Joe December 17, 2014 Share December 17, 2014 This thread is for tracking down things you've read, but can no longer identify. I have two: the first one is a time travel and/or alternate universe series. Possibly involving a war/cold war between our universe and another one. I only remember one scene. The character, who joined the time police from our universe, goes into an alternate world where the culture is more Celtic than our own. He gets in a car with a woman native to that world, who drives. The car has gas lamp headlights, rather than electric. There are no rules about which side of the road to drive on, and they nearly have an accident with another car when leaving a bridge. No supernatural happenings as far as I can remember. I might have muddled this up. I read this back either late 80s or early 90s. Could date back a while before then. The second one I probably read this year. It's just one scene involving an early feminist and a stuffy old man. The man asks her if she's about to do a stypically male activity, I can't remember what. The woman says that she's going to do something else. He says he thought feminism was all about women doing male activities. She says it's about women doing whatever sort of activities she wants. He finally understands what it's all about, and I think she rides away on a motorbike. Nice bit of writing, but probably not something I would have come up with. Either of these ring a bell? What are you searching for yourself? Link to comment
halgia January 2, 2015 Share January 2, 2015 I don't know either of these, but this subreddit might have more eyes if you really want to know. For the scifi one, you could also ask with the [story-identification] tag on scifi.stackexchange. Link to comment
Crs97 June 20, 2015 Share June 20, 2015 I know this will be harder than a needle in a haystack, but it's worth a shot. When I was in 4th grade (many, many decades ago), I remember reading a book I loved. The author's last name would be very early in the alphabet (probably A, but maybe B or C). I remember there was a love story, and a cute scene in which the girl announced their engagement to a roomful of visitors, but it was before she had told him yes so she got embarrassed and was trying to avoid him throughout the party. I also remember the final scene. A couple had disinherited her because she married. They left her $1 and she threw the coin in a field and asked her children to find the treasure. They all returned with flowers or descriptions of butterflies and such so she knew her husband and she were raising them correctly. Does anyone have a guess as to the title? Link to comment
ZuluQueenOfDwarves November 6, 2015 Share November 6, 2015 I read a book as a little girl that featured a group of fourth or fifth graders in inner city New York. The protagonist was a girl who loses her popularity when she befriends a shy new boy named Amir. His is the only name I remember, except a group of sisters nicknamed the Nit Nowns. Their names were Pauline, Paulette, Charlene, Charlotte, and Claudette. Bugged me to no end that there wasn't a sixth sister named Claudine. Anyone know of it? Link to comment
MeloraH November 6, 2015 Share November 6, 2015 If you google all the names and Nit Nowns a book called The Gift-Giver by Joyce Hansen comes up on Google books. Link to comment
auntlada November 10, 2015 Share November 10, 2015 In about 1982-83, a friend introduced me to science fiction when he gave me a book about people who had been infected by some kind of bug or parasite that ate a hole in them. The people didn't die, but they walked around with big holes in their middles. As long as the bug thing in the hole lived, they lived. If the hole collapsed for any reason, they died, so they couldn't take the parasites/bugs out. I know it's not a good explanation, but it's all I can remember. The cover had a picture of somebody with a hole in the middle of his torso. You could see all the way through it. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone? At the time, I thought it was a good book, but I was pretty young and had never read science fiction really, so it may or may not have been actually good. Link to comment
proserpina65 November 10, 2015 Share November 10, 2015 About a month or so ago, I read a contemporary British police procedural whose title and author have somehow managed to leak out of my brain. The author was female, and the main character was a female detective investigating the discovery of the body of a young woman who'd been buried alive. I don't remember the character's name, but she was divorced (I think) and had an autistic son whose name may have been Peter. The novel I read was the second in the series, and I'd like to read the first one if I could figure out the author. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment
