Member: girlfromshangrila

Thought I'd try you again, Sweetie. Hope everything is okay.

- Joe

posted by jnwelch at 12:40 pm (EST) on Apr 13, 2012

Hi, Sweetie. I hope things are going well for you. Happy New Year!

It may not be your cup of tea, but I have a discussion thread going that you're welcome to visit: http://www.librarything.com/topic/130532 If not, no worries. I look forward to seeing you on LT when you get back.

Best wishes - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 9:41 am (EST) on Jan 14, 2012

Everything okay, Sweetie? Haven't seen any posts from you in ages!

I hope all is well and you're having a good holiday season.

Best wishes - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 3:24 pm (EST) on Dec 20, 2011

Hi, Girl from Shangrila,

I read José Rafael Pocaterra's "The Letter I" in a bi-lingual collection of Venezuelan Short Stories.

It was very evocative. I am always aware when reading a translation that I will not get the full impact of the author, but I must say this story was very good. It filled my mind with images of the scenes and I could see the characters and, in the case of the teacher, the pain. The story brought to life the feelings of the community as well as those of the main character. "Well done!" to the translator.

Thank you for the pointer. I will continue my exploration of South American literature and will keep a keen eye out for Venezuelan stories in particular.

By the way, I discovered a copy of Borge "Fictions" in the house. One of my daughters had it.

I hope you're keeping well.

Peter

posted by pgmcc at 6:22 am (EST) on Nov 29, 2011

Thanks, Sweetie. I'll look forward to hearing from you when time permits.

Best - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 12:19 pm (EST) on Nov 23, 2011

Thanks for the article, Sweetie! It's filled with ones that are new to me, so I'll look into them. I had ordered Blood Red Road and Crossed at the library, and Blood Red Road has come in, so I'm looking forward to reading it based on your enthusiastic endorsement!

Thanks also for your patience on my slow response to your last message. It's been crazy busy at work with a client coming into town and representatives from a company it's in a dispute with. The opening of the new underground library was good fun - it's run by the daughter of a friend of mine, and she had a great turnout. Her landlord is a kind, giving person who loves the arts (a big exception to the usual stereotype) and actually donated $30,000 (!) in work on the space to improve it and make it workable for the library. Really interesting crowd at the opening, including a musician/theater producer who's currently putting on a one-man show based on the Afghanistan War written by a veteran/former cop.

I've picked up A Sense of an Ending, but it may get pushed back for a bit. I've been wanting to read Sherman Alexie's The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven for quite a while, so I think I'm going to read that one first.

Norwegian Wood or Sputnik Sweetheart? They're both good, and neither is long. Norwegian Wood is simpler and more straightforward, and was a huge hit in Japan. I think it's Murakami's first, or at least his first to hit it big. (There are two early novels he won't allow to be translated into English, if I remember correctly - he doesn't like them). Norwegian Wood is about a young college student learning about love, and it has an appealing sweetness. Sputnik Sweetheart is a little more complex and has some of the dreamy, surreal elements of the later books. I like it better for that reason. There's a sad undertone, but it's a beautiful book.

I hope that helps. I've liked every one of his books for different reasons, so to me you can't go wrong with him.

Best - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 12:43 pm (EST) on Nov 18, 2011

P.S. Sweetie, if you haven't read Murakami before (I don't see him in your library), you might want to start with a shorter one, like After the Quake (short stories) or Kafka on the Shore. Just a thought - 1Q84 is over 900 pages, and you might want to find out first whether you like his style.

posted by jnwelch at 5:42 pm (EST) on Nov 10, 2011

"The Maze Runner promised so much!" Exactly. That was such a different and interesting book. How disappointing that he flubbed it in the books after that. Sounds like he may have rushed to publish TDC, to its detriment. It's hard to wait for the new ones in a series, but I'd rather wait than have this happen.

By the way, I've been meaning to remember to say your English is unbelievably good! I would never know it's a second language. Very impressive. And that you read so much in English - wow. I can limp along a bit in Spanish, but nothing anywhere close to what you do.

This weekend: a friend's daughter is opening an "underground library" of Chicago materials that get ignored by regular libraries - pamphlets, chapbooks, political posters, etc. - and we're going to the opening celebration tomorrow night. On Sunday we're having friends over for veggie chili and other good food, as we start to get into the cold months here.

As I probably mentioned, I'm reading two mysteries right now, but I can't really explain how odd it feels after being in Murakami's world for a pretty solid ten days. I expected my mind to be ready for a lighter, less challenging change of pace, but instead the mysteries seem a bit light and not quite good enough or quite complicated enough! I may have to pick up something a little more challenging - I'm thinking about that Julian Barnes Booker Prize winner. Interesting how much I miss being in that world Murakami created.

How about you? Any plans for the weekend?

- Joe

posted by jnwelch at 4:28 pm (EST) on Nov 10, 2011

Hi, Gfsl,

Since I last wrote to you I have mangaged to acquire "The Burning Plain" and "Venezuelan Short Stories" in English. I have also discovered that my daughter has a copy of "Collected Fictions" by Jorge Luis Borges. :-)

Of course, I haven't had the chance to read them yet. :-(

I hope you're keeping well.

Regards,

Peter

posted by pgmcc at 11:55 am (EST) on Nov 10, 2011

Hi, Sweetie.

Yes, you were missed! I figured you were on a vacation somewhere or otherwise tied up.

I loved 1Q84, and just finished it this morning, before the work day started. This is what I wrote in the What Are You Reading group:

"I just finished 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. I want to go somewhere with my wife and watch the moon! Unusual book (of course) and romantic. There are things going on in the visual presentation (backwards title and numbers on alternate pages, for example) that I think are meant to convey, at least in part, the feeling of alternate worlds, alternate lives. (Alice through the looking glass?) It was an immersive experience. I was with Aomame, Tengo, and the others for quite a while. Really well done. Kafka on the Shore and The Windup Bird Chronicle will probably continue to top my list of his books, but this was pretty darn close."

It's matter of fact, laced with the surreal and dreamlike, like his books usually are. I just eat them up, and this was no exception.

I haven't read The Death Cure, and have seen some frustrated comments on LT about it. It looked like you didn't enjoy it much either. One I'm thinking about reading, along with Blood Red Road, is The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, set in London. It sounds good. I've also got the first in a mystery series from the library that I'm going to try, recommended by another LTer.

I look forward to hearing how Blood Red Road turns out for you. Anything else good you're reading?

- Joe

posted by jnwelch at 4:53 pm (EST) on Nov 9, 2011

Hi, Sweetie.

Hope you're having a good weekend.

I had to put aside Steinbeck's Ghost. While the sentiments were excellent, it was boring the cr-p out of me! I switched to a graphic version of The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum. I loved the Oz books as a kid and collected the whole series (there are a surprising lot of them).

