The Border Book Club

[buffyfan145]

Kim, I finished the "Harry Potter" book/play and it's really good!!! It's worth a read if you're a fan. Really liked seeing Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the rest as adults and get to know their kids (especially Draco Malfoy's son). At times it felt like "Back to the Future" as well. Does make me wish I could see the play but maybe they'll film the production and release it on DVD in a few years or it will go on tour.

[AlreadyGone95]

Kim, I finished the "Harry Potter" book/play and it's really good!!! It's worth a read if you're a fan. Really liked seeing Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the rest as adults and get to know their kids (especially Draco Malfoy's son). At times it felt like "Back to the Future" as well. Does make me wish I could see the play but maybe they'll film the production and release it on DVD in a few years or it will go on tour.

Thanks Amanda. I checked it out of the library today. I'll try to read it over the weekend. I also checked out The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

I decided to wait to read Gone With the Wind because with college, it would take me what to long to read a book that is over 1,000 pages long.

[NightMistBlue]

Leonard Cohen's book "Stranger Music" - I know we've mentioned this before on these forums, but I couldn't find the thread again. Don Henley has recommended that songwriters check out this book, specifically page 287 - the last bit of an essay entitled “How To Speak Poetry.”

Basically, Mr. Cohen is saying to writers don't be so eager to show the audience how much you've suffered in love. Don't go big in expressing your emotions, merely state the facts.

I'm sure I need to think more/deeper on this because... I'm not sure it's all that elucidating or helpful, at least for me.

In other news, I got started on Linda Ronstadt's Simple Dreams. She's a good writer - kind of quirky though, maybe discreet or private is more apropos. There's no telling why she goes on for a paragraph of rich detail about the appearance and character of famed groupie Pamela Des Barres, while other luminaries who were colleagues and friends - we're talking legendary figures - are only mentioned in passing.

[AlreadyGone95]

I did like Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, though the play format took some getting used to.

I also read Tony Hawk's autobiography. I really enjoyed it. It's a great read for those interested in arguably the best and definitely most well-known skateboarder of all time.

I've just started reading Ripped by Shelly Dickson Carr. It's about a 21st century teenager/young woman who time travels to London, England in 1888, during Jack the Ripper's reign of terror. I'm interested in London and England during the Victorian era, and I'm intrigued by Jack the Ripper, so this should be a good read for me.

[WS82Classics]

Reading Paul Trynka's biography of Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones.

I used to try modeling my hair after his, and succeeded for a while until my bangs thinned and fell away. There are some rather disturbing tales of...excess in that book.

Another one along those same lines I strongly recommend is Tony Fletcher's "Moon: Life and Death of a Rock Star."

[NightMistBlue]

I have a biography of Brian Jones by Mandy Aftel that comes highly recommended. It's in the "To Be Read" stack o' books.

Finished the Ronstadt bio last night, ended up being very impressed with it. She writes about music intimately, if I can put it that way. People looking for a conventional autobiography may get frustrated with it, but it was a unique insight into a singer's art.

[Brooke]

I enjoyed Linda's book, too, although some of the musical bits were over my head! She's obviously a very smart and talented lady!

[NightMistBlue]

She's very intelligent, agreed.

[Delilah]

I browsed through it at B&N awhile back, but I didn't get it. I remember her recounting a time some record exec(?) tried to leave the impression with others that they spent the night together. And he was getting married that week. She certainly had to put up with some jerks.

[NightMistBlue]

Yeah, that cretin actually disrobed in her hotel room - yecch! He was an anomaly though, she seems to have gotten along with most men very well. However, that didn't include drinking with the boys, despite what Don H. said in HOTE about her being able to knock back tequila with them best of 'em. Ronstadt herself claims she's allergic to alcohol and when she drinks tequila, she skips the drunk part and goes straight to the hangover.

Next up is Judy Collins' 2000 autobiography. Despite her delicate appearance, apparently she *was* the kind of gal who could drink anyone under the table.