auntlada November 11, 2015 Share November 11, 2015 No Place to Die? http://www.amazon.com/No-Place-Die-Lockyer-Novels/dp/1250046084/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447200998&sr=8-1&keywords=No+place+to+die Link to comment
glowlights November 11, 2015 Share November 11, 2015 Here's one: Pretty sure this was published in the 90s. Nonfiction account of "nice" middle-class suburban kids in Southern California who ended up kidnapping someone's sibling (I believe it was to scare him or her over a drug debt? or to impress a drug dealer maybe?) and unfortunately the abductee ended up dying, which was not their plan. IIRC they used a van to transport the victim. The kids tried to cover it up, but of course things fell apart. Format was large trade paper. I think the cover was black with some white and red print. The author was a woman. Help? Link to comment
MargeGunderson November 12, 2015 Share November 12, 2015 Here's one: Pretty sure this was published in the 90s. Nonfiction account of "nice" middle-class suburban kids in Southern California who ended up kidnapping someone's sibling (I believe it was to scare him or her over a drug debt? or to impress a drug dealer maybe?) and unfortunately the abductee ended up dying, which was not their plan. IIRC they used a van to transport the victim. The kids tried to cover it up, but of course things fell apart. Format was large trade paper. I think the cover was black with some white and red print. The author was a woman. Help? Was the victim Nicholas Markowitz? (Sorry, can't link to the Wikipedia entry on my iPad). The details sound the same, but it was in 2000. Link to comment
proserpina65 November 12, 2015 Share November 12, 2015 No Place to Die? http://www.amazon.com/No-Place-Die-Lockyer-Novels/dp/1250046084/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447200998&sr=8-1&keywords=No+place+to+die That's it! Thank you so much!!! Funny thing is, I had a feeling her name was Clare, and sort of remembered something along the lines of Donohue (without the g) but was trying to put a "Mc" in front of it. Link to comment
glowlights November 12, 2015 Share November 12, 2015 Was the victim Nicholas Markowitz? (Sorry, can't link to the Wikipedia entry on my iPad). The details sound the same, but it was in 2000. Hi Marge (god how i love your username), I looked at Nicholas's entry and some of the details are very similar. I may have conflated two different stories, because in the one I recall the victim died accidentally from being tied up and left in the van. Thank you for the lead! Link to comment
Readalot December 5, 2015 Share December 5, 2015 This is a series of lawyer/suspense books. The protagonist is a lawyer in San Diego (last book I read his office was in Coronado) and he had a scruffy investigator (Harry, they all seem to be named Harry to me). I don't remember if he was in a relationship or not. One of the novels was a Haliburton type scandal. Another series I actually figured out and forgot the author again. Cop turned lawyer based in the SF Bay Area. He owns a bar. I think he was married with twins. One of the novels focused on his wife and her jury duty? Any help would be appreciated, thanks so much. Link to comment
Mick Lady December 23, 2015 Share December 23, 2015 I'd love it if you guys could find this one for me! I read it as a child, and it was old then. I'm in my fifties now. The book was about three children, siblings, whom I believe lived in Italy. They turned into swans when a church bell rang in town (I think, it's a foggy memory!) I adored this book as a child, and have been searching for it for decades! I'd love to track this one down, I'd pay almost anything for a copy! Link to comment
auntlada December 23, 2015 Share December 23, 2015 I'd love it if you guys could find this one for me! I read it as a child, and it was old then. I'm in my fifties now. The book was about three children, siblings, whom I believe lived in Italy. They turned into swans when a church bell rang in town (I think, it's a foggy memory!) I adored this book as a child, and have been searching for it for decades! I'd love to track this one down, I'd pay almost anything for a copy! The Swans of Ballycastle by Walter Hackett? It is set in Ireland, though. It is a retelling of the Irish legend The Children of Lir. 2 Link to comment