My main book right now is 1Q84, the new Haruki Murakami. I'm a big fan - among other things, his use of surreal and dreamlike story elements really appeals to me. In this one we already seemed to have slipped into a mysterious parallel world.

Best - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 1:23 pm (EST) on Oct 29, 2011

Hi, Girl from Shangri-la,

I am now the proud owner of a red dot on Hawaii. :-)

I said I was working on it.

Confession time: My daughter is there on holiday visiting a friend from college who is working there.

Peter

posted by pgmcc at 10:15 am (EST) on Oct 25, 2011

Girl from Shangri-la,

I have a little time to think: Here is a partial response. Let me know if I am going the wrong way with the recommendations.

I also noticed that I was comparing individuals I knew to characters in One Hundred Years of Solitude; especially when I knew people whose family still had two or three generations living in the area and when I learned of the history of their relationships. Some very sad, and some very romantic.

By the way, living on a small island off the west coast of Europe means I know a fair bit about endless rain. We don’t have tropical downpours (too often) but we do have relentless sheets of rain wafting in from the Atlantic Ocean. It’s what makes Ireland so green. 

I like macabre stories, as you may have guessed from the contents of my library. I have a book somewhere in the house (shame on me, I don’t know exactly where it is) containing South American “dark” stories. As far as I recall it’s called “Black Water”.

South American Authors you suggested I may consider interesting:
Horacio Ouiroga:
I may have read his “The Beheaded Chicken” at one stage, but I will seek out his works.
José Rafael Pocaterra:
I have found a book of his short stories online which has both the Spanish and English text. I have ordered it. It is a collection called, “Venezuelan Short Stories”. One can’t get more straightforward than than.
It was the only English translation I could find.

Isabel Allende: I have not read any of her work yet, but I do have [Daughter of Fortune], [The House of Spirits] and [Zoro] in my mountain of books to read. She is someone I plan to read in the near futre.
Mario Vargas Llosa: His work looks interesting for a taste of politics.

Poetry: In general I don’t get very excited about poetry, but occasionally I come across a poem that moves me, so I’m not a total Philistine.

I think the translation of poetry would be a very difficult task, if not impossible to do and to convey the full meaning of the poem. Poetry appears to me to be inextricably linked to the language in which it is written. The rhyming schemes work for the original words, but a translation is not likely to have words that fit the original meter or flow. At best one is producing a new poem about the same subject.

Spanish, and Irish for that matter, have stronger and more musical sounds than English. English is a bit flat, like German, and translating a poem from Spanish into English will probably only give the reader the meaning of the poem, but not the full lyrical flow of the work.

Of course, having said all that I have now found an English translation of Pablo Neruda’s “Carnal Apple, Woman Filled, Burning Moon,” and it is quite beautiful. One might say it is full of innuendos, but I just think it is soft porn. 

Mario Orlando Hardy Hamlet Brenno Benedetti: Great name.

Jorge Luis Borges: I have read and enjoyed some of his short stories. There are a couple of books of his writings in a shop near my work and I have been tempted to buy them on more than one occasion.

Juan Rulfo: I found a reasonably priced collection of Juan Rulfo’s stories and hope to order that.

Is there a Guinness flavoured ice-cream in the three-times Guinness-certified ice-cream parlour?

Thank you for all the recommendations. As you can see I have only had time to research a few of them.
In terms of recommendations from me:
Poetry: We have Seamus Heaney. While I don’t like poetry generally I am quite fond of his work. Like Mario Vargas Llosa, Heaney is a Nobel Laureate (1995).

While you say you like the macabre I don’t see many macabre books in your LibraryThing. Only for that reason am I going to list some of the older classics. Forgive me if these are ones you are well aware of, but if by chance you are not, then they are worth reading.

H. P. Lovecraft; M. R. James; Robert Aickman.

M. R. James’s stories are full of humour as well has spooks. His stories were mostly written to be read by him to friends in his university study around Christmas time.

Lovecraft was more serious about scaring people.

Aickman was also in the business of being scary.

In terms of Irish authors we have, chronologically:

Charles Maturin, author of “Melmoth the Wanderer”

Joseph Sheridan le Fanu, author of “Carmilla”, the vampire novel that Bram Stoker said inspired him to write “Dracula”.

Of course, we also have Bram Stoker.

Many of these gothic works are available free on-line.

A couple of useful sites are:
http://www.steve-calvert.co.uk/public-domain-texts/List-of-Stories.html

http://blastr.com/2011/10/33-creepy-classic-horror.php

http://www.donaldcorrell.com/road/

Girlie books:
Cecilia Aherne has had great success with her novels. They are totally “chic-lit”. Some cynical people say that her success is due to her being the daughter of a former Prime Minister of Ireland, but that doesn’t explain why they are doing well overseas.

French author, Guy de Maupassant, is a favourite of mine. He wrote about Parisian society in the early 1900s.
I will put more recommendations together. Hopefully some of the above will be of interest.

Keep well.

Peter

posted by pgmcc at 1:09 pm (EST) on Oct 22, 2011

Wow!

Thank you for the recommendations. I look forward to exploring them.

I will take some time to absorb your message and will get back to you with some recommendations.

All the best for now.

Peter

posted by pgmcc at 12:16 pm (EST) on Oct 18, 2011

Girl from Shangri-la, I am indebted to you for ever. I now have a lovely red dot on Venezuela; a beautiful country by all accounts; home of Angel Falls if I am not mistaken.

Thank you!

And thank you for your marking my library as interesting.

I read your review of One Hundred Years of Solitude.

I really enjoyed reading that book. While I haven't reviewed it I have discussed it on line on LT somewhere. One of the things I enjoyed about it is how it describes life in a location that is cut off from other places by long distances and the actions of governments is something reported from afar and only impacts on the local community when there is a direct, local action by outsiders. It reminded me of a community I spent a lot of time with in north west Ireland. The distances were not the same as in South America, but the detachment from the capitol city was almost complete.

I saw a lot of parallels in the book with that part of Donegal (that's the name of the county in Ireland)I spent time in.

Can you recommend other South American authors that you consider interesting? Unfortunately my Spanish is not as good as your English, so I will be limited to authors who have been translated.

Thanks again, for the red dot. I will treasure it. :-)

Now to work on Hawaii; I do have plans.

posted by pgmcc at 9:42 am (EST) on Oct 18, 2011

Yes, I do recommend "When You Reach Me". It's a well-done, unusual, twisty time travel mystery. I didn't see A Wrinkle in Time in your library - not essential for reading this, but the main character is a fan and that's part of the story. It's directed to a younger group than a book like Divergent.

posted by jnwelch at 5:46 pm (EST) on Oct 6, 2011

You're in uncharted territory for me. I haven't read Scott Westerfield or Barbara Kingsolver. His just don't strike me as my cup of tea, but I've thought periodically about reading BK, since so many speak highly of her books. I'll be interested to hear what you think when you finish Poisonwood Bible.

