of a rolled-up newspaper as if his sixteen-year absence had fostered an intense desire to smack me.
© 2014, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.
All the books you mentioned here sound interesting! I can't wait to hear what you'll think of them. :)
ReplyDeleteMelody - So far I am enjoying them all. :-)
DeleteI've started back on audio books as well and am enjoying them. I'm a little scared to try long books because I'm afraid I'll lose track of what's going on. Now that we're back on routine and my listening will be a little more regular that might get better. The Maxwell Street Blues looks interesting! I look forward to your review on that one! I've heard of Joshilyn Jackson and that book sounds like it has potential. For some reason I always think it says Joshua Jackson who played Pacey on Dawson's Creek and Peter on Fringe and it takes me a minute to get that mentally sorted out!
ReplyDeleteKatherine - I worry about that too with the longer books. It's so easy for me to ignore an audio book too, so it really has to grab my attention to the point where I don't want to stop listening. I do want to get back into the routine of listening regularly, even if only for half an hour a day.
DeleteI enjoyed The Maxwell Street Blues. That's funny about the name confusion with Joshua and Joshilyn Jackson. My midwife's last name was Gilbert and I remember always wanting to call her Elizabeth Gilbert (the author), even tough her first name was something else entirely. So, I can relate!
Okay, I cannot even imagine listening to a book of any length! It would drive me crazy, I think! I have to visualize...but that's me.. Lots of people enjoy audio.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy Joshilyn Jackson's books so far...hope you do, too.
As for your teaser, I am now very caught up in wondering about the character described...I can definitely visualize him!
Here's mine: “THE FURIES”
Laurel-Rain - I only started listening to audio books a couple years ago. I wanted to challenge myself in addition to seeing what all the fuss was about. It's not my preferred or go to mode of reading, that's for sure. I am not in a place in my life where it takes high priority. Like you, I tend to be a visual learner/reader.
DeleteI can't wait to see what you think of Someone Else's Love Story!
ReplyDeleteKathy - I do hope I enjoy it!
DeleteAhh that's a lovely way to start your day. I like that opening paragraph, it was very descriptive. Enjoy your books. kelley—the road goes ever ever on
ReplyDeleteKelley - Luckily she didn't kick me. LOL I enjoyed The Maxwell Street Blues. It was a quick read.
DeleteI love audiobooks, but my listening time always seems limited during the summer. I've been on the same book for weeks (Imperial Woman by Pearl Buck) and last Sunday I finally just finished reading it in print! Cutting for Stone is a great book though.
ReplyDeleteI really need to read Joshilyn Jackson and even had Somebody Else's Love Story ebook from the library on my kindle. Unfortunately it "disappeared" before I got a chance to read it :(
JoAnn - I've heard wonderful things about Cutting for Stone. I probably should have read the print version (it would have been faster), but I really am enjoying the narration. Such a great voice!
DeleteI am excited to finally be reading Joshilyn Jackson's work. I have two of her other books in my TBR collection as well, but I just never have gotten to them. It's about time!
I loved Someone Else's Love Story! I just started listening to audiobooks while training for a half marathon and I'm having a hard time adjusting to them. I'm a much more visual person and find myself zoning out on the audios sometimes. I'm trying to stick to either light or hast paced thrillers.
ReplyDeleteSarah - I am glad to hear you loved Someone Else's Love Story. That is good news for me. :-)
DeleteI hear you when it comes to audio books. I'm more of a visual person too and still struggle at times to stay focused. Like you, I have found lighter and fast paced thrillers to be my best audio options. Nonfiction with lots of details and facts, forget it! Cutting for Stone is literary fiction, so it's been a challenge. Hence why it will probably take me all year to get through. LOL Hopefully I will remember the details by the time I finish. I do much better at remembering when I actually read rather than listen too . . .
I'm reading Harry Potter. I think tomorrow I'll start to read the 5's. If I'll have time, maybe :b
ReplyDeleteHey, I loved your cats! So cute and wonderful... I have six at home :D
And about audiobooks I never heard. Do you think it's good? I can't imagine something like this, because I'm always reading!
Camila - I hope you are enjoying Harry Potter. I love the series.
DeleteSix cats would probably drive us crazy. :-) We are only allowed to have two animals at once where we live (not counting the humans), although we were able to have three when we first moved there because they were already part of our family.
Audio books are another great resource for taking in books. I know a lot of readers who love them and listen to them all the time. Some readers have no other way to read because of vision issues and others find them convenient to fit into busy schedules.
Oooh, Further Out Than You Thought sounds like a book I would really enjoy. I was debating whether to read Cutting for Stone or not. I'll keep thinking about it.
ReplyDeleteI don't do audio books, though it would greatly cut down on my TBR pile to listen as I walk or clean. I am a visual person so I get distracted during storytelling-- I will just have to deal with having less books "read" each month than other bloggers :)
Rita - I am really enjoying Further Out Than You Thought right now. Cutting for Stone is good too. I actually have the print copy as well and have considered pulling that out to read in conjunction to listening to the audio version.
DeleteI am a visual person too and it's been a challenge adjusting to listening to audio books--especially since my mind wanders so often. My brain never stops. This is why I really have to be in a place and mood to actually listen--and why I prefer books that can hold my attention (fast paced is best) or where it won't matter if I don't listen carefully all the time. Cutting for Stone has been more of a challenge because of the type of book it is--and it's not fast paced. But I am enjoying it. I love the narrator's voice.
