I'm still working on
Bleeding Kansas which I like for the most part so far.
I've started a mystery set in Plymouth Colony's restored, interpreted community called
Murder at Plimoth Plantation by
Leslie Wheeler. It's very enjoyable so far, I'm up to chapter 10 and still wanting to know who did it. The writing is serviceable, though not exciting, and the characters have a nice and believable backstory connecting them.
I've never quite known what to think about "interpreters" of the past, such as really are at Plimoth Plantation, and Williamsburg, and some other historical sites around the country. Their assumption of the personae of real, historical people makes me just a wee bit uneasy, since the skill level of the interpreter makes such a large impact on the experience of the visitor. It seems as though one could argue that the interpreter becomes the historian, and that's just...unsettling, I guess. What an uninformed visitor would derive from a so-so interpreter or a so-so performance by one, and what that might imply for the transmission of meaning, has to be balanced against the need to make such places "relevant" and exciting, I suppose.
A net good thing? Or a stumble down the slippery slope into the illusion of knowledge?
I'm still reading
The Blind Assassin but I'm hoping to finish it this weekend. My next read will be
The Christmas Train by David Baldacci, a bit early I know but I have to return it to the library.
Nearing the end of
Airframe by Michael Crichton and it has been very suspenseful and good. A bit heavy handed on the technical aspects of airplane building but it was probably necessary to understand the story. Looking forward to the ending....
#8 - emif, I love
A Handful of Dust! I haven't read it in years and just managed to acquire a copy a couple weeks ago. May have to follow your example and re-read it soon...
I'm currently reading
The Mists of Avalon, which is a re-read but a fun one. Also about a third of the way into
Outlander. I'm developing a bit of a crush on Jamie.
Just started
The land of invisible women by
Qanta A. Ahmed, downloaded as an Early Reviewer. Like it so far, but I'm only in the second chapter. Seems to be a good read and give insight in Saudi Arabic life as a woman.
I've just finished "Vlimmen contra Vlimmen" from "Mr. A. Roothaert". (Mr. means in this context Master in Law). The story is about a catholic veterinarian, who marries a catholic wife. She will do everything for him, but refuses from the beginning to sleep with him. This is the first step of a decennia-long struggle with the cleric for his right to divorce her. The book is well-written, funny, full of tales about veterinary practice and touches sideways on the second worldwar. It's also a touching lovestory.
Sorry, I forgot to tell: the story is laid in Brabant, a southern part of the Netherlands. Machiel van Veen.
I read 160 pages of
Beginner's Greek, realized it was the wrong book at the wrong time, and I was never going to finish it and skipped ahead to read the last couple of chapters. Now I've started
Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell. Hopefully it will break the book funk I feel coming on after I finished a couple that blew my socks off. I find mysteries often cure a book funk.
This message has been deleted by its author.
I'm reading Nadine Gordimer's
The Conservationist, about a South African businessman / farmer. This is the first time I've read Gordimer and I'm enjoying her prose.
I finished
The Killer Angels which was quite good; better than his son's
Gods and Generals just like all you LT'ers told me.
I have now finally started
Anna Karenina after letting it languish in my TBR pile for far too long. And much to my surprise it is quite an easy and engaging read - not my usuall Russian lit. experience. I wanted to scatch my eyes out reading
The Brothers Karamazov and almost died of cold boredom during
Dr. Zhivago. So, a pleasant surprise so far.
>19: nancyewhite-I read
Faceless Killers a couple weeks ago and thought it was excellent. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
still working on
Tin Drumjust finished Book 2..
After working on it for a month, which given its length of over 900 pages was quick for me, I finished
Cecilia today. (Until I retire, my reading time is too short) The book was full of interesting characters and an intriguing plot but at times the convoluted speech did frustrate me. Next is
Promise at Dawn.
I am finishing
Grendel by John Gardiner.
The other side of Beowulf as told by the monster. It started out oddly written and interesting, and it is ending odd and interesting, but there was a boring patch in the middle.
Message edited by its author, Nov 22, 2008, 9:02pm.
I am enjoying
A Judgment in Stone, from the library. This is my first book by this author and now I think I may have to read more. Really creepy and really good!
I am reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog and really enjoying it!!
Message edited by its author, Nov 22, 2008, 9:37pm.
Oh starfish, I just started Hedgehog this morning! It feels just a little dense at first, but I think I'll like it.
It was a busy week at work, and I haven't read anything since Sunday. I'm still reading (and enjoying)
Carpentaria by
Alexis Wright.
I'm over a hundred pages into
Wicked. I did not like the author's
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, and I'm not really enjoying this one much more. So far, vague curiosity is the only thing keeping me going.