- Joe

posted by jnwelch at 5:20 pm (EST) on Oct 6, 2011

Glad you liked it, Sweetie!

In recent reading, Cry, the Beloved Country was the one that knocked me out. Much better, and more moving, than I expected. Now I'm reading Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, which so far I'm respecting but not being moved by. The YA I'll be starting is Steinbeck's Ghost, which is supposed to be appealing to book lovers. I'll let you know!

How about you? Anything standing out lately for you?

- Joe

posted by jnwelch at 4:27 pm (EST) on Oct 5, 2011

Hi, Sweetie. I thought you'd enjoy this fun version of Pride and Prejudice for busy people; http://www.rinkworks.com/bookaminute/b/austen.pride.shtml .

I get a kick out of this site!

Best wishes - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 3:35 pm (EST) on Oct 5, 2011

In case you miss my post in Talk, I have an ARC of Across the Universe that I'd be happy to send to you. I liked it, but I have limited shelf space and it isn't a book I need to own.

posted by bluesalamanders at 9:04 pm (EST) on Sep 22, 2011

Thanks, Sweetie. Yes, I agree it's "a fine balance." One worth pursuing, for sure.

It makes me think of the public school teens in a program my wife heads up. It teaches them creative writing and performance poetry skills - known as "slam poetry" around here. But it also teaches them to behave professionally, so that they'll be welcomed and invited back, and eventually even make some money doing it. The freshness and wide open view is needed for the creativity and assists the performance, but they also need to be able to behave maturely, to travel well in an adult world.

It's hard to be wide open, because someone can smack you right between the eyes. But if you spend your life crouched over and protecting yourself, you're going to miss living.

So I think we all have to learn some form of martial arts. :-) Wide open and perceptive, able to take effective action, dignified and mature, and also able to protect ourselves. How about that?

Marcelo the martial artist? - well, maybe his own form. :-) He certainly is "centered", and has great integrity.

posted by jnwelch at 12:17 pm (EST) on Sep 20, 2011

Well put! I'll mull some more and get back to you tomorrow. It's time for me to pack up and go home!

posted by jnwelch at 6:18 pm (EST) on Sep 19, 2011

Hah! Not too long at all, Sweetie. I agree with you. Getting involved with the characters, and great, quotable lines, are probably common to all the books I really love like this one. I'm intrigued by your point about childishness - I consider an open, child-like perspective as a positive when it comes to creative thinking, appreciating art, relating to people without bias, but then there's a negative side when I have to try to get folks who are behaving in a childish, self-centered way without concern for the perspectives of others, rather than being an "adult", to come to their senses.

That warrants some more thinking! Seems like the people I enjoy most keep that positive part without getting too caught up in the narrow-minded negative part. Marcelo was one of those people I enjoy.

- Joe

posted by jnwelch at 5:54 pm (EST) on Sep 19, 2011

Thanks for your note, or "more jabberin'", as LT is telling me today. :-) Arr, I be likin' what these wretches be servin' us today, as scurvy a lot as they are!

I agree with your point, for sure, that the world be a nicer (and better) place if we could keep a fresh perspective and not get "de-sensitized by the rules of the real world", as you say. That's one of the things I enjoy most about Marcelo, his fresh perspective of a child while taking intelligent actions in an adult world. A part of my job is to get people here to "play nice" together, and I have to keep in mind both the disparate backgrounds they bring to being here, and the need for me not to pre-judge based on "the rules of the real world". And that childish behavior never really disappears for a lot of people. :-)

One favorite part with Marcelo for me is simply his idiosyncrasies, e.g. the internal music, the conferences with the rabbi, the treehouse, and how he deals with them in the new world he's in that's not used to such things. Another is a concept I'm very familiar with as a parent - he doesn't want to leave the nest (it's comfortable there!), but his father knows that, as hard as it will be, Marcelo needs to do this. He can't grow up, become an adult, without it. That is, IF Marcelo can hang in there, and not fall apart. Marcelo's determination takes care of that last part, as his father probably knew it would.

Finally, I'm a sucker for romance, and I liked that part a lot, as he learns what it's all about. Reminded me a bit of that movie "Big", where a 12 year old boy magically becomes a (Tom Hanks) adult, and brings that fresh, child-like perspective to the adult world, including romance.

- Joe

posted by jnwelch at 3:13 pm (EST) on Sep 19, 2011

Hi, Sweetie. Nothing better than reading great books and having fun on LT! I'm happy you enjoyed Marcelo in the Real World. Bravery is always relative, and Marcelo was one brave guy, wasn't he?

Hope you're having a good weekend!

- Joe

posted by jnwelch at 10:34 am (EST) on Sep 17, 2011

LOL! You cracked me up, Sweetie, with the AC set to "Preserve Thanksgiving turkey". I know how that is. Becca has been known to cover herself with blankets because of how low we keep our AC.

I'm so glad you liked Divergent! Like you, I think she's got a bit of metaphor or fable going there to get us thinking about our different tendencies and their effect. But mostly it's a corking good story, as a friend would say. I'm looking forward to the next one.

I did read "Pillars of the Earth", and I enjoyed it. I keep thinking of reading the next one, "World Without End", but it's doorstop size and hasn't gotten the same kudos. I'll let you know about The Time Traveler's Guide. So far it's scholarly and thorough, but also quite readable. Such a different life. By the end of the century they had half the population in England that they had at the beginning, due to the plague. Just imagining London with only 40,000 people boggles my mind.

Have a great weekend!

- Joe

posted by jnwelch at 4:33 pm (EST) on Aug 26, 2011

Hah! Thanks for the note, Sweetie. Fickle and frivolous - I think not! I wish there was some way to get tone into our posts and comments. I goof up all the time, and accept it as my adding to life's entertainment. :-) I would never think of you as fickle or frivolous or anything but a wonderful, nice person filled with contagious enthusiasm about books.

We've lucked out here with the weather (yes, I'm knocking on wood). While earthquakes and hurricanes happen elsewhere in the country, we're having one of our best Augusts ever with moderate temperatures, not much humidity, and a lot of sun and blue skies. Right now I'm looking out of my office window at a beautiful blue Lake Michigan dotted with sailboats.

These days I'm reading an unusual one, "The Time Traveler's Guide to Medieval England", in part because the 14th century fascinates me and I like the "you are there" approach of this book. The YA one I'm reading is "Heart of a Samurai", which I believe won some kind of Newberry. For my birthday I was given the "Annotated Persuasion", so I have some fun Jane reading ahead of me. I really enjoyed the "Annotated Pride and Prejudice", and look forward to this one.

