brakketh climbing mount 1001

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Talk1001 Books to read before you die

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brakketh climbing mount 1001

1brakketh
Jul 2, 2018, 4:31 pm

245 2/3. The Golden Bowl by Henry James.

Incredibly internal and intimate novel. I struggled with sections that felt meandering but overall I found it a very impressive work.

2brakketh
Jul 18, 2018, 6:32 am

246 2/3. The Marble Faun by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Not to my taste sort of meandered along. Wrote this review before seeing the above. I think I might need to read some more modern literature for a while as I appear to have gone off the 'classics'.

3brakketh
Jul 30, 2018, 7:23 am

247 2/3. The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad.

Spy thriller that clearly heavily influenced le Carre. I really enjoyed the slow burn into incandescence.

4brakketh
Aug 3, 2018, 11:50 am

248 2/3. London Fields by Martin Amis.

A frightful glimpse into the lower and criminalised middle class of London.

5brakketh
Aug 7, 2018, 5:42 pm

249 2/3. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco.

Delightful and dense and beautiful to read. I found this thoroughly enjoyable and hope to come back to it in 10 years for a second read.

6brakketh
Edited: Sep 14, 2018, 5:18 am

250 2/3. The Rainbow by D. H. Lawrence.

Enjoyed this slow meander through the three generations of the Brangwen family.

7brakketh
Sep 14, 2018, 5:18 am

251 2/3. Women in Love by D. H. Lawrence.

8brakketh
Oct 3, 2018, 5:19 am

252 2/3. What Maisie Knew by Henry James.

Not sure what it was about this one but thus far my favourite of the James novels I've read. The story of Maisie stuck between her parents vitriol was somehow beautiful.

9brakketh
Dec 1, 2018, 2:25 am

253 2/3. The enormous room by E. E. Cummings.

Amazing and enjoyable glimpse into the rich internal world of e.e. cummings.

10brakketh
Dec 4, 2018, 2:35 am

254 2/3. Hawksmoor by Peter Ackroyd.

Dyer, Hawksmoor, Dyer circling throughout the novel. Great fun and confusing with beautiful turns of phrase.

11brakketh
Dec 31, 2018, 3:26 am

255 2/3. The Plot Against America by Philip Roth.

Fascinating alternate history for World War II if American antisemitism was slightly more potent.

12brakketh
Feb 12, 2019, 6:15 am

256 2/3. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie.

Lovely magical realism and wish I knew more about post-colonial India.

13brakketh
Feb 28, 2019, 4:18 am

257 2/3. The Master by Colm Tóibín.

Compellingly realistic glimpse into a very believable inner life of Henry James.

14brakketh
Mar 23, 2019, 10:58 pm

258 2/3. Moon Palace by Paul Auster.

Marco Stanley Fogg's search for identity through the various father (and father figures) relationships. Enjoyable slow burning novel with a sense of magic woven throughout.

15brakketh
Apr 2, 2019, 6:36 am

259 2/3. The Information by Martin Amis.

16brakketh
May 25, 2019, 8:18 am

260 2/3. The Wings of the Dove by Henry James.

Enjoyable fare, Americans in Europe.

17brakketh
Jul 19, 2019, 5:20 am

261 2/3. Howards End by E. M. Forster.

18brakketh
Edited: Sep 21, 2019, 8:12 am

262 2/3. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra.

Just amazing, I can see why it is often described as a foundation of the modern novel. In many ways it reads like it was written last week rather than more than 400 years ago.

EDIT Just watched the Terry Gillam "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote", would highly recommend it as a great presentation of the story.

19brakketh
Sep 21, 2019, 8:11 am

263 2/3. Rob Roy by Sir Walter Scott.

Having just been through Scotland the description of the highlands was enjoyably evocative for me. The setting during the Jacobite rising definitely piqued my interest in the relationship between Scotland and England.

20gypsysmom
Sep 21, 2019, 4:57 pm

>19 brakketh: I also visited Scotland this year. I'll have to give this book a try because I also have an interest in the Jacobite wars.

21brakketh
Sep 23, 2019, 7:47 am

>20 gypsysmom: Hope you find it calls to mind the Scottish countryside as strongly for you as it did for me.

22brakketh
Nov 8, 2019, 10:43 pm

264 2/3. A Maggot by John Fowles.

Ever since reading The Collector for a school assignment I've had a soft spot for John Fowles writing. The style drawing from letters and interviews, the lack of resolution and just beautiful writing all made this a thoroughly enjoyable read.

