Last year I read 62 books, but I don’t expect to do as well this year, since I’m not planning to spend six weeks laid up with pneumonia. I do intend to set some goals, however, and that’s a first. I want to read/reread more Faulkner, more Dickens, more Austen. I want to chip away at unread books from the Booker, Orange, and Pulitzer Prize winners/shortlists, and of course there are always group reads and gift books and art books.

BRILLIANT IDEA: I have decided to align my goal-books with my massive collection of TBR’s! Here are all the ones from my TBR’s that fit my goals. However, if the books don’t grab me, I shall pass them on to others and move on to ones that do.

Man Booker Prize/Shortlist
Waterland
Flaubert’s Parrot
The Satanic Verses
The Famished Road
Disgrace (I was warned away from this when I lived in South Africa, but really must read it.)
Atonement (Never finished this because it upset me too much; plan to barrel on through this time.)
Oxygen
The Electric Michelangelo
The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Pulitzer Prize/Finalists
March
Gilead
Interpreter of Maladies
American Pastoral
Blonde
The Optimist’s Daughter

Orange Prize/Shortlist (Wish I owned more of these, but to be fair I have read a lot of them.)
We Need to Talk About Kevin

Faulkner
The Portable Faulkner (Lots of short fiction, including "The Bear", a reread.)
Light in August (a reread)
Absalom, Absalom! (a reread)

Dickens
The Pickwick Papers
The Old Curiosity Shop
Little Dorrit

Austen
Emma

Book Clubs/Group Reads so far
The Shipping News (a reread)
The Brothers Karamazov (a reread)
Moby Dick (For my trip to the Berkshires – I am halfway through, and might just finish it at last.)

Gifts and Art Books
A Mercy
All the Saints of the City of Angels (written/illustrated by a friend)
More Philadelphia Murals
Early Havoc
Emma’s Boys (Local author, self-published.)
PreRaphaelites in Love

If I get through these, I might just let myself buy some more books this year … Wish me luck!

Message edited by its author, Jul 20, 2009, 3:19pm.

Ooh, lovely list. I'm salivating.

Some really great reads, here. Some I've read, some are on my own TBR pile. Hope to read A Mercy soon.

Thanks, guys. theaelizabet, let's compare notes on these as we go along. My husband has ordered me A Mercy as a late Xmas gift, and it should arrive any day now. I heard Toni Morrison read from it in person just before it was released, and I am salivating. It was very reminiscent of Beloved, my all-time favorite book. Looking over your challenge thread, I see that you are also a fan.

Message edited by its author, Jan 5, 2009, 6:23pm.

I'm so glad I found your thread, kambroqi. I am wishing that my TBRs were of the same caliber as yours. Perhaps they would get read sooner!

I just started A Mercy a little while ago. So far I am on the same wave length with Morrison. I seem to recall scratching my head in confusion a few times when I was reading Paradise a few years ago. Oh well, even in my dazed and confused state, I am in awe of TM's lyrical style.

Hey! starred ya! Those are some great reads you have lined up ...

Thanks, lindsacl. Donna, you are already ahead of me on your reading! I think/hope A Mercy will be more along the lines of her earlier work. I found some of her later work, Paradise included, rather flat.

Message edited by its author, Jan 5, 2009, 8:47pm.

I like your list! I never thought about making a list , although I have a huge TBR pile. But I just read what hits me at the moment and I may venture so far from the list, I will disappoint myself. Sounds silly, but true, I think. I guarantee I will be reading some of the books on your list. I own some of them. P

So, you're really doing it??? Half-way through Moby Dick. I applaud you. And now my husband wants to meet you! Did I mention that I gave him a pop-up version of Moby Dick for Christmas? It was a hit.

Finally found you Kathi - I have starred your thread ready to go.

Great line up of books. Well done on the Moby Dick - one of my favourites for 2008. (although the naughty parts did fly over me, which is too bad.)

What a great list! I loved three of your Pulitzer books -- Interpreter of Maladies, March and Gilead. Good luck, and sorry you were so sick this year!

Bummer! I posted my first book yesterday and it just never appeared! See that blank entry? Weird.

Thanks for the encouragement, all. I got the idea for setting goals from lindsacl and amandameale. Pagedove, it is probably true that I will disappoint myself, but I intend not to let myself get too obsessed with it. As teelgee would say, I shall call them "intentions," so as not to feel too driven. I want to read some fun stuff that strikes me at the moment, too. After all, that is the point of reading, isn't it?

As to Moby's Dick, er Moby Dick, kiwidoc, I am not really in love with it yet, but hope that I will eventually come to that. Damn, I had no idea there were naughty bits -- that should help! :-) If not, I shall seek out the pop-up version, laytonW3! :-)

AMQS, I have heard so many good things about those books you mention, and have enjoyed other books by the authors, so I'm psyched about them. More as I get through them.

Trying again ...