Although you've probably had enough buckets of rain by now, I'm glad you're not experiencing anything more worrisome. Cheers, and I look forward to more shared fun on Librarything.

- Joe

posted by jnwelch at 7:09 pm (EST) on Aug 25, 2011

Hi, Sweetie. I posted on an old thread for YA - yesterday?, and you graciously let me know. I just saw your post in What are you reading YA lit for July and thought I'd do the same. More importantly, I'm glad you're loving Divergent! It's a grabber, isn't it? And Tris is a special character.

Best wishes - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 5:27 pm (EST) on Aug 25, 2011

I saw you read the maze runner, one of my personal favorites!! Have you read the other books in the series??

posted by mrmcfluff at 11:00 am (EST) on Jul 31, 2011

Being a Jane Austen fan absolutely qualifies you for reading Heyer! I think you'll really enjoy them.

Take care,
Donna

posted by millhold at 11:07 am (EST) on Jun 30, 2011

I would start out with Frederica. It is one of my favorites, and has many moments of just lalugh out loud funny stuff in it.

If you aren't used to reading books with language patterns different from modern ones, it might take a bit of getting used to, but it's entirely worth sticking with it.

posted by millhold at 10:33 am (EST) on Jun 24, 2011

I've already read several other books, since I finished that one--I'm a very fast reader, and I don't watch television. Right now, I'm reading Penhallow by Georgette Heyer. It's a re-read for me, but I haven't read it in probably 15 years. I love Heyer's books, except for the truly historical ones, which can be very tedious.

posted by millhold at 4:28 pm (EST) on Jun 22, 2011

Crossroads Road was very funny for the first half, sort of funny for the next fourth, and a little disappointing for the rest of it. It was almost as though he just got tired of writing the story; but the way it ended could also leave the way open for a sequel.

posted by millhold at 12:44 pm (EST) on Jun 21, 2011

No, I snagged those photos from the internet. The only ones I took were of myself and my cat. My camera skills leave much to be desired!

posted by millhold at 10:24 am (EST) on Jun 16, 2011

[Crossroads Roads] is soooo funny. I read half of it last night, and was laughing out loud all the time. I should be able to finish it tonight. Can't wait.

posted by millhold at 2:52 pm (EST) on Jun 15, 2011

I LOVE John Green :) He was my favourite author for a long time... My favourite is Looking For Alaska, as I think I've mentioned.
My favourite YA series EVER is House of Night... Don't judge me for that lol... I just can't get enough of the whole Vampyre idea ('cept for I kinda hate Twilight... when I first read it I liked it, but it got boring quick...)
Um, I really like the book I'm reading currently. But I can't remember the name! I can't even remember the main character's real name, although I think it starts with 'Raz'.... grrrrr it has to do with vampyres also, and there's a character named Sarah. Other than that, I'm totally mind-blanking... grrrrr

posted by TooBrightToShine at 6:49 pm (EST) on Jun 14, 2011

For the Dumb/Dork/Awkwardness (which I keep thinking says 'awards' O.o) thing, I got, like, 98%, and I got 0% for math.... I found the nerd test on someone elses profile, and was lmao at my results...

posted by TooBrightToShine at 5:46 pm (EST) on Jun 10, 2011

I'm a bumbling idiot. "Semi-Charmed Life" is Third Eye Blind, not Three Doors Down! LOL!

posted by ThrillerFan at 3:58 pm (EST) on May 24, 2011

The fact that they are retro Nintiesish is actually funny. I turned 36 earlier this month. What does that mark me as being in college? 90s! 1993 to 1997 specifically, so right smack dab in the middle.

The way you are with the Backstreet Boys is how I am with Avril Lavigne. 27 when she first came out in 2002. Still putting everything she releases onto my MP3 player, which now stands at 4 albums, and something like 50 or so tracks out of 214 currently on there being Avril Lavigne.

What is below is not an absolute limit on what I listen to from the 90s. It's just what's currently on my MP3 player. The rest is 2000 to today.

As for 90s songs on my MP3 player (There's a few I need to add now that I think about it, i.e. Dreams - Cranberries), and you probably know all of these, and for those you don't that possibly have weird titles (i.e. Good Riddance, or Hey Leonardo) look up the lyrics, you probably have it mistitled (i.e. "The Time of Your Life" or "She Likes Me For Me", the "wrong" titles for the 2 mentioned before):

3am - Matchbox 20
All For You - Sister Hazel
All Star - Smashmouth
Big Mistake - Natalie Imbruglia (I have her first album, but not every song on my MP3, only my favorites)
Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve
Black Balloon - Goo Goo Dolls
Broadway - Goo Goo Dolls
Counting Blue Cars - Dishwalla
December - Collective Soul
Dizzy - Goo Goo Dolls
Don't Speak - No Doubt
Don't You Think? - Natalie Imbuglia
Every Morning - Sugar Ray
Excuse Me Mr. - No Doubt
Fly - Sugar Ray
Follow You Down - Gin Blossoms
Good Riddance - Green Day
Head Over Feet - Alanis Morissette
Hey Leonardo - Blessid Union of Souls
How Bizarre - OMC
I Need To Know - Marc Anthony
Inside Out - Eve 6
Iris - Goo Goo Dolls
Ironic - Alanis Morissette
Just a Girl - No Doubt
Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down
Livin' La Vida Loca - Ricky Martin
Mouth - Merril Bainbridge
Name - Goo Goo Dolls
New - No Doubt
Out Of My Head - Fastball
Push - Matchbox 20
Roll To Me - Del Amitri
Semi-Charmed Life - Three Doors Down
Slide - Goo Goo Dolls
Smooth - Santana featuring Rob Thomas
Someday - Sugar Ray
Spiderwebs - No Doubt
Sunday Morning - No Doubt
The Middle - Jimmy Eat World (I think that's 90s)
The Way - Fastball
The World I Know - Collective Soul
Torn - Natalie Imbruglia
Two Princes - Spin Doctors (Oldest song on my MP3 player)
Walkin' On The Sun - Smashmouth
When I Come Around - Green Day
You Learn - Alanis Morissette
You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette

posted by ThrillerFan at 3:54 pm (EST) on May 24, 2011

Ummmm, I really loved it, but it has an incredibly sad ending. When I first read it, it was one of my favourite YA books. Could you maybe tell me a few of your favourite books, and what kind of books you like? That would help me a lot for giving you book recommendations.... ;)
Thanks, by the way! I really worked hard on Spanish, starting it in sixth grade! I love the language, and am (mostly) fluent! (I actually, like, completed the class in ninth grade, and am now taking French, which is quite similar)...

posted by TooBrightToShine at 6:23 pm (EST) on May 23, 2011

(couldn't remember library or bookstore... I'll have to look em up...)

posted by TooBrightToShine at 5:23 pm (EST) on May 18, 2011

Seré diecisiete en junio, tan... :)

Algunos de mis autores predilectos serían: ¡John Green (si usted no ha leído 'Buscando Alaska' ....get a un library/bookstore!!! : P), Lauren Oliver, JK Rowling (ejemplar anormal de Harry Potter :P), y quienquiera que escribe la Casa de la serie de la Noche (probablemente mi serie predilecta :)

Mucha mi familia es española, y adoro francés (Son bastante semejantes, tan. ..)

