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Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 5:27 am
by 2BassetMom
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the posts in this subject. I love my kindle because I can adjust the print! Showing my age here. I was just on Amazon looking for kindle books along the line of Maeve Binchey. I like her books particularly when I need a comfort read. Any suggestions?

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 7:13 am
by Yankiwi
I haven't read Maeve Binchey (maybe it's time I should) but just finished The American Girl by Rachael English, an Irish writer. The story starts in Boston in 1968 when an Irish American girl gets pregnant and is sent by her parents to Ireland to one of those horrible baby places where the girls are slaves and the babies adopted out shortly after birth. After the baby girl has grown up she searches for her birth mother with twists and turns everywhere. It takes place in small town Ireland and Boston. Chick lit but excellent.

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 4:00 pm
by Polar Bear
I just love Maeve Binchey books and have read all of them. If you like MB you might also like Sheila Flanagan, Cecilia Ahern, Marian Keyes.

those horrible baby places where the girls are slaves and the babies adopted out shortly after birth.

These would have been the Magdalene Asylums here in Ireland, the last of which only closed in 1996.
A good book/movie is The Magdalene Sisters.

A little more gritty - you could try Roddy Doyle books. His first three novels, The Commitments (1987), The Snapper (1990) and The Van (1991) comprise The Barrytown Trilogy (Barrytown is an area in Dublin), a trilogy centred on the Rabbitte family. All three novels were made into successful films. Set in Dublin they are quite earthy, strong in language, and are pretty funny in places.

This link is from the movie of The Commitments. Andrew Strong singing Mustang Sally. It still makes the hair stand on the back of my neck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5TQtREyhSM

This link is Andrew Strong singing Try a Little Tenderness, also from the movie of the book. And Yep, the hair is still standing on the back of my neck at this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzc-bLsmMxg

Can you tell -- I am such a fan of The Commitments music... from the film... of the book.

Also quite gritty but excellent is Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt.
It tells the story of Frank McCourt and his childhood after his family are forced to move from the United States back to Ireland because of financial difficulties and family problems caused by his father's alcoholism and how Frank tries to make his way back to America, the land of his dreams.

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:32 pm
by 2BassetMom
I knew I would get some good responses from this group! Thanks! I will follow up on all suggestions. Betty, it is good to find another MB fan. Just love her books. I recently read a series by Mary J. MacLeod. Her first book Call the Nurse is excellent. The series takes place on a Scottish isle. My mom's parents came over from Scotland and I love that place. Plan a visit to Ireland as soon as we can afford it. Happy reading all!

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 7:44 am
by Polar Bear
As the crow flies we are only about 12 miles from Scotland with a 2 hour ferry, and 100 miles from Dublin. Most of us here on the east coast are of Ulster Scots heritage and a stranger can find it difficult to tell a N.Irish and Scottish accent apart. Whereas locally we can tell if you come from 10 miles north or 10 miles south of our little town.

I hope you enjoy some of the books mentioned.

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 8:47 pm
by debbluebird
Would love to come and visit you Betty and see the area.

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 1:00 pm
by Polar Bear
You'd be most welcome.
This is practically on my doorstep

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=dunlu ... 0kLJiUHW-M:

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2018 6:48 am
by ViewsAskew
Hubbie and I were saying the other day that if all goes well here in LA for the year and he can continue working remotely, maybe we would spend a year in far flung places, such as somewhere in the UK, or in Australia, New Zealand, or maybe Spain. Seems a good thing to do!

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2018 8:35 am
by Polar Bear
Ann, I spent a year in Barcelona - 1974. I tell anyone heading in that direction not to miss going to see the Monserrat Benedictine Monastery just north of Barcelona and one hour by train. Quite a hair-raising journey by car up the side of the mountain though perhaps it has more now in the way of health and safety. To hear the Monks sing/chant is such a joy. One of the oldest choirs in Europe.

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 12:02 am
by ViewsAskew
Polar Bear wrote:Ann, I spent a year in Barcelona - 1974. I tell anyone heading in that direction not to miss going to see the Monserrat Benedictine Monastery just north of Barcelona and one hour by train. Quite a hair-raising journey by car up the side of the mountain though perhaps it has more now in the way of health and safety. To hear the Monks sing/chant is such a joy. One of the oldest choirs in Europe.


Sounds wonderful!

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 5:12 am
by Yankiwi
Betty, I love the Commitments too. The movie was great and I could watch it again. I liked Angela's Ashes until the end when McCourt was such an unsympathetic character.
Not a book, but two of my favourite series on Netflix are Longmire about a modern but old fashioned sheriff in the still wild west which ran for six seasons and Shetland, a detective series in, well, Shetland. I wish that one had been longer but I did need to turn subtitles on.

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 8:56 am
by Polar Bear
Yankkiwi - We are presently watching a new series of Shetland on regular tv - no subtitles needed :)

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2018 4:07 pm
by Rustsmith
Yankiwi, I loved Longmire. During two summers while I was in college, I worked for a number of weeks in a town in Wyoming that could easily have been the setting for the story. Dealing with a number of the locals back then made the story especially believable for me and also took me back to a particularly happy time in my life because I had just gotten engaged.

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2018 1:21 am
by Yankiwi
Betty, I look forward to seeing the new Shetland series when it gets to Netflix—but I'll still need the subtititles!
Steve, with your history Longmire would have been extra terrific for you. It has been ranked one of the most popular TV series, it's easy to see why.

Re: Whacha readin?

Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2018 12:09 am
by 2BassetMom
So glad that Shetland has a new series! My husband and I loved watching it. I don't need subtitles because I grew up listening to my Grandpa Frickleton talking. He came over to the US when he was 19. He kept his brogue until he died at age 88.