>34, Oh teelgee, I felt that too at first. Her writing is just a little different, you don't get sucked into it like a normal enthralling plot until later in the book. In the meantime, its like a beautiful little collection of thoughts. But believe me, stick with it and and you'll end up loving it. I just finished it a couple minutes ago!
Of course, I'm already wondering what to pick up next. I'm still a bit caught up in Madam Barbery's world. Maybe I'll wait until tomorrow for a new book.
Message edited by its author, Nov 23, 2008, 1:07am.
Currently reading
Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason.
Currently reading Queen of the Damned by Anne Rice. Wooweewooo! Planning on finishing it this week. Then it's on to the next one.
Just finished
Nachtreiter by Daniela Knor and will soon finish Stalins Geist by Martin Cruz Smith.
Message edited by its author, Nov 23, 2008, 1:03pm.
>34:telgee, keep with it. Like dancingfish, I took a little while to get used to the she wrote too, but before long I was hooked on
The Elegance of the Hedgehog and I just loved it.
>37: dancingfish, I took had to take a little time out from reading anything serious after finishing the Hedghog book. It changed my perspective of how I thought I saw people, and made me more aware that I've also been guilty of not paying enough attention to many people that I come in contact with.
I'm eager to look for her other books now to see if she writes in a similar vein, or if she does different things.
Just finished reading
Scandal's Bride to my aunt this morning. She's having her bandages removed tomorrow and is hoping she'll be able to go home and fend for herself (especially reading) again.
For myself, I'm now reading a funny graphic novel
French Milk by Lucy Knisley, about a grad student and her mother making a trip to Paris together to celebrate their upcoming birthdays
On my nightstand, I'm reading
Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood, her first Phryne Fisher novel I think,
and I'm halfway through
The Soong Dynasty by Sterling Seagrave, which is about the family that had a very deep impact on the political history of Shanghai
I finished
Grendel, good riddance. I have started
Murder in the Marais by Cara Black. It is the first book in the
Aimee Leduc mystery series. It is a read for a RL book group.
So far it is interesting, and well written. The POV is half French/ half American and living in Paris. Each of the books in the series is set in a section of Paris/burbs. This one is set in the Marais, the old Jewish quarter. The stories are set in semi- modern day ( this one in 1993). So far it looks like a mystery that has to do with WWII, and the Nazis and the Jews who were caught and persecuted.
#1 hemlokgang Let me know what you think of Soldier's Heart. I've been looking at it longingly since April, but didn't want to spend the money until I knew whether it was any good.
Finished
The Flamboya Tree yesterday, will finished
Flyboys, a True Story of Courage today, and then to add to the war-reading jag I'm on I'll start
A Piece of My Heart about nurses in Vietnam. Tomorrow I'll start
The Riders to add that to my read for the Global Group Read-Australia.
Finished
Kobayashi Maru and have selected
Sharing Knife Horizon for my next read, followed by
Power of three Warriors Eclipse.
I want to give
Sharing Knife to my son this weekend (that is providing he gets here for Thanksgiving because the weather is looking iffy) and I should be getting the next installment of
Warriors this week and I want to get ahead of that. There's always something.
Message edited by its author, Nov 23, 2008, 6:40pm.
>42 judylou -- I'll be anxious to hear what you think about
Hugo Cabret - I thought it was a brilliant piece of work.
I got
Beebo Brinker yesterday, but ended up reading it in one sitting. So now I'll have to find another one.
I should probably re-read
The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood. It was one of the first fiction books I read in English, and I'm sure I misunderstood a lot of stuff. I remember it being a good read, though.
Just finished
Cocaine Blues and enjoyed it. It's the first (I think) in the Phryne Fisher series, and it started off a little slow but picked up steam and it was an enjoyable read. I've read other books in the series, and this was interesting not just in the mystery itself, but also because in this book, the other characters in her subsequent books are introduced and I learned how she built a relationship with them and why they became the mainstays in her left.
I'm going to start on
Mozart's Sister by Rita Charbonnier next.
I pulled
Angelspeake out of my bookcase today and this is probably the 6th time I've read it.
After I'm finished I'll be moving on to The Christmas Chronicles, hopefully will arrive sometime this week.
I've decided to concentrate on finishing
Fire by
Sebastian Junger for the Go Review That Book! group. After that I'll move on to my remaining library books and will probably start with
Magic's Promise by Mercedes Lackey.
Just finished Kate Grenville's
The Lieutenant, a very good historical fiction set in the first year of Australia's colonization.
Still working through
Barchester Towers. Ooh, that Mr. Slope and Mrs. Proudie...
Trollope is sooooo good...
>67 mikeepatrick, Trollope's
Chronicles of Barsetshire is a wonderful series of books. Is this your first trip through? From the tenor of your editorial comment, I'd guess not, but if it is, don't miss
The Warden. Delicious stuff.