Whoohoo, I wrote it all in Spanish! XD (I'm not used to typing Spanish, so... :P) Round of applause, blah blah blah :P

Did I get it all right? In other words: Is it understandable?? :)

posted by TooBrightToShine at 5:23 pm (EST) on May 18, 2011

I'll have to research "Counting Down the Days". I won't "buy" the album as I don't buy albums any more. I use Rhapsdy (or however you spell it).

Not sure how you define being "in the music industry".

I listen to a lot of Top 40 (whether that's top 40 of today, or top 40 of the previous 20 years).

I remember some stuff from the 80s, heard a few items from the 60s and 70s via suffering having to listen in the car to what my parents listed to, for example:

"Hello yeah, it's been a while, not much, how 'bout you. I don't know why I called, I guess I really just wanted to talk to you. And I was thinking maybe later on, we could get together for a while. It's been such a long time, and I really do miss your smile. I'm not talking 'bout moving in, and I don't want to change your life. But there's a warm wind blowing, the stars are out, and I'd really love to see you tonight"

BLAH!!! (Sorry if it's your all time favorite! :-))

However, I do not play any instruments or anything like that. I tried to play guitar for about a year when I was 11 or so and found it boring. I played the piano 2nd half of Junior year and all of Senior year of Highschool, but gave it up when I went to college. Did Barry Manilow's "Mandy" the first recital, and Sheena Easton's "For Your Eyes Only" the second one. I'm merely a listener.

In terms of what's out there today that I listen to, if it gives you a feel of what stations I have on, Sick Puppies (Maybe), Shinedown (Second Chance), Avril Lavigne (What the Hell), P!nk (Raise Your Glass), Orianthi (According to You), Lady Gaga (Bad Romance, Just Dance, Pokerface, etc.), Lady Antebellum (Need You Now), Owl City (Fireflies), etc.

Don't know if you have XM Radio (station isn't featured on Sirius), but the station I tend to listen to is XM 12 (Used to be Mix XM 22 until they changed the stations on May 4th). Others I listen to are the Pulse (XM 10), Pop 2k (Very Occasionally, XM 14), and sports stations, like XM 89 (MLB) and XM 183-189 (Live feed of MLB games, National League, 176 thru 182 cover American Leagues games).

Well, back to doing work. Hope your day is going well.

posted by ThrillerFan at 12:41 pm (EST) on May 18, 2011

Hey, what's your first language? (I read your profile... lol, now I sound like a stalker :P) I can speak French and Spanish, but English is my first language...

posted by TooBrightToShine at 1:29 pm (EST) on May 17, 2011

Oh,I'm planning on reading them,I didn't have the chance so far...Actually,I can't decide whether read them in English or in my mother language,Romanian.What do you think,could the translation ruin all the charm of the composition?

posted by wholiviapart at 3:56 pm (EST) on Feb 21, 2011

Good. Nothing interesting. Sleep. Wake up. Sleep some more. Some stuff in between.

You?

posted by one-horse.library at 6:03 pm (EST) on Feb 18, 2011

check this out! It is quite possibly the supplest translation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's visionary masterpiece into the interactive visual medium. Damn. Watch out for last box car in The Valley of Ashes.

posted by one-horse.library at 1:53 am (EST) on Feb 18, 2011

It's between Twisted and Wintergirls. I loved both of them so much. She's such an amazing author.

posted by LauraAshlee at 9:01 pm (EST) on Jan 7, 2011

Hey, Sweetie. I hope things are going well for you. I thought this thread might interest you: http://www.librarything.com/topic/102235#2329831

Best - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 9:50 am (EST) on Nov 30, 2010

About On My Way to Paradise: Still thinking about it? Would it help any if I said that it was one of the most important and moving books I've ever read? Seriously, if you ever come upon it, pick it up like a miner coming upon a gold vein. It's been out of print since forever.

posted by one-horse.library at 6:52 pm (EST) on Nov 16, 2010

Oh. There must be dozens of messages in the Welcome thread. I'm surprised you even noticed me.
What should I call you? Girl from Shangri-la is a bit long to address you by every time. :)
Yeah, I'm enjoying it. Definitely taking advantage of the other activities/facilities on LT besides adding books to the library. I'll need a lot more time to explore the rest of the site though. How long have you been active on LT?

posted by testdummy at 12:13 pm (EST) on Nov 15, 2010

Argentina! Yes, excellent writers, excellent musicians, excellent (and also awful) movies. Mi pelicula favorita es Caballos Salvajes. Andres Calamaro/Astor Piazola did the soundtrack, and it reminds me of my father. I have to start reading more en Espanol. I sort of let it slide over the summer, but I can't wait until I can read it without my "training wheels," ie an English translation nearby.

La chicas en la escuela charlan sobre los chicos siempre! I understand that much of the gossip. Y la cuestion mas popular is "Tienes chicle?" It's so much easier to read Spanish than write or speak it. Are you a native speaker, or are you a transplanted English speaker?

Hasta luego!
Katie

posted by cammykitty at 8:00 pm (EST) on Sep 22, 2010

Hi there! Sorry I haven't responded sooner. Oh dear, it sounds like Tess of the d'Urbervilles is one of those depressing books! I will gird my loins and wade into it one of these days when I'm feeling brave. Thanks for your thoughts on the adaptations. Justine Waddell is a wonderful actress. Have you ever seen her in the BBC miniseries of Elizabeth Gaskell's novel Wives & Daughters? It's excellent! (The book's wonderful too :))

I agree, Emma gets the short end of the stick when it comes to Austen fans! I love her because she makes mistakes but she is willing to go through the painful process of changing. A lot of people never do get to that point.

