Do you think books are still popular/will they remain popular?

**McJag** · February 5th, 2010, 04:31 PM

Originally Posted by kingcap72

Another Patterson fan. Cool. I thought Cmmdee, and I were the only ones. Hopefully, he'll keep churning out more books before he ages too fast.

What Patterson books have you read, McJag? I still think his best book so far is Jack & Jill.

Oooo-loved Jack & Jill. I have read just about all-love the Alex Cross ones and the Women's Murder Club. I am one of the few who liked Alex Cross's Trial. Did you read that? About his grandfather-not him. But good,I thought. You cannot go wrong with him. One of my cousins refuses to read his-too scary!

**Novice** · February 5th, 2010, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by GaPeach

Harris has 10 Sookie Stackhouse books, I'm on the 7th, so far it's still interesting.

There are 9 in the series, the 10th is released in May 2010. There are various short stories around some of which have Sookie in them, but thats not the same imo.

Originally Posted by Grimmlok

1) people who don't read should be put down

2) people who read garbage like romance novels or The Da Vinci Code should join them because, frankly, that isn't literature. It's shit smeared on paper.

I disagree. My nephew hates to read, but loves to fix stuff, so I get him instruction manuals & he devours them. If kids/people/whatever get into reading "garbage" it can be the gateway they need to read "literature" but really, who has the time to read that stuff all the time? I know that I read a mixture of all sorts.

I dunno if its to do with being dyslexic, but in the last few yrs I've read less hard copies & more on screen - its really degraded my reading skills and vicariously my writing skills. It came as a bit of a shock, so I've made a concerted effort to get back into books & both my reading & concentration skills have improved again. I'd hate to have to read everything electronically....

**kingcap72** · February 5th, 2010, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by McJag

Oooo-loved Jack & Jill. I have read just about all-love the Alex Cross ones and the Women's Murder Club. I am one of the few who liked Alex Cross's Trial. Did you read that? About his grandfather-not him. But good,I thought. You cannot go wrong with him. One of my cousins refuses to read his-too scary!

I've read most of the Alex Cross books, but there are a few that I haven't read like Alex Cross' Trial. Hmm, sounds good. I'll have to check it out. The only Women's Murder Club Book I read was '7th Heaven.' That one was good, too.

He's got a new character Michael Bennett that he introduced in 'Step on a Crack,' and then he continues with Bennett in 'Run for Your Life.' I think Bennett is in the same league with Cross.

Patterson branched out into science fiction and fantasy books, too. He's got a series of books on a character called Daniel X, which is like a sci-fi/crime drama. And he's got another book about witches and wizards.

**McJag** · February 5th, 2010, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by kingcap72

I've read most of the Alex Cross books, but there are a few that I haven't read like Alex Cross' Trial. Hmm, sounds good. I'll have to check it out. The only Women's Murder Club Book I read was '7th Heaven.' That one was good, too.

He's got a new character Michael Bennett that he introduced in 'Step on a Crack,' and then he continues with Bennett in 'Run for Your Life.' I think Bennett is in the same league with Cross.

Patterson branched out into science fiction and fantasy books, too. He's got a series of books on a character called Daniel X, which is like a sci-fi/crime drama. And he's got another book about witches and wizards.

I do not like science fiction. Too off the charts!
The Trial book takes place long ago in a small town in Mississippi. I am from just such a town, so I don't know how much that influenced me. He got the right feel,though. I could hear the crickets. It is more heartbreaking-no real mystery. Suspense,though.

**kingcap72** · February 5th, 2010, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by McJag

I do not like science fiction. Too off the charts!
The Trial book takes place long ago in a small town in Mississippi. I am from just such a town, so I don't know how much that influenced me. He got the right feel,though. I could hear the crickets. It is more heartbreaking-no real mystery. Suspense,though.

Sounds really good. I love the South, so that should be interesting. Either 'Trial' or the new Alex Cross book will be the next Patterson book I read after I'm done with Run For Your Life.

**Just Kill Me** · February 5th, 2010, 06:02 PM

I was offered a kindle as an xmas gift and I just could not say yes to it. It's just not the same.

**GaPeach** · February 5th, 2010, 08:10 PM

[quote=Novice;2035286]There are 9 in the series, the 10th is released in May 2010. quote]

um no....
Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead to the World
Dead as a Doornail
Definately Dead
Alltogether Dead
From Dead to Worse
Dead and Gone
A Touch of Dead - only in hardback I have all ten books, none are short stories.