And have you encountered Angela Thirkell? Her Barsetshire-set series of novels was great fun, the chick lit of its day. I've often wondered why no one else has used Barsetshire to chronicle England's changing culture. I'd love to see the new Duke of Omnium be the American cousin who is the last surviving member of the family; a new Bishop Proudie, great-grandson of the original, who's a gay ordained Anglican; whatever. I ain't English so my examples probably aren't the best chosen, but why oh why has no one picked up this mantle?
>68 d, keep slugging...there are rewards.
The Divine Miss, on a flying dinner visit, brought company and some new books. I chose
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society to read last night. So far ~meh~
#69: Richard - Yes, I have read
The Warden. I find it curious that people are often so dismissive of it, indicating that it's not necessary to have read it in order to enjoy the rest of the series. It's not *essential*, no, but I don't find it a 'minor' work, either. It may be short, but it's a perfect summary of Trollope's examination of new church vs. old church. I'm not sure you can fully appreciate Mr. Harding's and the Archdecon's attitudes in B.T. unless you've read The Warden.
I have not yet read anything else Barsetshire-based. I find it interesting that other authors can 'adopt' a fictional place; I wonder how often that has happened in literature...
I started reading
The Heretic Queen yesterday evening and only stopped because my husband finally turned out the lights sometime after midnight.
Actual conversation between us:
"Wait, it is already 11:30?"
"Yup"
"Wow, this book is good!"
>70 Mike, well, you know it seems to me that most 21st-century people who read Trollope are after the more baroque stylings of the longer works.
The Warden isn't in that vein at all, and would feel like a novella to the palate craving heavier sauce. (My metaphor Mixmaster is set on puree today.)
Adoption of other *places* in literature, and not simply *characters*...I know of two good examples from the SF world.
Austin Tappan Wright created a ficitonal place called
Islandia, published posthumously in 1943. It was a huge work, and underpinned by an IMMENSE amount of erudite world-building. The editor who brought it to the world,
Mark Saxton, went through millions and millions of words to create the novel as it was published and then went on to write several novels set in Islandia but not with any of the same characters or set in the same time period.
The Islar was one. Can't recall the other off the top of my head, and I think there were just two.
H. Beam Piper, a hack writer of the Golden Age of SF, wrote a series of books and stories set in
Paratime. The multiverse of Earths is policed by people from the Home Time Line, whose early technological success led to the complete exhaustion of their Earth's resources. Under threat of extinction, they discovered and began exploiting the neighboring timelines for resources, new tech, and general purposes of entertainment and research. Hijinks ensue, of course, and the wealth of the possibilities for continuing the stories would seem endless.
John F. Carr has a lock on the copyrights, though, and is writing stories that take one corner of Paratime...
Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen's storyline...and run with it seemingly forever.
So that's two. Anyone else got any info?
>FicusFan
bummer re: the thumbs-down about
Grendel, it's on my list for next year. I like its premise of a story told from a monster's point of view (I liked Stephen King's
Cujo for that reason). How could I not have known it was based on
Beowulf? -- I think I must read that first.
#69 richardderus - Angela Thirkell is on my list.
I'm taking a very temporary break away from
Independent People - it's very dense and requires lots of quiet time for me - and have read
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,
Buried for Pleasure by Edmund Crispin, and am reading
The Long Divorce by same.
Will work on
Independent People again after hosting Thanksgiving for 11, which is definitely a labor of love. Lots of family are bringing things, but I do the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, marinated corn salad, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, appetizers, and drinks. Everything from scratch, of course.
>75 karen, oooooo! Please heed my advice and start your Thirkelling with
Wild Strawberries! I predict it will make a mourner out of you...Thirkell died in 1961 (before you were born, though not I alas) and there won't be more like it, boo hoo!
WHERE is the English writer who will give us more work to go a-Thirkelling through?
#79: mikeepatrick:
I also find it curious that people are often dismissive of
The Warden. I'm of the opinion that it's the most finely tuned of the Barsetshire books, and might be considered the platform from which the rest of series expands, like mycelium running.
As far as essential -- it turns out that one can read any of the Barsetshire books independently of the others. But why would one want to do so is beyond me.
>46, cameling, I know! I looked for her other book to see if its in english, but not yet (atleast, not that I could find, let me know if you have any luck)
I found an interview on her though, I think if her book does well enough in the US, maybe her other book will be translated as well and we'll have access to it. We'll see! Thats frustrating for me, every time I love an author I want to go out and read more.. and when they haven't written anything else, or aren't translated yet, its so dissappointing!