I think I'd love audio books for the times when my hands are busy, but my mind is not.
ReplyDeleteThe rolled up newspaper line caught my attention for Maxwell Street Blues...I'd give it a try.
Jenclair - I think listening to audio books while working with your hands is a great idea. But, yeah, your mind could not be busy. That's often my problem. My mind is too busy. :-S
DeleteI read Someone Else's Love Story shortly after it came out. I really enjoyed it. I hope you do, too! You can read my review on my blog if you are interested.
ReplyDeletehttp://mytime2read.blogspot.com/2013/12/review-someone-elses-love-story.html
Today I'm featuring Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld.
http://mytime2read.blogspot.com/2014/08/tuesday-memes-sisterland.html
Kim - Glad to hear you enjoyed Someone Else's Love Story! Thanks for the link to your review. I'll probably read it after I finish reading the book and writing my own review. :-)
DeleteI love what you shared about waking up with Mouse's feet in your face. :-) Those memories will be so precious someday.
ReplyDeleteIrene - I'm just glad she didn't kick me. :-)
DeleteI would keep reading to find out more about the relationship between father and son. Hope you enjoy this one and that it's the start of a great new series.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog.
Catherine - They certainly have an interesting relationship. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, fortunately, and do want to continue with the series. :-)
DeleteI get only 35-40 minutes a day to listen to audiobooks, so yeah, it can take me about 2 months to get through a 15-20 disc book. When I listen on Audible, I am able to finish books sooner because you can play audiobooks on the app at twice the speed or so. I do wish sometimes that I had more listening time, but books that I read for the writing (which is generally a lot of them), I prefer to read them.
ReplyDeleteAthira - It sounds like you and I get about the same listening time then. I tried increasing the speed on a couple of books and for only one did it work out okay (well, maybe not really because I gave up on that one--I think it was the book though and not just the narrator). And the one I'm listening to now I don't dare speed up. I love the narrator's voice and accent too much.
DeleteI agree though about preferring to read a book in print when I read, in part, for the writing rather than listening.
I'd keep reading - I want to know more.
ReplyDeleteYvonne - I really enjoyed the story.
DeleteHi! I'm always on the lookout for a new mystery series, so I'm glad you enjoyed The Maxwell Street Blues. I'll be on the lookout for it! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
ReplyDeleteMonica - I love mysteries, especially series. :-)
DeleteIs this your first book by Joshilyn Jackson? If it is then. I am sure you are in for a treat :) My favorite of hers so far is Gods in Alabama but I haven't read a bad book of hers yet. Sounds like you have some good reading ahead of you. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteSamantha - Yes, it is my first by her. Hard to believe, isn't it? So far, I'm enjoying Someone Else's Love Story.
DeleteI like the intro from Maxwell Street Blues, and I LOVED the audio of -- Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese - hope both are winners for you.
ReplyDeleteDiane - I am really enjoying Cutting for Stone--if only I listened faster! And I liked The Maxwell Street Blues. It was fun read.
DeleteMy favorite way to "read" audiobooks is while walking or cleaning house. Give it a try. That first paragraph was good. I'd keep going.
ReplyDeleteMargot - If I didn't have a three year old demanding much of my attention and interrupting, I probably would get a lot of listening in while cleaning house. As it is, it's impossible. LOL I don't get a lot of walking time in by myself either, unfortunately. While I do work out, it's more aerobic and I'm not at a place where I can not listen to the instructor to know what to do next and when. That leaves listening while I get ready for work and my short drive to the office to listen. I have my daughter with me when I go home, so can't listen then.
DeleteA good descriptive opener.
ReplyDeleteI still can't really get into audio books, tried a few times. I just can't hold the concentration like when I'm reading myself.
Peggy @ The Pegster Reads
Peggy - I'm getting better at being able to stay focused when listening. My hope is that the more I do it, the better I will be at it. My goal is to improve my ability to take in auditory information and actually retain in.
DeleteThat opening sounds so old-fashioned. It really pins down that character. Hope you enjoy it. Here's Mine
ReplyDeletePaulita - The book does have an old school feel to it, but it's definitely set in modern times.
DeleteOhhh I've always wanted to read Cutting for Stone which has been on my bookshelf for a long while. Hope to get to it. But right now I picked up Peter Heller's The Painter. So I will see how that goes. Cheers. and thanks for visiting my blog
ReplyDeleteSandra - You should read it! I'm enjoying the audio version very much. I've heard great things about The Painter. I hope you enjoy it.
DeleteI think I'd have to read a bit more but it sounds promising. I've been doing a lot of editing rather than straight out reading for the past couple of weeks, but I'm due to start Clara's Daughter by Meike Ziervogel and looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteI can't say I've woken up to feet, but I have been surprised by a cat's nose on mine once or twice!
Charlie - Being woken up by a cat's nose sounds pleasant. Mine are more likely to put their bottoms in my face. LOL
DeleteI hope you enjoy Clara's Daughter!
lol I've woken up like that before!
ReplyDeleteSomebody Else's Love Story sounds good and The Maxwell Street Blues sounds interesting. Happy reading!
Naida - At least she didn't kick me this time. She's done that before. :-S
DeleteI enjoyed The Maxwell Street Blues! It was kind of old school, but set in modern times. Someone Else's Love Story is good too.