Mick Lady December 24, 2015 Share December 24, 2015 The Swans of Ballycastle by Walter Hackett? It is set in Ireland, though. It is a retelling of the Irish legend The Children of Lir. Oh my God auntlada , that's it! I can't tell you how grateful I am, you've made me so happy! Thank you, thank you! What I great Christmas gift you've given me! I'm ordering it now! I've searched for years for this book. I'm so excited!! 3 Link to comment
auntlada December 30, 2015 Share December 30, 2015 This is a series of lawyer/suspense books. The protagonist is a lawyer in San Diego (last book I read his office was in Coronado) and he had a scruffy investigator (Harry, they all seem to be named Harry to me). I don't remember if he was in a relationship or not. One of the novels was a Haliburton type scandal. The Paul Madriani series by Steve Martini? Another series I actually figured out and forgot the author again. Cop turned lawyer based in the SF Bay Area. He owns a bar. I think he was married with twins. One of the novels focused on his wife and her jury duty? Any help would be appreciated, thanks so much. It sounds like John Lescroart's Dismas Hardy series. In about 1982-83, a friend introduced me to science fiction when he gave me a book about people who had been infected by some kind of bug or parasite that ate a hole in them. The people didn't die, but they walked around with big holes in their middles. As long as the bug thing in the hole lived, they lived. If the hole collapsed for any reason, they died, so they couldn't take the parasites/bugs out. I know it's not a good explanation, but it's all I can remember. The cover had a picture of somebody with a hole in the middle of his torso. You could see all the way through it. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone? At the time, I thought it was a good book, but I was pretty young and had never read science fiction really, so it may or may not have been actually good. I'm guessing no one know this one with this little information. I wish I knew where the friend who loaned it to me is now, but we lost touch years ago. Link to comment
Readalot January 3, 2016 Share January 3, 2016 The Paul Madriani series by Steve Martini? It sounds like John Lescroart's Dismas Hardy series. I'm guessing no one know this one with this little information. I wish I knew where the friend who loaned it to me is now, but we lost touch years ago. auntlada, yea! Thank you so much, those are it! I got a B/N gift card for Christmas. I know what books I'm buying now! You are the best. Link to comment
SmithW6079 February 20, 2016 Share February 20, 2016 I pride myself on my research skills, but I can't think where to start with this one. It's a sci-fi/fantasy short story, but one of the early examples, before sci-fi was called sci-fi, so probably written in the 19th century. People live in pods or honeycomb-shaped cells. They can order everything they need sent to their cells, and watch entertainment on screens. The hero is a young man who grows tired of this life, so he plans to escape and experience life for real. His mother (in another cell) tries to talk him out of it. I thought the author was Edgar Allan Poe, but it's not. I think I read the story in an anthology of early science fiction. Link to comment
auntlada February 21, 2016 Share February 21, 2016 I pride myself on my research skills, but I can't think where to start with this one. It's a sci-fi/fantasy short story, but one of the early examples, before sci-fi was called sci-fi, so probably written in the 19th century. People live in pods or honeycomb-shaped cells. They can order everything they need sent to their cells, and watch entertainment on screens. The hero is a young man who grows tired of this life, so he plans to escape and experience life for real. His mother (in another cell) tries to talk him out of it. I thought the author was Edgar Allan Poe, but it's not. I think I read the story in an anthology of early science fiction. "The Machine Stops" by E.M. Forster, perhaps? 1 Link to comment
SmithW6079 February 21, 2016 Share February 21, 2016 (edited) "The Machine Stops" by E.M. Forster, perhaps?Yes! That's it! Thank you!Here's the story: http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/prajlich/forster.html Edited February 21, 2016 by SmithW6079 Link to comment