I'm still going with
Maia and am at the point where I'm just wanting it to end. Its been good, but could have been 300 pages shorter!! My next read will be something shorter!
I'm enjoying The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I'm glad a friend passed it along while we were traveling--the title pushed it to the fringes for me and I might not have gotten to it otherwise.
>76 richardderus, I couldn't stop reading Thirkell after starting her a few years ago. I'd also recommend
High Rising and
Before Lunch. Funny, wise and a compelling look at wartime Barsetshire (and so England). There are probably still a couple dozen of her books in print and she's well worth a read.
I'm STILL reading
Jane Eyre.. only 2 chapters to go though, so hopefully I'll be finished with it tonight. I've been reading it in spurts.. there are parts of the book that really drag for me, and others that I'm just blowing through.
I'm also reading
Looking For Alaska by
John Green when I can find the time on breaks at work.
am on a Christopher Moore marathon.....who says small-town life is DULL???? may they be plagued by demons and large lizards:
finished Practical Demonkeeping and The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove...with A Dirty Job staring me in the face...this last one takes on DEATH...and the mood i'm in, not sure the ride will be fun...oh, well
;-p
Message edited by its author, Nov 24, 2008, 1:51pm.
After finishing
Jane Eyre (why has it taken me so long to get to reading it?), I went for something completely different and read
The Ghost Writer by Philip Roth. For some reason I ended up with 3 Roth books on the TBR - while I find his work interesting I'm not a huge fan - I guess the blurbs on the back of the books must have sounded really interesting! Anyway, I've never read any of the "Zuckerman" books, so I think this was a quick and interesting one to start with.
Now I'm reading
A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Perversely, it's less bleak than I was imagining it would be.
Still plugging away at
The Life of Thomas More by Peter Ackroyd. I'm enjoying it very much.
I've also got
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke sitting in my bag and I may start that over lunch today.
#74: Just to "even things up" a bit regarding John Gardner's
Grendel, I really enjoyed it ... Gardner is a wonderful writer who has kind of been forgotten by a lot of people ... although for this particular book, reading some Beowulf would certainly help.
I'm about 1/5 of my way into Neal Stephenson's
Anathem.
>81 abealy,
High Rising was delightful and I have only vague recollections of
Before Lunch...was it one of the titles that had more to do with the Morelands? I found Laura and her son Tony fairly uninteresting until I learned they were Mrs. Thirkell and her son in disguise.
>83 jdt, A Dirty Job will lighten any dull or gloomy day. It made me guffaw. Sounds lik you need a good guffaw.
I am about to Pearl-Rule out
The Guernsey Literary because it can't hold my attention in competition with the cleaning laddie asking for pre-Thanksgiving directions as to what I want him to work hardest on. When cleaning is more interesting than the book, well....
#74 detailmue
Several years ago--in the last century :-)--my book group read
Beowulf and
Grendel as one selection. I loved both of them as did the majority of our members. If you like this kind of literature you are in for a treat. However, this early literature is not to everyone's taste. also, I think Beowulf should definitely read first, otherwise Grendel doesn't make much sense!
#87: KromesTomes -- I'm glad to see that someone else has remembered John Gardner for the writer he was. I don't know that there's anything of his that I don't own (and I spent 10 years with an eye out for a hardcover copy of
Grendel) and anything of his that I haven't read.
He's a true storyteller and certainly not limited to a single mode.
Perhaps it's time I read
The Sunlight Dialogues or
October Light again.
>88: richardderus, ack... that does not bode well for me. i've got to read
The Guernsey Literary for my book club and so far there's you on one side of the scale pooh-poohing it, and on the other end of the scale is another friend who exclaims ecstatically that she loves it.
Anyone else read this yet who wants to weigh in on the book?
>91 : MusicMom41 - whatever you do, don't get the DVD of Beowulf ... it'll kill you or rather, you'll want to kill the director and scriptwriter.
I'll chime in in favor of
Grendel. I remember reading it in high school and really enjoyed it in conjuction with studying
Beowulf. But then again I was only 15 at the time, it's been so long since I've read it, I might feel differently if I read it now, but something tells me I'd still like it.
#93 cameling
I'll chime in on
Guernsey Literary. First, I enjoy epistolary novels so the style was appealing to me. I chose a Sunday afternoon that was completely free to read it and was able to finish it before dinner. I found it delightful, fun and enough substance to keep me interested--I was intrigued about the Germans occupying those British owned islands. I don't know how I've lived so long without knowing about that! I could even think of things to talk about at a book group meeting. When I don't regret having bought a book it has some merit for me. It's a nice story with interesting characters.
I can see why some LTers can't get into it or don't like it--but there are many that absolutely love it. This is one I will lend to friends--I have some who will really enjoy it (some even more than I did) and someday I may even read it again. Just enjoy it.
