Member: kmbooklover

I saw in a message board that you liked "Shadow of the Wind" and "The Thirteenth Tale" too! Those are two of my favorite books! Very similar in many ways. Just had to say howdy to a fellow fan of the two novels :)

posted by caitykarczewski at 5:45 pm (EST) on Mar 18, 2009

Hi Kathy!

Yeah, this is a new book group too, so I may be laying myself open for a lot of razzing. We're actually a Poker Party Book Group. We discuss a book one month and play Texas Hold'em the next month, so everyone actually has 2 months to read the book. Which means I usually have to read the book twice since I can never remember anything by the time our book group mtgs. come around. One of the main reasons I was so excited about finding LT was being able to have more conversations about the books I'm reading. I like biographies too, and more actors' books than I want to admit in public. :) David Niven is old enough that you probably get more of the juice on "old Hollywood," right? He reminds of the year that we moved to a new neighborhood and I spent lots of afternoons lying on the couch with a book, and an old movie playing in the background. You know the kind where the story is going along, then everyone breaks out in song and dance? :)

Bonnie

posted by bonniebooks at 4:25 pm (EST) on Dec 7, 2008

Hi Kathy!

Oops! I just recommended Specialty Topics... for my book group. I was having a devil of a time finding something light for over the holidays and had read that book last summer and had enjoyed it. But I know what you mean - the narrator does have an intense, self-consciously literate "voice" that is fun/funny, but might get old after awhile. I figured that as book lovers we'd at least have fun talking about all her literary and popular asides even if people didn't like the book itself. Happy December!

Bonnie

posted by bonniebooks at 6:40 pm (EST) on Dec 6, 2008

Hi!

Welcome to 999. I didn't want to interrupt your entering of your category list, so I decided to pop over here. I really like your categories--a way to stretch your reading but also giving you lots of leeway in making choices. I'll be interested to see what you read as the year progresses. I'm doing a scifi/fantasy category this year to stretch myself in that genre--both my sons read a lot of it and I'd like to be able to talk books with them.

posted by MusicMom41 at 2:53 pm (EST) on Nov 30, 2008

Thanks for the info about Fingerpost. I guess I'll let it languish until I'm desperate. :-) I agree with you about The Historian--it just didn't deliver. Besides, a book that relies that heavily on coincidence to drive the plot drives me crazy. I felt the same way about Da Vinci Code. At one time I owned The Quincunx but I think I gave it away without reading it. I couldn't get it started. However, I loved The Name of the Rose--I've read it 3 times; the last time because i found a book that translated all the Latin quotations and gave a lot of information on some of the esoteric thing mentioned. If you decide to try the book get the "handbook; it will add to your enjoyment. If you need me to, i could probably track down the title and author--I think one of my sons has it right now.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is on my TBR; I loved War and Peace when I read it many years ago and plan to read it again sometime. Keep a character list handy and annotate it--it will help with those names. I don't know the other one you mentioned--I'll look it up.

Happy reading. I'd love to hear what you think about J.S. & Mr. N when you read it. I think I may need a nudge to start it--and I'd like to be warned if I shouldn't bother. :-) I got a hardbound copy for 50 cents so I won't have lost much.

posted by MusicMom41 at 10:02 pm (EST) on Aug 30, 2008

Hi there, saw you comment about [Snuff] by Chuck.

I enjoyed it a lot, it's very amusing and I'd probably file it along with [Invisible Monsters] in terms of complete outrageousness. I'd think about warning you about some of the content, but if you've read the first chapter of [Haunted] this will be like reading Enid Blyton to your kids.

i'd love to hear what you think when you do read it, JJ.

posted by Randy_Mouse at 11:34 am (EST) on May 2, 2008

I understand, I've been having a hard time getting any fiction read this year, myself. Too much time & energy going into reading for my comps, and by the end of the day, the thought of even trying to read just exhausts me. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is in my TBR pile, too - I'm hoping to get to it within the next month or two. We'll have to compare notes once we're both done!

Cheers,
Dani

posted by philosojerk at 2:27 pm (EST) on Jan 18, 2008

i have Cryptonomicon in my TBR pile - please keep us updated on your progress and if you still like it - maybe i'll make it my first of 2008!!!

I was out of town for a while, but I remembered having seen this comment before I left. That thread long since died, but I thought I'd come by and share. I absolutely adored the book, from beginning to end. Really a fabulous read, so I'd say move it to the top of that TBR pile. My full review is on the work page if you're interested.

Happy New Year!
Dani

posted by philosojerk at 1:27 pm (EST) on Jan 4, 2008