23brakketh
Jan 12, 2020, 4:30 am

265 2/3. Schindler's Ark by Thomas Keneally.

Fascinating story and a respectful approach to presenting largely factual information. Wrenching, as it should be, and well worth the read.

24brakketh
Mar 9, 2020, 5:03 am

266 2/3. Billy Bathgate by E. L. Doctorow.

Gangster youth turns into successful business may - very strong Dickensian vibes for me with solid rough-and-ready American gangster.

25brakketh
Nov 28, 2020, 12:14 am

267 2/3. Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset.

What a wonderful telling of nearly a whole life. Brilliant, amazing and engaging - this may be my favourite discovery through the 1001 reading list so far.

26Yells
Nov 30, 2020, 10:49 am

>25 brakketh: Mine too! I'd never heard of it before the list and now I recommend it to everybody.

27annamorphic
Dec 29, 2020, 6:41 am

28JayneCM
Dec 29, 2020, 6:47 pm

>25 brakketh: I read it years ago as a teenager - my teenage reading was basically if it was over 100 years old, I would read it! I was weird!
I am looking forward to reading it again as part of my list reading. It is one that will always stay with you.

29brakketh
Jan 2, 2021, 5:58 am

>26 Yells: >27 annamorphic: Glad to hear my enjoyment is shared. It is a special delight to find an unexpected reading pleasure.

>28 JayneCM: You are in for a treat. I imagine your teenage reading habits have left you in good stead. My teenage years were reading a great deal of sword and sorcery fantasy novels (still love them as a form of brain-candy).

Happy new year to all.

30amaryann21
Jan 10, 2021, 9:04 pm

>267 I'm glad you liked it, because it was torturous for me. I just finished it at the end of 2020 and I was happy to have it over with!

31brakketh
Jan 30, 2021, 5:34 pm

268 2/3. The Satanic Verses

I always enjoy magical realism so this was one I'd looked forward to for a while. I unfortunately was quite distracted while reading this (due to other life things) so didn't feel I really appreciated it.

32brakketh
Edited: Dec 5, 2021, 9:24 pm

33brakketh
Dec 31, 2021, 9:35 pm

275 2/3. The Bonfire of the Vanities.

Brutal, funny and bleak - very much enjoyed this scathing social critique.

That's all for 2021, planning to refocus on the 1001 reads in 2022 so hopefully will be able to clear 300 in 2022.

34brakketh
Edited: Jan 24, 2022, 9:05 pm

Really happy with my start to the year, clearing my shelves of a number of 1001 books that had been staring at me for a while.

276 2/3. Delta of Venus
Amazingly well written and erotic, poetic despite the author being instructed to strip out all of the poetry and get straight into the 'sex'.

277 2/3. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Enthralling book about an amoral character inspired only by odours.

278 2/3. Metamorphoses
Amazing and vast collection of mythology with linkages throughout.

279 - 281 2/3. Three Novels: Molloy, Malone Dies, The Unnamable
Relentless and amazing internal monologues running throughout these three short novels.

35brakketh
Edited: Feb 1, 2022, 5:25 am

Borrowed a few off the library to keep my streak going.

282 2/3. Everything is Illuminated very much enjoyed the playing with language through an English as a second-language narrator.

283 2/3. The Trial disturbing despite such little information being provided.

36brakketh
Edited: Mar 1, 2022, 3:45 am

284 2/3. Henderson the Rain King, such a similar flavour to this zeitgeist of writers - strongly put me in mind of John Irving.

37brakketh
May 1, 2022, 7:52 am

285 2/3. The Golden Notebook, wonderfully shattered narrative.

286 2/3. Mrs. Dalloway, amazing introspective novel.

287 2/3. Germinal, brutal, bleak and unrelenting.

288 2/3. The Tree of Man, multi-generational story of the trials and tribulations of an Australian family.

289 2/3. Myra Breckinridge, loved the Myra Breckinridge character and ripped through this story.

38brakketh
Jun 2, 2022, 6:21 am

290 2/3. Wuthering Heights, One of those classic novels that are substantially different from your preconceived ideas. In my head Wuthering Heights was almost a classic romance rather than being a much more complex mix of romance, near horror and everything in between.

39brakketh
Jul 29, 2022, 7:44 pm

291 2/3. 2666 Interwoven stories set in Mexico with deterioration of society as the feature.

40brakketh
Jul 29, 2022, 7:48 pm

292 2/3. Queer Pseudo-autobiographical (or psychologically autobiographical) novel wandering around queer sexuality.