Thanks for the heads up on the DVD of Beowulf. I am very fond of that story and I'll bet they rewrote it!
Yesterday I finished "The Disappearance" by J.F. Freedman, I couldn't put it down! Today I'm reading "The Somnabulist" by Jonathan Barnes, it's a little weird but I'm only on page 50 so I'll keep going.
#56 teelgee, I finished
Hugo Cabret and thought that the story was good, but the illustrations were excellent. Very dark and moody - a perfect accompaniment to the tale.
#93 cameling
I give two thumbs up for
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Like MusicMom41, I gravitate towards epistolary novels and this one gives the reader an appreciation of the, dare I say, 'quirky' individual personalities involved. I won't speak to the historical accuracies of the book as I wouldn't know, but if you like character development and the interactions that occur in a small, close knit community, you may like this book.
Finished
The Gate House. The last 200 or so pages reminded me of how much I love DeMille's books.
And I finally have Kate Atkinson's
When Will There Be Good News from the library and I'm ready to settle in and enjoy.
Finishing up Angels & Demons by Dan Brown.
I just barely finished Damewood: Demons of the Past (ARC). Haven't decided on a new book yet.
oh thanks for all the comments, it'll be
Beowulf AND
Grendel next year!
And I'm more with Richard re:
Guernsey. I finished it and liked the historical aspects and gentle tone, but it was too predictable and saccharine for me.
>104 detailmuse et alii, for the record I did not Pearl-Rule
The Guernsey Literary because, on p48, Amelia Maugery's letter gave me the *oomph* to keep going. She's a pip! Wish she was my granny.
It's sweet, it's predictable, it's a slight entertainment; I can see where its legions of fans are coming from; I can even say, for a romance novel published outside its proper genre home, it's a well-crafted work that gives all the satisfactions that fans will expect.
It ain't a world-class read for me. cameling, go in with reasonable expectations and it won't cause distress or nausea or even irritation. Think of it as a superb book that will change your life, I can't answer for the consequences. Which will be dire.
>103 janoorani24, I gasp and clutch my chest in shock that another LTer plans to read
Crazy '08! Since my maternal grandmother told me endless stories of the 1908 World Series and swore to the day she died that she wasn't going to die until the Cubs won another Series, I was excited to find the book on sale and then deflated because no one I know wants to talk about baseball NOW, still less 100-year-old games and people dead since before they were born.
It's my Thanksgiving treat to myself, that read is.
I am
FINALLY reading
Unaccustomed Earth, mainly because I only
FINALLY bought it last night with a gift card. I'm skipping around a bit and am half-way through my second story, but so far it is just as lovely as I imagined.
Toni Morrison's
Beloved. Can't believe it's taken me this long to get to it.
Just finished my ER book,
Rocket Man by William Elliott Hazelgrove. I enjoyed it. It is written with the kind of sarcastic humor that makes me laugh out loud.
Next up is
A Perfect Crime by Peter Abrahams. Haven't read a thriller-type book for a while.
# 105 richard
Why have I never seen reference to
Crazy '08 on LT until now?! Every spring I pull out a couple of baseball books to get me through spring training--I've just put this one on my wish list. If I don't get it--I will buy if myself and then give it to my Chicago son who is a HUGE Cubs fan--and is now hugely upset and disappointed--clear to Thanksgiving! Maybe I should do that anyway--hmmm.
MusicMom, I say get the goldarned thing today for the Chicago son (good upbringing, obviously, since he's a Cubs fan)
in paperback at Amazon for a whopping $15 with shipping! Then surreptitiously borrow it.
In the first chapter, I'm already hooked..."What the critics fail to mention is that in the old days, they often failed to catch the ball at all. Fielding was wretched. In 1876, when men were men and gloves were sissy, the New York team averaged more than eight boots a game." I think I am in love with Cait Murphy and want to marry her because she's obviously a) a good writer, b) a baseball fan, c) smart, d) interested in history (degree in American Studies). A little thing glike being gay shouldn't stand in the way, don't you think? *swoon*
Baseball has a small constituency here on the Thing, it would seem. There is
a group here on LT, but it has only 112 members and the last post was in October. I just joined so I guess the total is now 113, but it's woefully teensy by LT standards. Ah me...the increasing marginalization of "America's Pastime" here in the homeland.
richard--
Right! I get it for him for Christmas and read it first. :-D
My reading this week:
Finished
A Whole New Mind yesterday (from son's library), reading this weeks section of
Pirate of Exquisite Mind, and
Meet Me in St. Louis for night time relaxation.
