Nov 7, 2010

The Sunday Salon: Speed Reading


The Sunday Salon.com
I've been perfecting my speed reading and went through two thick historical novels, getting the meat of the stories and liking them both as well.

Lady of the Butterflies
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Lady of the Butterflies by Foina Mountain, July 15, 2010, tells the true story of Eleanor Glanville, a 17th-century naturalist whose lifelong interest in studying butterflies was thought to be so unnatural for a woman, she was thought to be mad. Afer her husband dies of the "ague," she marries his best friend but also develops a close professional relationship with a young scientist who also studies butterflies. In later years her son unsuccessfully tried to have he put away for insanity, so that he might seize her property and drain the boggy, marshy fens on her lands for profit.  It is unknown what happened late in her life or where she is buried, but the novel supplies a plausible answer and an escape for Eleanor.

Cloud Mountain

Cloud Mountain by Aimee Lui, Oct. 1, 1998, is based on the life of the author's grandparents, a Chinese student and an American woman who met in California in the early 1900s. The story follows their marriage, her grandfather's return to China with his American wife, and the turbulent history of China undergoing revolution, invasion, war. A page and a half at the end of the novel helped me with the historical events and their dates. A good book for understanding Chinese history from the overthrow of the Ching dynasty to the uneasy years when China tried to establish itself as a Republic. It's also a love story.


Finger Lickin' Fifteen (Stephanie Plum, #15)
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I am listening to the audio book of Janet Evanovich's Finger Lickin' Fifteen (Stephanie Plum Novels), a mystery series which is fun as always in spite of the same characters, situations, slapstick humor which hasn't varied much from No. 1 to the present 15.  I wonder if No. 16 will be much different!  Great to listen to though.


I have more books and audio books in my handy dandy red book bag, which I filled up at the library last week. Getting back into reading after my eye surgery, successful so far by the way, and perfecting my speed reading.  Thanks for all the kind words re my eye surgery everyone :)



Almost forgot- I wrote the first 5 days of NaNoWriMo and rested on the 6th day. Today is the 7th day, so I I had better get back to it! Even if I don't finish 50,000 words by the end of the month, I will at least have started a fictionalized memoir.

What have you read/done this past week?

8 comments:

  1. i love the sound of lady of the butterflies. i'm reading all russian books right now and have been working my way through a stack of them. fun :)

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  2. These sounds like interesting books. I need to learn more about speed reading, it would come in handy. Glad all is going well with your surgery. Good luck with your writing.

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

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  3. I like historical fiction about China or Chinese Americans, so Cloud Mountain really appeals to me.

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  4. The Insane Train sounds intriguing...also, I loved Finger Lickin' Fifteen...so far, I've only read three books by this author, but I have another on my stacks.

    Congrats on NaNoWriMo...I haven't discovered you yet, but probably because I don't know your user name!

    I'm just Laurel-Rain Snow.

    Click on my name for my Sunday Salon post....

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  5. I'm looking for some good books, so thank you for these recommendations. I'm very intrigued by the Lady of the Butterflies based on your description. Enjoy your Sunday.

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  6. I always laugh my way through Evanovich's books too. Even though they're very similar, they're lots of fun :)

    I'm working my way at nano too! It's been a busy weekend! :)

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  7. Wow, you got so much done and you are writing as well, that is great. i hope you have a good week ahead.

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  8. hello there thanks for your grat post, as usual ((o:

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