Queena May 2, 2016 Share May 2, 2016 I'm looking for 2 books. One is about a military kid, who gets pregnant. Her dad makes her have an abortion, and she runs away from home and becomes a model and muse for a Andy Whorl type of guy. She gets hooked on drugs. She then meets a doctor, who helps her recover, and he's an alcoholic. They start a rehab called Oasis for women. They admit celebrities, and tell some of their stories. The second book reminds me of I know What You did Last Summer. It's about a group of friends in a small California town who accidentally kill a classmate who was trying to rape one of their friends on graduation night. They agree to never talk about it, and go their separate ways. One becomes a talk show host, another a model, and one stays in their hometown my, and becomes a doctor. Years later, someone starts blackmailing the doctor. So, she calls everyone home, and kills the guy blackmailing her, and kills herself. I've been looking for these books for years. I hope that someone can help. Link to comment
MeloraH May 5, 2016 Share May 5, 2016 Ok, it's one I read in probably 4th or 5th grade so like pre-YA. It's about two kids, a girl and a guy, in a kind of elite high school band/orchestra. There's a Stradivarius violin, a plot to steal it, and a bomb (which kind of freaked me out at the time) possibly in a trombone case. I think there was a trombone on the cover... I've tried various combinations of googling and came up with nothing. Link to comment
Athena May 5, 2016 Share May 5, 2016 Hey everybody. If you are still stumped by a book and can't find the answer to it, I recommend the What's the Name of That Book? group on GoodReads. It has thousands of members and many of which are very knowledgeable about book titles. Good luck! 2 Link to comment
mredlich21 July 20, 2016 Share July 20, 2016 On 5/4/2016 at 10:14 PM, MeloraH said: Ok, it's one I read in probably 4th or 5th grade so like pre-YA. It's about two kids, a girl and a guy, in a kind of elite high school band/orchestra. There's a Stradivarius violin, a plot to steal it, and a bomb (which kind of freaked me out at the time) possibly in a trombone case. I think there was a trombone on the cover... I've tried various combinations of googling and came up with nothing. I think this might be the Sizzle and Splat books by Ronald Kidd? I also read and loved them in 4th grade! Link to comment
MeloraH July 21, 2016 Share July 21, 2016 5 hours ago, mredlich21 said: I think this might be the Sizzle and Splat books by Ronald Kidd? I also read and loved them in 4th grade! You're right! Second Fiddle. No wonder it was so hard to google, out of print and no description on Amazon or Goodreads. And apparently it was a tuba, not a trombone, with fish coming out of it... Link to comment
NewDigs July 21, 2016 Share July 21, 2016 20 hours ago, MeloraH said: You're right! Second Fiddle. No wonder it was so hard to google, out of print and no description on Amazon or Goodreads. And apparently it was a tuba, not a trombone, with fish coming out of it... Add the word "sizzle" to your "Second Fiddle" search and you're good to go! Link to comment
Scatterbrained July 22, 2016 Share July 22, 2016 Back when I was getting my degree in visual impairment instruction, I had to translate a Brailled excerpt from a book. I have no idea of the genre or anything. What I remember was someone piloting a plane, talking about Africa, and a sibling. It was a beautifully written passage and I would love to read the book if anyone can figure it out. Link to comment
NewDigs July 22, 2016 Share July 22, 2016 21 minutes ago, Scatterbrained said: Back when I was getting my degree in visual impairment instruction, I had to translate a Brailled excerpt from a book. I have no idea of the genre or anything. What I remember was someone piloting a plane, talking about Africa, and a sibling. It was a beautifully written passage and I would love to read the book if anyone can figure it out. West with the Night? Link to comment
MeloraH July 22, 2016 Share July 22, 2016 4 hours ago, NewDigs said: Add the word "sizzle" to your "Second Fiddle" search and you're good to go! Oh, I meant from before I knew the title. Various combinations of Stradivarius, YA, Trombone (should have been tuba), and Bomb weren't getting me anywhere... Link to comment
Scatterbrained July 22, 2016 Share July 22, 2016 5 hours ago, NewDigs said: West with the Night? Thank you. I'll check it out and see if it's the one. Link to comment
NewDigs July 22, 2016 Share July 22, 2016 7 hours ago, MeloraH said: Oh, I meant from before I knew the title. Various combinations of Stradivarius, YA, Trombone (should have been tuba), and Bomb weren't getting me anywhere... Ah, sorry, misunderstood. Kinda' thought that was too easy! 1 Link to comment