I am about to start my first ever foray into graphic novel reading--at the behest of both my sons: they chose ElfQuest Archives Volume One for me to begin with, which I remember them reading when they were in high school--I think they were comic books then. If I like that I'm supposed to try
Preludes and Nocturnes the first book in the Sandman series by Neil Gaiman. We shall see! I am certainly going out of my comfort zone here--graphic AND fantasy! These are also from my son's library here.
I'm so glad my mention of
Crazy '08 sparked interest. In fact, there are other LTer's who have read it. I started it last month because the Seattleites LT Group read it for our book group. We read a book every month and then meet at a local bookstore to discuss it. I was so glad they picked this one, because I love baseball books. Crazy '08 is especially good, because of all the history of baseball in general that's thrown in. I also like the quotes from other writers Murphy sprinkles throughout the book, like this one from Ogden Nash:
"E is for Evers
His jaw in advance;
Never afraid
To Tinker with Chance."
#114 janoorani24
I love your Ogden Nash verse--I'm a big fan of his but I don't think I ever saw that one.
Have you read any of
George Will's baseball books?
Men at Work is my favorite but I also really like
Bunts. He's a huge fan with a real understanding of the game.
Last night I started
After Many a Summer Dies the Swan by Aldoux Huxley. Begins with an Englishman's impressions as he's driven through the Los Angeles area during the Depression era. I'm sure I'm going to like this book a lot.
jdthloue,
No matter your mood,
A Dirty Job will perk you up. Although it tackles a different subject matter, if you liked
The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove you will love
A Dirty Job (one of Moore's better works, at least from what I have read so far, I still have a few to go.)
Message edited by its author, Nov 25, 2008, 5:15pm.
I took Booksloth and kerrlm's recommedation last week and picked up
Ex Libris. It was good, and I enjoyed reading about another reader's habits that are so much like my own. But all that name dropping did leave me feeling not so much illierate as un-literate. To make myself feel better I've decided to reread some Jane Austen (though come to think of it, I don't believe Fadiman mentioned Austen once in Ex Libris!). I've started
Mansfield Park which I know I've read but have no memory of what-so-ever.
I'm reading White Nights, Red Morning by Judith Pella, Fire and Ice by Dana Stabenow, and Drunk, Divorced & Covered in Cat Hair by Laurie Perry. It depends on which room I'm in or where I am at to which book I'm reading.
>Richard & Musicmom- I'm from the Chicagoland area and I'm a big Cubs fan. I am also still in mourning. The wounds are raw and festering!
Crazy '08 sounds interesting but it's much too soon. I'm sure I'll be fully recovered by Spring training, by golly! :(
>Ti99er- I read
Wise Guy shortly before "Good Fellas" came out in '90. Great book, incredible film! Enjoy!
>118 Ti99er
just read Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove...what a surreal hoot...A Dirty Job went AWOL for part of today...it must have slithered under the couch to chortle and mock my efforts to find...but it's now again in the Land of Light....will start it just as soon as...thanks for your comment
;-p
oh OldDan
Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair...lordy oh, i could go 2-out-of-3 there...another brick in my TBR Wall...thanks you!
Message edited by its author, Nov 25, 2008, 9:13pm.
I am currently reading
We Bought a Zoo, and
Forty Guns West. They both are pretty good books that are exciting. We Bought a Zoo is a memoir of a family who actually bought a run down zoo. Forty Guns West is a book in the series First Mountain Man by William W. Johnstone.
Message edited by its author, Nov 25, 2008, 9:20pm.
I'm done with
The Red Badge of Courage. And now I'm thinking of starting
Twilight. I feel like such a tween. And I don't even have the excuse that I'm in college, like when I read the Harry Potter books. Bah!
I thought I'd tackle
War and Peace, I have a 2 hour round trip on the London underground every day so i think i can get it all done in two or three weeks. I have a huge hard back copy as well so for the first 20 minutes of the journey i'm banging into peoples necks whist we all stand up squashed together.
In an effort to reduce my monthly book bill i'm going to read books with over 1000 pages.
Any more good ideas for these?
Last night I started
My Name is Light, by Argentinian author Elsa Osorio. It's the story of a young woman named Luz, who was adopted as an infant under mysterious circumstances during a time of political unrest. Now a young adult, she is searching for the truth about her parentage.
#127 Have you read
Kristin Lavransdatter? It is a trilogy all in one volume and about 1150 pages. And it is great! :)
--BJ
#127, One of my favorite long books (and one of my favorite books of all time) is
A Suitable Boy by
Vikram Seth, 1474 in my paperback edition. Very absorbing and readable.
I'm starting my book club read of
The Guernsey Literary today .. which, given that I have a hangover after our office Thanksgiving party, sounds like just the ticket. I don't think my brain, in its delicate condition today, could handle anything too ponderous.
