What Are You Reading Now?

[c.d.]

I just recently finished "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" a non-fiction book on the development of the He-La cell line. Very good.

Also "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand who wrote "Seabiscuit." It is a true story of survival in World War II. Very good.

I just recently ordered "1861:The Civil War Awakening" by Adam Goodheart. It has gotten excellent reviews by hard core civil war buffs who say that it provides a unique perspective on the causes of the war and why everybody was so pissed.

c.d.

[Scorpio]

I am reading Cormac McCarthy's blood meridian.
If i read enough times then i might understand it.

[The Grave Maurice]

What Alice Knew

There was an unexpected lull in the pre-Christmas activities around here, so last night and this afternoon I read Paula Marantz Cohen's What Alice Knew: A Most Curious Tale of Henry James & Jack the Ripper. I didn't hold out much hope for this one. I read a Henry James novel (The Ambassadors, I think) many years ago and just about died of boredom.

Anyway, this is much better than I anticipated. Marantz Cohen writes engagingly and her work has some keen insights. There were a couple of small problems with her knowledge of JtR, but nothing that can't be attributed to artistic license. It's an interesting, well-crafted novel. For a while, I thought she was leading her readers down a well-worn path, but she has a nice little detour at the end that leads to a very satisfying denouement.

If you're looking for a way to spend a pleasant afternoon or two over the next couple of weeks, you might want to pick this up.

[Adam Went]

Gone very old school at the moment and am perusing Dickens' "The Uncommercial Traveller" collection of stories....very fascinating stuff, though a little hard to take in at times if you haven't been to or seen the places he's talking about as they were 150 odd years ago.

Frederick Forsyth got me hooked on "ODESSA File" so "Day Of The Jackal" is waiting in the wings too....chewing through the classics at the moment...

Cheers,
Adam.

[robhouse]

I have been reading Ian McEwan: The Cement Garden, Black Dogs and I just finished Atonement. Next will be The Comfort of Strangers or perhaps short stories of Edith Wharton.

RH

[mariab]

I've seen the movies for both The cement garden (by Andrew Birkin, starring his niece Charlotte Gainsbourg) and for The comfort of strangers (playing in Venice, with Christopher Walken and Natasha Richardson).

[kensei]

I've seen the movies for both The cement garden (by Andrew Birkin, starring his niece Charlotte Gainsbourg) and for The comfort of strangers (playing in Venice, with Christopher Walken and Natasha Richardson).

I'm a big Christopher Walken fan and was collecting his movies for a while. Oh my god, was he ever bizarre and creepy in "The Comfort of Strangers." Yikes.

[mariab]

I'm a big Christopher Walken fan and was collecting his movies for a while. Oh my god, was he ever bizarre and creepy in "The Comfort of Strangers." Yikes.

Hey, me too. Seriously like this guy. Liked him even in that silly Bond movie (A view to a kill). Maybe his best was The deer hunter. And his scene in Annie Hall is hilarious.

[kensei]

Hey, me too. Seriously like this guy. Liked him even in that silly Bond movie (A view to a kill). Maybe his best was The deer hunter. And his scene in Annie Hall is hilarious.

He won an Oscar for "The Deer Hunter!" Some other movies of his that came from books include Stephen King's "The Dead Zone," Frederick Forsyth's "The Dogs of War," and Whitley Strieber's "Communion."

[DVV]

He knows what happened to Nathalie Woods.

[mariab]

You mean, cuz of Brainstorm? (Which I haven't seen.)

He won an Oscar for "The Deer Hunter!"

Well-earned, if you ask me.

How did we move from books to movies? ;-)

[kensei]

He knows what happened to Nathalie Woods.

Everyone knows what happened to Natalie Woods- she was tipsy and fell off the boat. By the way the movie they made together, "Brainstorm," is another really good one. It's about scientists who invent a device that can record thoughts on tape for playback, and ends up recording the experience of death. Quite ironic in a sad way, as Natalie died while filming it. I think we've strayed from the topic of this thread though.

[mariab]

Everyone knows what happened to Natalie Woods- she was tipsy and fell off the boat.

Don't know, I've been tipsy in the water at night many times. It might have been suicide? (Like Druitt.)

I think we've strayed from the topic of this thread though.

A little.

[DVV]

Everyone knows what happened to Natalie Woods.

You sure ?

You seem unaware of the recent development of the case, my friend, and in any case, you can't deny that there has always been rumours and gossip, and that the case, although nothing has been proven yet, is far for having been cleared. One can't be entirely satisfied with the "official version".

[kensei]

You sure ?

You seem unaware of the recent development of the case, my friend, and in any case, you can't deny that there has always been rumours and gossip, and that the case, although nothing has been proven yet, is far for having been cleared. One can't be entirely satisfied with the "official version".

No, I'm well aware of the recent news of the case being reopened. Seems to be based on a witness hearing Natalie screaming while she was drowning. It was reported Walken has hired a lawyer even though he is not consindered a suspect. It was a tragic accident, nothing more. Let's return to the intended topic of this thread, please.

And by the way, we have erred in putting an s at the end of Natalie's name. She was Natalie Wood, not Natalie Woods.