41brakketh
Jul 29, 2022, 7:53 pm

293 2/3. The Atrocity Exhibition Collection of short fiction focused on atrocities (and the atrocious) times in the 1960s-70s.

42brakketh
Aug 15, 2022, 12:53 am

294 2/3. Money: A Suicide Note Classic Amis with a seedy character with few redeeming features.

295 2/3. The Music of Chance Many unresolved story lines and a slow journey of discovery for the protagonist.

296 2/3. Mr. Vertigo Story of a performer and the changes through his life.

297 2/3. The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner Brilliant and engaging twice told tale.

298 2/3. David Copperfield The life story of David Copperfield, hugely enjoyable.

Closing in on the 300 target for 2022, may need to stretch to 315.

43brakketh
Sep 17, 2022, 2:55 am

299 2/3. Waiting for the Barbarians Collapse of the fringes of an empire as a believer becomes disenchanted.

300 2/3. Slow Man The disturbance to this man's life from a loss of bodily integrity post-amputation.

Hooray! reached my 2022 target, going to try for the stretch to 315.

301 2/3. The Master of Petersburg Rebellion and loss.

302 2/3. Jacob's Room.

44BentleyMay
Sep 17, 2022, 7:03 am

Congrats on 300!

45puckers
Sep 17, 2022, 2:21 pm

Congratulations on cruising past 300!

46Henrik_Madsen
Sep 22, 2022, 2:08 am

Congratulations on 300!

47annamorphic
Sep 22, 2022, 7:39 am

Well done on passing the 300 mark AND your 2022 target!

48brakketh
Edited: Oct 20, 2022, 2:00 am

Thanks all, pleased to be getting back into the list and discovering more treats, both expected like the below and unexpected.

303 2/3. The Voyage Out, beautiful dialogue and poetic phrasing.
304 2/3. The Waves.
305 2/3. After the Quake, reading Murakami always leaves me impressed with his ability to weave an almost etherial 'vibe' throughout his work.
306 2/3. Beloved, amazing and haunting.
307 2/3. The Third Policeman, hilarious and bizarre, a real treat of a discovery.

49brakketh
Dec 1, 2022, 5:30 am

308 2/3. Black Dogs, written in a careful, poetic way that's still very accessible - a real pleasure.
309 2/3. The Great Gatsby, could have sworn I read this one ages ago but suspect I watched the movie. A treat.
310 2/3. The Virgin in the Garden, engaging and interesting characters - I'm hooked and making my way through the remainder of the quartet.

50brakketh
Dec 5, 2022, 7:14 am

51brakketh
Feb 14, 2023, 9:50 am

312. A Dream of Red Mansions Vol. 3, finally finished the series which I started 5 years ago. A huge and engaging novel though I found I'd get lost in some of the convoluted stories.

52brakketh
Edited: Mar 5, 2023, 12:48 am

313. Youth, The bleak and ever so real feeling life of a member of the white South African diaspora.
314. In the Heart of the Seas, A mythic and poetic journey of the faithful to Israel.

53brakketh
Edited: Apr 1, 2023, 2:10 am

315. White Teeth, enjoyable tale of modern Britain.
316. Half of Man is Woman, very illuminating semi-autobiographical tale of the authors experience throughout revolutionary China.
317. Blonde, tragic and fascinating approach to telling the life-story of a 20th century icon.
318. The Untouchable, wonderful slow paced story of a traitor and queer aristocrat from his own perspective.

54brakketh
May 18, 2023, 4:15 am

319. Agnes Grey, a slow to boil and very engaging semi-autobiographical novel of working as a governess.
320. An Artist of the Floating World, beautiful, slow and floaty like so many Ishiguro.
321. Chocky, as a parent the suggestion of an alien connection to a childs internal word is one that simultaneously reads as true and terrifying.
322. The Glass Bead Game, a wonderful device of an attempted biography and an ethereal tale.
323. Mason & Dixon, bizarre and fanciful, starting in a more realistic vein and then shifts to the bizarre.

55brakketh
Jul 18, 2023, 1:22 am

324. The Enigma of Arrival, settlement in the United Kingdom through the late 20th century.
325. Fathers and Sons.
326. Nana, a vivacious character and enjoyable story.
327. Villette, enjoyable Victorian story.

56brakketh
Aug 27, 2023, 1:22 am

328. Castle Rackrent, multigenerational tale capturing the flaws of the English presence and landowning in Ireland.
329. Ignorance.
330. Martin Chuzzlewit.
331. The Awakening.
332. Our Mutual Friend.
333. The Magic Mountain.