French Milk was a delightful comic book read.
I'm also reading
Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon for more of cool Venetian Commissario Brunetti's investigative prowess.
#127 >
Don Quixote has the double advantage of being very long and also one of the funniest books I've ever read in my life.
Message edited by its author, Nov 26, 2008, 2:15pm.
I've been working my way slowly through
All Shall Be Well, etc. by Tod Wodicka. It's somewhat different from what the reviews led me to expect (that never happens, does it?), plus I've had to read in very small chunks of time. I'm looking forward to some quality time in my recliner over the long weekend!
#127 - The UK version of
2666 by Roberto Bolano, which will be published there in mid-January, will be 1100 pages long, according to Amazon UK. (The US version, which I plan to start next week, is "only" 912 pp.)
I wholeheartedly agree with rocketjk's comment about Don Quixote.
I'm
still working on
Carpentaria; it's good, though!
reading
Pride and Prejudice upon the insistence of my friend. I read
northanger abbey and didn't like it, but this one seems to be better. There may be something to jane austen after all :)
I am still reading
Andersonville which is taking me FOREVER!!!!!! I did read
A Hundred Secret Senses so I took a break from it for about 4 days but this is just getting ridiculous. And it isn't like I haven't been reading it steadily. It is just really long (about 756 pages or so) in a pretty small type and there is never any quotes around when people are speaking which always slows me down for some reason. I hope to finish it this weekend though.
>138: kidzdoc- I've also recently acquired
2666. It's a unique book, in that it's three separate volumes in a cardboard sleeve. I have not read Bolano before, have you? Let me know what you think!
picked up
A Pirate of Exquisite Mind after a serious hiatus..for the Grand Group Read
also have A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore..on board..but not bored
weather's tending to sloppy here..i got books..i be happy
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you/us!!!
#142, msf59, I also bought
2666 (by the way, it's also available as a single hard cover volume, same price, at least in the US) because I was very impressed by
The Savage Detectives, which I read last year. It took me a long time to get into it, and I had to be encouraged along the way by several LTers, but in the end, although I don't think I understood it all, I was very glad I stuck with it and finished it.
I started reading
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks, but have decided that because it can be heavy going (the content rather than the writing style), I'm going to also read
Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn. Reading Raybourn's blog piqued my interest in her book, and so far it's been a fun read.
Have just finished
The Graveyard Book by
Neil Gaiman - awesome, one of those books you can't put down, now my kids get a chance to read it. Earlier in the week I read
At Lady Molly's by Anthony Powell and now will get onto Book 5 in that series.
#127 LaBella 77
My huge book this year is going to be
Anna Karenina, also by Tolstoy. I loved
War and Peace when I read it many years ago--have a great time with it!
#147: I loved
1984 and really made me think I hope you enjoy it and don't procrastinate into it :D
I'm still reading
Inkheart (60 pages to go) it's just that I haven't had the time to finish it :S and I think I'm going to read
Blade Runner coz a friend lend it to me and told me he needed it back as soon as possible...
Message edited by its author, Nov 27, 2008, 10:35pm.
I am reading
4 o'clock Murders by
Scott Anderson.
I am also reading
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortonson.
I have 4 books at the library that I have to pick that are on reserve. Why do they always seem to come at the same time????
That should about take me up to the end of the year.
I started
Magic's Promise yesterday and really didn't want to give it up to go to bed, but had to. I think I'm one of the few USers who actually works on Black Friday other than those working in retail.
#150 musicmom - I am actually barrelling through
Anna Karenina this week -- it is great and not difficult at all. I predict you'll love it! I also read
War and Peace years ago and loved it.
#152: Renald128 ::
I think I will love the cyberpunk genre, I haven't read that many Sci-fi. But I'm sure I will enjoy it. First let me finish this
Angels and Demons, hopefully tonight.
Finished
Power of Three Warriors Eclipse. Was thinking of starting a book of short stories
Murder Most Postal Delectable Feline, a collection of three different books of short stories. I'll have to enter this in by hand when I finish it. I'll also read between short stories
This Time Love by Elizabeth Lowell, which does not appear in the Touchstones but is listed in the "Add A Title" section. I guess that's where it is most important.
Message edited by its author, Nov 28, 2008, 3:18pm.
am reading A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore..since this puppy deals with DEATH it tends toward the serious.when i'm not on the verge of wetting myself laughing..lord love this writer..he actually has A Clue
>161 ironmonkey6 Cyberpunk..read William Gibson...and then Pat Cadigan..okay?
I will have to make a note of that, so I will... I thought Neuromancer was from Gibson, I've been waiting for that one for quite some time. Pat Cadigan is new to me.
Message edited by its author, Nov 28, 2008, 3:15pm.