Oh my, you have so much fun in store with Heyer! It's important to start with the right one. I started with the wrong one and was put off for quite awhile. I kept seeing Heyer's name on people's favorites list, though, and finally asked a fan here on LT if there was a better novel to start with than the one I did (Lady of Quality). She gave me some titles and I fell completely in love. I would recommend Cotillion or Friday's Child as your first Heyer read... and if you can get them on audiobook you won't regret it! But they're brilliant in print too. Heyer is known for her witty dialogue, memorable characters, Regency slang, and amazing historical accuracy. Let me know when you pick one up — I would love to hear your thoughts!

posted by wisewoman at 4:46 pm (EST) on Sep 22, 2010

Hi, I just sent you a friend req because of your post on Speak. I work in a Middle School with special ed kids, and the girls love that book! I'm also learning Spanish, & have watched a ton of South American movies, & Spanish ones, and Mexican ones, and a few Cuban ones too. I know enough Spanish to bust the kids when they're swearing, but not enough to eavesdrop on all the juicy gossip. ;) I also write YA fantasy.

Talk to you later,
Katie

posted by cammykitty at 7:28 pm (EST) on Sep 21, 2010

Hi, Sweetie. I agree with you completely. The man's an idiot! I'm on overload at work, but will try to join the thread later today.

Best wishes - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 9:20 am (EST) on Sep 21, 2010

Wow, you're reading my reviews? Such dedication! I know they're long and rambly sometimes, so kudos! Glad you are enjoying them.

Hardy didn't actually make me mad; once I realized what he was like I sort of just smiled at him and rolled my eyes whenever his misogyny showed. I think my dissonance with his work is related to other things too, such as his bleak outlook on life and God. He is a good writer, but there's no hope in his books and his characters are hard to like. I haven't read Tess of the d'Urbervilles yet but we have the movie version with Justine Waddell. I'm sort of putting off watching it because I've heard it's so sad. Is that true? Have you seen that adaptation, by chance?

Yep, I Capture the Castle was a disappointment. Too bad though; Smith can write. I want to read her 101 Dalmatians. I grew up on the Disney cartoon and it will be nice to read the original work (I didn't even know there was a book until recently!).

Oh, it's so hard to pick a favorite of Austen's novels! Somehow I grew up without ever hearing of her books, and I noticed her name coming up again and again on people's favorites lists on another site a couple years ago. So when I saw a one-volume edition of her works for 30 cents at a booksale, I snapped it up... and read it straight through in two weeks. Oh my goodness was that wonderful. Sense & Sensibility will always have a special place in my heart because it was the first I read, and I just loved it to pieces. I really love Pride & Prejudice though; it's probably the one I reread the most. Persuasion is also lovely. Really all of them are brilliant and I enjoy each so much. I'm slowly rereading and reviewing each one, and eventually I want to write a massive essay on why Austen is so important and post it as my review of that one-volume edition I have. Someday...

While we're on the topic of Austen, have you ever read anything by Georgette Heyer? She has some brilliant Regency stories that are the next best thing to Austen :D

posted by wisewoman at 10:01 am (EST) on Sep 10, 2010

Thanks for the interesting library add! May I ask how you bumped into me? I'm always curious :)

posted by wisewoman at 12:01 pm (EST) on Sep 8, 2010

I don't know what to tell you about One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I couldn't read Dick and Jane in any language but English, so I have no idea whether or not Kesey's writing would be beyond you. I think you could understand it fine. Yes it's extremely depressing and also misogynistic, you know there's the good ol' boy Randle McMurphy and the frigid, uptight mommy figure Nurse Ratched. It has a lot to say about fighting against authority in general, and that's worth reading. As is always said about misogynists, he was a product of his time. Too bad he couldn't have used that great imagination to imagine equality.

posted by Citizenjoyce at 11:56 pm (EST) on Sep 1, 2010

Hi. Just wanted to apologize and let you know I haven't forgotten you. Have lots to say re: nature (our last conversation), but (1) I hate these tiny clumsy keyboards on phones & (2) really have to go. Will get back to you as soon as I get back.

posted by one-horse.library at 3:01 pm (EST) on Sep 1, 2010

I don't think it's snobbish to detest the Twilight Series. It romanticizes depression "Oh how beautiful that she'll die without her Edward". Get the girl some medication and a good dose of psychotherapy! It also shows a complete disregard of self to be an admirable virtue. "No, no, please don't give me presents or positive comments. I live only to serve." Now, while that might be an admirable quality in a robot, it lowers women to the level of slavery. There's a site I visited once entitled "Momma, don't let your daughters grow up to read Twilight." Yes indeed.

posted by Citizenjoyce at 6:06 pm (EST) on Aug 31, 2010

As I recall the writing was OK. I have to admit I review on emotion, not technique. If I hate all the characters in a book it's likely I won't like the book, not matter how well written, thus poor reviews for A Confederacy of Dunces and Brideshead Revisited.

I was just talking to the 12 year old girl next door about the Twilight Series. She can't understand why I so hate the series. I told her it was because Stephanie Meyers seems to hate women as judged by the horrible examples in her books. She says there's nothing wrong with Bella, she's just too nice. I'm not much in favor of banning books, but I'd be willing to start a small pyre for selected ones.

posted by Citizenjoyce at 5:01 pm (EST) on Aug 31, 2010

"I'm a mytical creature and I'm cool" hype = zero. Is that little enough? lol

In my opinion it's about as realistic as you can get, considering the subject matter. It's not your typical werewolf story. Actually, I haven't read a bunch of werewolf books but have seen some B movies, or parts of them, on late-night television years ago so am basing the previous sentence on those. As I stated, my daughter and I didn't much care for the ending, but otherwise thought it was a nice little read.

If you decide to read it, I'd like to know how you would have liked for it to end. Thanks.

Cheers!

Lettie

posted by Boobalack at 7:37 pm (EST) on Aug 6, 2010

Hi!

It has been over twenty years since I read I Capture the Castle, so I remember very few details. I agree very much with your assessment of the story. The opening scene was very memorable for me, and really caught my attention. I enjoyed reading most of the book, and became immersed in Cassandra's world, then near the end I just felt really let down. I felt like I was reading a wonderful family story, and it turned into a failed romance. But I'm always biased towards Happily Ever Afters. The fact that the book left such a strong impression on me for so many years attests to the overall quality of the writing. When I find my copy, I'd like to read it again, just to see what I think now.

As to dissing popular books, remember--you're talking to someone who recommended skipping the first ten chapters of Jane Eyre. I'm a philistine.

Sylvia

posted by SylviaC at 11:10 pm (EST) on Jul 28, 2010

Hi! Quick drop-in.

First, thanks.

And, great choice on On My Way to Paradise.

Later,
:D

posted by one-horse.library at 3:58 pm (EST) on Jul 20, 2010

Hey, Sweetie. Glad the Scarlet Pimpernel sounded good.

The 3 classics: Jane Eyre is a romantic story in which Jane, an orphan, overcomes difficulties, becomes a governess, and experiences a famous romance. It's one of Becca's "favorite books ever", and one you're likely to enjoy.