NewDigs July 22, 2016 Share July 22, 2016 7 hours ago, Scatterbrained said: Thank you. I'll check it out and see if it's the one. Thought of another it could be but not sure about the sibling reference. Wind, Sand and Stars. Link to comment
DBarg May 6, 2018 Share May 6, 2018 Does anyone know what book this is that Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls is reading? Thanks! Link to comment
Bunty May 6, 2018 Share May 6, 2018 This blog has a listing of books by season and she says she is Quote reading all books referenced on Gilmore girls http://www.blackwhitereadbooks.com/the-official-list Link to comment
Minneapple May 7, 2018 Share May 7, 2018 (edited) That's a scene from the pilot (can you tell I've watched every Gilmore Girls ep a thousand times). In the pilot she references reading Huckleberry Finn and Moby Dick; I also remember a Madame Bovary reference. Maybe one of those? Edited May 7, 2018 by Minneapple Link to comment
DBarg July 22, 2018 Share July 22, 2018 (edited) I was watching a rerun of The Golden Girls Triple Play and saw this book that Blanche is reading. Does anyone recognize the cover? It looks like it might be a romance. Does anyone recognize it? Edited July 22, 2018 by DBarg Link to comment
StatisticalOutlier August 27, 2018 Share August 27, 2018 I always assumed this was in Bonfire of the Vanities, but I made Mr. Outlier read it recently and it's not in there! It might have been about the same time, though (1980s-90s). What I'm remembering is a description of how $1 million income isn't enough to be wealthy in New York City. It described and added up various expenses, and what I remember most is about having a car--you have to have a car because you're rich, but you always have to hire one anyway. Like if you're going to a party at a friend's apartment, rich people don't walk, so you need to arrive in a car, but you can't use your own car because there won't be any place to park it when you get there. And you can't use a taxi because that's not what wealthy people would do. So even though you spend a sizable amount of money to maintain and garage a car, you still end up hiring one in most circumstances. 1 Link to comment
Minneapple August 27, 2018 Share August 27, 2018 I recently read Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett, a YA novel about former best friends making their way through the California wilderness, and it reminded me of another book I read many years ago about a couple of teenagers who dislike each other, stuck together while making their way through the California wilderness. The books are pretty similar, except in the book I read many years ago the guy and the girl were never friends to start with, and it was much more early '90s friendly, i.e. they didn't have sex. I remember little details about the book, like it was raining, the girl's jeans were eternally wet and there was a pair of hanging binoculars...somewhere. Also she was clueless about camping and had brought along some toilet paper but they couldn't use it to start a fire because she didn't wrap it in plastic. I know, weird that I remember little details like that but can't remember the title of the book or the author! Anyway, it's been driving me crazy since I read Starry Eyes, so I'd be eternally grateful if anyone could help me out. Link to comment
die Frau September 1, 2018 Share September 1, 2018 I sometimes checked out Christian books from the library that tended to be part of a series. A couple of different ones have crossed my mind for whatever reason. They are likely from the 1990s. -a bland, nice girl and her friends had a "book club" at their high school. It was really more of a youth group, but calling it a book club was a way to get it approved by the school. Some popular girl was interested in the bland girl's boy friend who was also a member of the book club so she wanted to join. They were reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis and the popular girl sneered over the name of the character "Wormwood." That is all I remember of this book. -for all I know this was the same book, or it at least had a somewhat similar conflict. A bland, nice girl and her friends go to a Christian camp. A popular girl comes along. I don't know if she first pretended to be nice to the other girls or not. I remember the girls receiving some kind of beaded necklaces and the popular girl really wanted one. They had some special reason for getting them, but I don't remember what. Anyway, the popular girl (gasp) lied in order to get her necklace. This was found out about and she was confronted and I think acted similar to Suzanne Hanlon in the Sweet Valley High books. Does anybody know what these (?) are? Link to comment