Those who feel romance novels are degrading I have to snicker because what was Frankenstein, Moll Flanders, anything by Jane Austen, Charles Dickens - even F. Scott Fitzgerald threw in some romance - the Scarlet Letter... to many to even name but they all was based on romance.

Reading romance, even paranormal romance is like watching a chick flick, it's something I like to do once in a while. I like historical romance most of them are well researched period pieces.

Kingcap for the most part the hubby is a good guy but while he's way supportive of her planning job he never thought writing was a way to earn a living. btw she writes literary fiction and is a big fan of Jodi Picoult... not me though.

My favorite John Grisham book is The Testament

**NVash** · February 6th, 2010, 12:42 AM

Maybe Grimm meant those cheap dime store romance books that can be found in the store with the fancy covers of a man and a woman overlooking a sunset whilst the man cops a feel. You know, the ones that arent really romance so much as cheap porn but prefer to be called romance novels?

**Novice** · February 6th, 2010, 07:11 AM

A Touch of Dead is a collection of short stories from Charlaine Harris's series The Southern Vampire Mysteries. This title was released on October 6th, 2009. This book only contains the short stories Harris has published in which Sookie Stackhouse is present.[1] A Touch of Dead

**Ravenna** · February 6th, 2010, 08:09 AM

Originally Posted by NVash

Maybe Grimm meant those cheap dime store romance books that can be found in the store with the fancy covers of a man and a woman overlooking a sunset whilst the man cops a feel. You know, the ones that arent really romance so much as cheap porn but prefer to be called romance novels?

Yes, I assume he meant Harlequin 'porn for housewives' type books. But I doubt even the people who read that mistake it for real literature.

**buttmunch** · February 6th, 2010, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by Novice

A Touch of Dead is a collection of short stories from Charlaine Harris's series The Southern Vampire Mysteries. This title was released on October 6th, 2009. This book only contains the short stories Harris has published in which Sookie Stackhouse is present.[1] A Touch of Dead

Hmm...I wondering why there aren't more short story collections, given the lack of attention span around us. I love short stories but don't see enough around anymore.

**McJag** · February 6th, 2010, 08:37 AM

I don't like short stories. I get annoyed that they end so quickly.

**GaPeach** · February 6th, 2010, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by Novice

A Touch of Dead is a collection of short stories from Charlaine Harris's series The Southern Vampire Mysteries. This title was released on October 6th, 2009. This book only contains the short stories Harris has published in which Sookie Stackhouse is present.[1] A Touch of Dead

I stand corrected, I should have read the cover before I bought the thing - same thing happened to the Anita Blake series - it turned to porn and I was stuck with 2 books I knew I would never read.

Originally Posted by Ravenna

Yes, I assume he meant Harlequin 'porn for housewives' type books. But I doubt even the people who read that mistake it for real literature.

Don't tell Julie Garwood or Nora Roberts.
Then again don't tell Jane Austen either because her books were considered scandalous romance novels. If we are going to judge which books are for the "intelligent" crowd what do we say to the millions of adults who faithfully read the Harry Potter series?

I'm sorry I'm not a book snob, if someone likes it then fine by me. But I'm like that about most things. If some over stressed housewife finds some happiness in reading a Harlequin then good.. my mom liked the ones about indians, when her sister passed away she left about four huge boxes filled with the things, when my mom passed I guess she had just as many.

I go through phases of what sort of reading material I like. Right now it's vampire romance, a few months ago I was into the Tutors, before that I was reading about Mormon polygamy (the 19th Other Wife) I have worn out my James Herriot series as well as my James Michener books, I don't believe in hunting but I love the humor of Patrick McMannis so I have all his books. I'm into true crime so I have quite a few John Douglas profiling books. I have quite a few fluff books - Hollywood celebs like Shirley Temple, Drew Barrymore, Judy Garland.... so on. Or what ever hobby I'm working on at the moment.

I'm reminded of a line in Pride and Prejudice where Lizzy says "I deserve no such praise or censure" I don't only read romance but I don't find them degrading either.

Like most people my age my family bought a set of encyclopedias and along with them came 20 books filled with the classics, read them all... don't remember most of them.

**GaPeach** · February 6th, 2010, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by McJag

I don't like short stories. I get annoyed that they end so quickly.

try The Awakening by Kate Chopin

**buttmunch** · February 6th, 2010, 10:46 AM

Try the Kugelmass Episode, the Lottery or Children on their Birthdays. Those are three absolutely fantastic short stories, all very different from one another but each worthy of a read.