Vanity Fair features penniless and understandably scheming Becky Sharp, and her friend the more conventional, well-to-do Amelia. It's a terrific book, and Becky Sharp is a character for the ages, but you may need to come upon it at the right time. I understand your annoyance at Thackeray.

Middlemarch might be a "come upon it at the right time" book, too. George Eliot is an amazing writer, and Silas Marner is good (and shorter!) and definitely worth reading, but I'd take Middlemarch over it. Middlemarch deals in part with how oppressive bad marriages can be, but one key character gets free of that. It's one of those books where you get immersed in its world, which is true of the other two books, too. Some find its tone downbeat, but I got quite caught up in it.

If the Scarlet Pimpernel sounds good to you, then you might also like Alexander Dumas's books like The Three Musketeers and the Count of Monte Cristo. Heroic and fun. I'm sure Becca would recommend them.

Anyway, I hope this is helpful. Wonderful to see your enthusiasm for good books!

- Joe

posted by jnwelch at 7:13 pm (EST) on Jun 9, 2010

Just read your Confessions of a JAA review, sweetie, and you put it beautifully.

Best wishes - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 3:38 pm (EST) on Jun 8, 2010

Sorry! I didn't mean to make it sound like you weren't taking your own earthquake seriously enough. I knew that you were referring to the story as opposed to the event. What I meant to convey was that I found that story quite as interesting as would have been one of rage induced fits of component flinging. Unfortunately, I was tried and failed to use enough words to get it right.

By the way I love the "I'm just a cheerful little person" part of your profile. Cheerful little people are what make life so fun!

Sylvia

posted by SylviaC at 12:56 pm (EST) on Jun 4, 2010

Hey, Sweetie. I just saw your reply note. So glad to hear you're enjoying Lost in Austen!

For classics, three that come to mind that you'd probably like, if you haven't read them yet, are Jane Eyre, Middlemarch, and Vanity Fair. Becca and I also liked The Scarlet Pimpernel, although it's probably more of a rousing adventure than a classic in the sense of the others.

I'm sorry to hear about the difficulty you have had getting some books. You might enjoy this website of free books that someone just mentioned on LT: http://manybooks.net/categories/

Sounds like you had a good visit - like your seeing your brother, I got to see my sisters, which is always a fun time.

- Joe

posted by jnwelch at 5:20 pm (EST) on May 31, 2010

P.S. I just finished one I really loved, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson. As an Austenite, you might enjoy the (more modern)social conflicts and late in life romance, not to mention the excellent writing.

posted by jnwelch at 5:10 pm (EST) on May 31, 2010

Hey, Sweetie. Thanks for the recommendation for pemberley.com. It looks good. I bookmarked it and will poke around.

I hadn't thought about the possible difficulty finding books in English where you are. I hope this one turns up for you. I'm glad Rude Awakenings is headed your way. Did you ever see the Lost in Austen DVD? It has a similar storyline to Confessions ... and Becca and I really liked it.

We're back from a short trip to see my folks and are enjoying this last day of the long weekend. I just drove Becca home after we all watched a silly Mystery Science Theater 3000 movie accompanied by lots of sarcastic comments. Did you get a long weekend, too? I hope, long or short, it was a good one.

Best - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 4:56 pm (EST) on May 31, 2010

Hi there

My curiosity just got the better of me: I lurk at the 'TPBM' thread and am wondering in which Southamerican country you live and what you do that requires you to wear a uniform.

Of course you don't have to answer ;-)

I hope you can manage although your husband lost his job and that he soon finds some other work.


Best wishes :-)

Manuela

posted by sunny at 7:03 pm (EST) on May 26, 2010

Glad you liked "Confessions of a JA Addict", Sweetie! I thought it was a lot of fun, too. Makes me think you'd probably like the reciprocal book, with Jane M. in Courtney's current day body - "Rude Awakenings of a JA Addict".

Yes, in the I Love JA group, dormant threads seem to get revived on a regular basis. Probably something to do with her books being classics, so they periodically inspire new thoughts.

If you decide at some point to give 13 Reasons Why a peek, please let Becca and I know what you think. There's a good chance it will grab you. We even jointly gave it as a present to my English professor brother-in-law, who teaches at an all women's college here in the USA.

Best - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 12:51 pm (EST) on May 26, 2010

I also love Emma, probably because she's so flawed and I think that Miss Bates in particular is such a wonderful character.

> Oh, and if I had a penny for every time I hear Fanny called names... Seriously, why doesn't
> anybody like her? She's fantastic!

I don't particularly dislike Fanny - in her own way, she is as strong willed as any of Austen's heroines, I suppose I just find her a little bit too sensible - which, funnily enough, is not a problem I have with either Anne Eliot, or with Eleanor Dashwood. Possibly because both of these, although they do the correct thing despite their feelings most of the time, just do stand up for themselves a little bit more. There is less of a feeling of self pity there too. I think the problem is that whenever I read Mansfield Park, a large part of me has a huge amount of sympathy for the Crawfords (and I can't help feeling that Jane Austen has a little bit too...)

> Take a look at this: http://espanol.answers.yahoo.com/question
> /index;_ylt=AkeToDDn7BiRp1lIYlvPVinYEQx...
> Not exactly a scholarly essay, but still has a point."

Thank you - I've not looked yet, but I promise I shall do!

> Question: are you enjoying Wuthering Heights? I've never been able to read it. The Brontes are so
> not my cup of tea. Do you have any suggestions to make my reading of their books a little more
> enjoyable?"

Hmmm. I've tried to begin it again and again, but I don't seem to get anywhere with it - I just never seem to be in the right frame of mind (hence the fact that it's been in my "currently reading" list for _ages_). I _will_ finish it one day though (hopefully this year). I think maybe we are of a like mind regarding the Brontes - I've only read Jane Eyre and Agnes Grey, but I just find the melodrama a bit too over the top. I suppose you could say that Austen is the polar opposite in many ways.

We probably shouldn't lump all the Brontes together, but it's easily done from what I _have_ read...

> I've started Jane Eyre a few times now, and even bought me that old movie version with Orson
> Welles and Joan Fontaine, but have it on hold until I end the book... I wonder how long that will > be.

I _did_ enjoy Jane Eyre, but to be honest, it's the first half (her childhood) I like the most. You can tell it's based on reality. I've not seen the Orson Welles version, I'm not sure I can imagine it! There's rather a good (but a little dated) 1983 BBC TV adaptation with Timothy Dalton as Mr Rochester. I prefer it to the book really. It was a mini series, so is probably more true to the book than a film version would have time for.

posted by flissp at 12:50 pm (EST) on May 24, 2010

I've written mini-reviews of books in my 75 Challenges, but never tried writing a full review on here. I should give it a try sometime-thanks for the encouragement! And thanks for the compliment on my library-I love reading a lot of different books, though Agatha Christie is my all-time favorite author.