Christopher Moore books look hiarious~
I finished
Murder in the Marais by Cara Black.
It is the start of the
Aimee Leduc mystery series. The writing flows, and there is promise, but the book was something of a train wreck.
Way too many characters and plots, poor event descriptions, slow pacing, too many just in time co-incidences, not a lot of character development. The main character lacks reality (schedules a hair appointment while she is being hunted by killers), and has more in common with a super hero than a real person (climbing over wet slate roof 80 ft in the air, in high heels).
Still I think most are newbie problems and hopefully will get worked out in time. I like the idea of the settings in the different parts/burbs of Paris. And even with all the problems, the writing is good, so I will read the rest of the series.
I also started and finished
Tengu by John Donohue.
It was an Early Reviewer book. I inhaled it in one sitting. Just loved it, but am sad I couldn't make it last. Donohue seems to take 2 years per book.
It is called a martial arts thriller and has a main character called Connor Burke, who is trying to master the physical and spiritual elements with a Japanese teacher. He has a large family and his brother is an NYC cop, so between the teacher and the brother there are lots of mystery/thriller hooks to use for stories. The writing is good, the characters are excellent, and there is a lot of good and interesting information about the martial arts, and Japanese culture and history, all woven into the story.
This is the 3rd book in the
Connor Burke series and I have read the previous books:
1.
Sensei and 2.
DeshiThe events in this book are based heavily on book 2, and there is not a lot of background or explanation for reasons in book 3.
Not sure what to read next.
I'm approaching the end of
Morgan's Passing by Anne Tyler. It was not the best one I've read of her's....it was okay, but not great. I'm slowly running out of steam as I near the last page, ugg.....I don't know why but this one just didn't do much for me. I guess after
Ladder of Years, I was hoping for more laughs and fun. This one certainly had Anne Tyler's usual quirkiness, but it just wasn't as endearing as "Ladder". Oh well, it wasn't a complete waste of time, but I'm looking forward to the small rush of picking out a new book to read!
>167 I'm looking forward to the small rush of picking out a new book to read
Isn't that the truth!! Ah, simple pleasures...
Ditto for me--picking out the next book to read for me is just wonderful!!
Today was my birthday and my wonderful kids each got me a book to read, thus putting the two I had on my table back a while - well one of those was a short story anthology.
My daughter gave me
Dewey which I fell in love with as an Early Reviewer title but didn't get. My son gave me
Dragonheart, which for some reason, my County Library System didn't order, but being a Pern fan , I wanted to read.
Now I have to read these so that at Christmas when they are both here they can have their chance at them!
I also got a nice cozy and warm red robe from husband. He says I can wear it backwards as if it were a snuggly.
Happy Birthday, koalamom! You raised your kids right, books for birthday presents....YES!!
I've just started
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson. Starting out a bit choppy-feeling, but that could be because I am in the middle of a night of insomnia and my brain is like sludge. I think once I get a few hours sleep, things will come together nicely. I enjoyed
Case Histories, and have several good recommendations from LT'ers, so I am looking forward to another good read by this author. Good night, all! (.....er....day??)
Happy Belated Birthday Koalamom! Hope you had a wonderful day with your family. Great book selections by your kids! Enjoy!
I'm reading
Collected Fictions of Jorge Luis Borges, who I love. It's really enjoyable. I have no idea what to read next...
#175 dancingstarfish
What a great haul! I read
Going After Cacciato years ago with a great book group and we all loved it.
Tim O'Brien writes interesting fiction where he makes you wonder what is real and what is not--it's fascinating and thought provoking. And it works for what he is trying to say. Another good one of his is
In the Lake in the Woods which tells a story with two possible scenarios.
I'm reading the fantasy,
The Summer Tree and enjoying it after a shaky start
#177 MusicMom41,
Yes I read
In the Lake in the woods and
The Things The Carried by O'Brien. I liked The Things They Carried a lot, hes a beautiful writer .. and about war of all things! His books are always lovely and sad to read. I hope this one is just as good! Unfortunately its finals time (I'm a graduate student) so I'm sitting here working on my projects and wishing I could be reading. Well, I guess thats kind of lie since I'm on LT right now, but I'm working on my projects too haha. ;)
Message edited by its author, Nov 30, 2008, 3:05pm.
#177 dancingstarfish
You sound like my son --he often comes over for dinner and to use our internet to do his homework (he's a graduate student who does most of his class work on line and goes every other weekend to the campus in San Diego for labs and some exams)--he's "studying" but he takes breaks to visit his favorite web sites!
I guess I'll have to find my copy of
The Things They Carried--I've never gotten around to reading it and I know I really should.
Hi everyone ... this week's thread is
here. Come join us!
(back to top)