Starleigh July 16, 2019 Share July 16, 2019 On 6/20/2015 at 2:31 PM, Crs97 said: I know this will be harder than a needle in a haystack, but it's worth a shot. When I was in 4th grade (many, many decades ago), I remember reading a book I loved. The author's last name would be very early in the alphabet (probably A, but maybe B or C). I remember there was a love story, and a cute scene in which the girl announced their engagement to a roomful of visitors, but it was before she had told him yes so she got embarrassed and was trying to avoid him throughout the party. I also remember the final scene. A couple had disinherited her because she married. They left her $1 and she threw the coin in a field and asked her children to find the treasure. They all returned with flowers or descriptions of butterflies and such so she knew her husband and she were raising them correctly. Does anyone have a guess as to the title? This is a few years late, but the last book you describe is by Bess Streeter Aldrich. I don't recall the title but it's the sequel to A Lantern in Her Hand. Link to comment
Crs97 July 16, 2019 Share July 16, 2019 I just requested it from the library to see if it is the book I remember. Thanks so much!!! Link to comment
SusieQ July 16, 2019 Share July 16, 2019 10 hours ago, Starleigh said: This is a few years late, but the last book you describe is by Bess Streeter Aldrich. I don't recall the title but it's the sequel to A Lantern in Her Hand. I didn't realize there was a sequel to ALiHH. I read A Lantern when I was in 4th grade, too.Bought it from the book club (and I wasn't able to buy many book, alas) and I still have it somewhere. I still remember them living in a sod house, lots of natural disasters, etc. Crs97 please let me know if the sequel is worth reading. Oh, and what's the name? 4 hours ago, Crs97 said: I just requested it from the library to see if it is the book I remember. Thanks so much!!! Please see my post above. I put it in the wrong box. Link to comment
Starleigh July 16, 2019 Share July 16, 2019 Just looked it up, I think it's A White Bird Flying. The main character is Abbie Deal's grandaughter, but I don't remember her name. It's been a several years since I last read it. Hope it's as good as you remember! Link to comment
ilovethedark July 19, 2019 Share July 19, 2019 For some reason I remembered a book I read in 6th/7th grade in mid-90’s about a high school girl whose sister ran away from home. She had a younger brother who was a “goody-goody”. Her mom was seeing psychics to find older sister and dad was a workaholic. There was a scene of the main character trying a White Russian and her freaking out when an older boy wanted to have sex at a party. She lied to her parents about going to the party. Somehow they find out her mom slaps her and calls her deceitful. Main character decides to runaway as well. She goes to the beach with some friends before checking out. Mom “knows” main character is planning on doing something and follows main character to beach. Main character gets caught in rip tide and mom saves her. At the end of book big sister sent a letter saying running away sucks. Does anyone remember this one? I can’t find it on Goodreads. I went to public school so I don’t think this would be a religious book. I don’t remember a lot of religious stuff in it, but I read this almost 20 years ago. Link to comment
Snow Apple July 20, 2019 Share July 20, 2019 I'm looking for a YA book I read between 1985 and 1988. It was about a teen girl and I think she lives with her single dad. One day, a construction project started across the street(?) from her neighborhood. The workers are from the local jail or juvy hall on work program. The girl and one of the young workers fall for each other. Of course dad doesn't approve. The girl ask her wise best friend to help them. I remember the friend saying "You two think you're Romeo and Juliet. I guess that makes me Friar Lawrence." I think the title had "Autumn" or " Summer" or both in it. Link to comment
Crs97 July 24, 2019 Share July 24, 2019 Starleigh, if you were here I would give you the biggest hug! It is indeed A White Bird Flying! I don’t know why that final scene has been running through my thoughts, but it has and I am so happy to read it again in detail. Now I will have a trip down memory lane while I reread the two. Happy tears, and many thanks! 2 Link to comment
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