It's nice to "meet" you too Sweetie, you can call me Becca :)

posted by seasonsoflove at 9:38 pm (EST) on May 19, 2010

Hi! It's great to see a library with so many interesting books, especially Austen's writings. :) Thanks for adding me as a friend, and welcome to LibraryThing! Happy Reading -Emma

posted by MissWoodhouse1816 at 1:14 am (EST) on May 19, 2010

Hi, I hope you don't mind me jumping in, but my jnwelch is my dad, and I saw you two were discussing good YA books. He already recommended my current favorite besides Speak (which I actually got to write a paper on for high school), Thirteen Reasons Why. One of the best books I have ever read, period.

posted by seasonsoflove at 10:12 pm (EST) on May 17, 2010

Thanks for all the good thoughts, girlfromshangrila! I'll consult with my daughter and get back to you on what books you might like if you like Laurie Halse Anderson. One that immediately comes to mind is Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. You'll see why, I suspect, when you look it up. Another recommendation from my daughter.

Jane Austen: her wit and wonderful writing are what have attracted me the most, I guess. For example, when I read Northanger Abbey I can't believe how funny it is. Her insights into people, and how they delude themselves, and the truths they can come to, play into it, too. Mr. Collins will never see himself the way others do, or end his self-delusions, for example, but Emma learned a lot, and that learning was accompanied by pain others might have resisted.

It sounds like you would enjoy the I Love Jane Austen group: http://www.librarything.com/groups/ilovejaneausten

Check out the discussion on Charlotte Lucas's decision to marry Mr. Collins!

I'll be away for a couple of days, but look forward to hearing more from you.

Best wishes - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 6:53 pm (EST) on May 17, 2010

Hah! Thanks for your nice note, girlfromshangrila. Friends? Sure! If you'd really like that, I'll happily look for the invite.

Yes, I read "Speak" and thought it was harrowing, but really good. Well worth reading. My daughter had recommended it to me, and as usual with her, I'm glad she did.

Although I can read Spanish to some extent, I read Garcia Marquez in English. Trying it in Spanish would, I think, be too much of a stretch for me.

Yes, I've read all the Austens and loved every one; like most I could rate them in terms of favorites, with P & P (which I've re-read several times - it is so good!) first and Persuasion second. I just finished Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict, the reciprocal to Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, both of which were fun and charming. I see you have Confessions in your library. If you read it and liked it, I imagine you'll like the second; if you haven't read either one, they're good fun for JA fans.

Best - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 12:57 pm (EST) on May 17, 2010

Thanks of thinking of me for your interesting libraries, girlfromshangrila (great LT name,too!) We share a lot of books, and it's nice to see someone else with Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, not to mention all the classics you have. I'll look forward to seeing you more on LT!

Best wishes - Joe

posted by jnwelch at 3:07 pm (EST) on May 14, 2010

Du Maurier's Jamaica Inn isn't bad -- definitely a page-turner -- but if you're looking for something closer to Rebecca in terms of atmosphere, her book My Cousin Rachel is your best bet. It might be easier to find, as it tends to be better-known.

posted by kabrahamson at 12:04 pm (EST) on May 7, 2010

I'm glad my library appeals - and I wouldn't put it up here if I minded people browsing it ;o)

I _love_ Jane Austen - my favourite author list chops and changes a fair bit, but she's one of the very few who is always there at the top... My absolute favourite is "Persuasion", but "Pride and Prejudice" comes a close second. I've re-read those two more times than I can count... I enjoy the lot really, although "Mansfield Park" is my least favourite - I just can't help finding Fanny wet and sympathising with the Crawfords! How about you?

posted by flissp at 9:06 am (EST) on May 4, 2010

Aw, thanks for the huge compliment of an "interesting library" post! Sorry for the delay in a response. I'm still in university and exams have been eating up my time. Along with the Austen love I was thrilled to see Du Maurier on your Favorite Authors list. "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again" is an opening line that always gives me chills.

posted by kabrahamson at 1:46 am (EST) on May 1, 2010

Aha! Another Jane Austen addict!

Thank you for "interesting-library"-ing me ;o)

Fliss

posted by flissp at 12:12 pm (EST) on Apr 28, 2010

I read and absolutely loved Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman series (the second one isn't worth reading though-it adds absolutely nothing to the story. An Assembly Such as This and These Three Remain are the first and 3rd installments, great reads!

I also recently got the Marvel graphic novel P&P. I haven't gone all the way through it yet. I am taking it a couple pages at a time so it doesn't end too quickly.

I have Mr. Darcy's Daughters but have yet to read it.

I'm always a little timid about spin offs or sequels, I love the original and don't want it marred by a poor sequel. But I cave every once in a while and enjoy it :)

Have you read any that you would suggest?

Oh and I agree that Emma is very good, it is my mom's fave. I like it very much, but for some reason it is one I haven't been able to get interested in enough to read a second time.

posted by jenieliser at 1:21 pm (EST) on Apr 26, 2010

Hmm...that's a tough question. My first and foremost is Pride and Prejudice, I never tire of it. I focus on a different character each time I read it. Of course the first time I was concentrating on Lizzy, but the second I keenly watching Darcy-to see how he fell for her, his tell tale signs... MMM... Now I want to read again! :)

I also really really like Persuasion. It's a little different, it has an interesting heroine. But I mostly like it because I relate to it so much. Have you seen The Lake House with Sandra Bullock? She referrs to it being her fave. I had already read it, but then starting thinking about it again. I related so much to that silly movie-my present relationship status was very much similar to hers: absolutely wonderful person-in fact the perfect person, just horrible timing. It was very similar for Anne. But hers was a little deeper-not only horrible timing, but her own silliness/insecurities/caution/care for him made her break things off. I did the same thing. She felt she was doing him a favor by breaking things off, though it affected her tremendously and she never really got over him-turned others down because they could never measeure up to him. That would be me. Thankfully mine had a similar ending. So this is a favorite not so much because of Austen's talent (which is incredible!) but because it is very close to my life, just a long time ago. Ha Ha

Wow, I got a little carried away with my explanations eh? lol

What about you? What's your fave?

posted by jenieliser at 12:32 pm (EST) on Apr 26, 2010

Thanks for the thoughts on the blog :) I'm glad you enjoy it!

TMI is short and sweet. It's a fun read and deals with some teen issues in a realistic way. If you like confession-type YA books, I definitely recommend it.

Gricel

posted by emperatrix at 8:25 am (EST) on Apr 25, 2010