#1 The Faith Club by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, Priscilla Warner (January). This book was lent to me by a friend months ago, and I really found it difficult to begin it -- not my sort of thing, perhaps. Once I began, however, it totally drew me in. It is a nonfiction work about three women – a Christian, a Muslim and a Jew – who begin an intense and life-changing dialog about their faith. At first, I was annoyed at how uninformed two of the members were about the common roots of their religions, but in time this changed, and that change is what makes the book so engaging and inspiring. An easy read, but highly recommended. Picture is linked to my review.

Message edited by its author, Jan 12, 2009, 8:26am.

>13 It's a CHILDREN's version, Kathi...no naughty bits pop up!

So what's the point? *Snort!*

I have been adding one book a day to my brand-new 2009 TBR list. Congratulations, kambroqi, you have contributed Book No. 6 to the list. The Faith Club is already waiting for me at the library. It looked like just the thing to nurture my spiritual side. Thanks for the recommendation.

You are very welcome, Donna. Let me know what you think; I always worry that I will over-praise what I like. I am rather excitable! Having said that, here is the next:



#2 The Shipping News by E. Annie Proulx (January). I reread this for a book club, and sure am glad I did; I was so thrilled that I upgraded my review to a 5.

I never used to understand how folks could re-read books. There are so many unread ones out there and a lifetime is not enough to scratch the surface of them all. However, a reread of a much-loved book is a great joy, like a second, slow taste of a delicious food after the rush of hunger is sated. I savored every moment of the book this time (more than a decade after the first reading), and slowed down at the end, wanting to make every page last.

If you haven't read it yet, take a little time to get comfortable with the peculiar voice in which it is written, something like a journalist with a cigar in his mouth spouting poetry without much attention to that old subject-predicate thing. It is full of charming, quirky characters, a setting so real it made me shiver through a brutal Newfoundland winter, a moving, painful and multi-layered story that made me cry a bit, but had me laughing out loud time and time again, when I least expected to. Great stuff! Get more detail on the plot by clicking on the picture above.

Message edited by its author, Jan 7, 2009, 3:54pm.

Kathi, I love The Shipping News too, and now I may have to re-read it. Your description of the voice is so perfect...who could resist grabbing the book after hearing that??

Thanks, LTW3. I was rather happy with that, too. I think I got it right, although that strange voice is what puts many a reader off. Another thing I love about this book is the way it treats women. Proulx is a master at writing men, their voices, their minds, and they tend to dominate her stories, imho. And yet her women are treated with such insight and respect, such power and diversity. As it says in the text, we meet, "the demon lover, the stout-hearted woman, the maids in the meadow and the tall and quiet woman." Each one of them an unforgettable character. And in the movie, Judy Dench is brilliant as, "the stout-hearted woman."

Message edited by its author, Jan 7, 2009, 4:25pm.

I have not read The Shipping News yet but last night I decided to watch the DVD with my son. We both loved it! I usually prefer to read books before seeing the movie but have had this DVD for an age plus boredom with the TV had kicked in! I can now look forward to reading the book.
I agree Judy Dench is a fine actress.

Thanks for the fine review, Kathi! I enjoyed it too.

Thanks, folks. Did you mean you enjoyed the book, the movie, or (dare I ask) the review, citizenkelly?

Englishrose, I am with you about reading the book first, but it doesn't always work out that way. I thought the movie of Shipping News was far better than most interpretations of books, and in fact have seen it more than once. It certainly kept the spirit of the story intact. However, nothing could replace the unusual language of the narration, and the wit of the text. I suggest you try the book, but wait a while -- so the movie can fade and you can get the book fresher.

Funny, the best book-to-movie interpretation I have ever seen was also from Proulx's work, Brokeback Mountain, but being a short story it was probably easier to do the whole thing as written. She also wrote a heartfelt plea to the screenwriter (Larry McMurtry) to maintain the language of the story. In fact, it is almost word-for-word the same, and only a few scenes were added to visualize backstory. Have either of you seen/read it? I was so moved by that story -- I still get chills when I think about it.

Message edited by its author, Jan 12, 2009, 8:28am.

Hi Kambrogi--

Re: Brokeback--One of the few times I saw the movie before reading the book, or in this case, short story, first. You're right. Terrific adaptation by McMurtry and ?(wasn't there a coauthor?). Anyway, I agree. Very moving.

Brokeback Mountain Read it, saw it. The performances were incredible in that movie. I am such a fan of Annie Proulx's writing that I was afraid to see the movie for quite a while, even though I had heard good things (and my daughter told me to get with it, already). I think, in part, I was afraid of the emotional intensity of seeing the story on the big screen. I mean to watch it again one of these days; I expect it to be better, for me, a second time.

Good call, theaelizabet, Diana Ossana co-authored the screenplay (I knew there was someone else, but I was too lazy to look it up). That is actually one I saw first, but as it turned out, it didn't spoil the story at all.

I'm sure you both remember the business with the shirts at the end of the film, but you may not have noticed that the order of them has been reversed in the final scene (which one is inside, which one outside). A friend told me that this had been Heath Ledger's idea, and it was also his idea to talk as if his jaw was wired shut -- he said that a man so conflicted, so unsure of who he was, would talk this way. I am sorry he didn't get the Oscar. I said at the time it would be the greatest role of his life. I didn't know how right I was.

Kambrogi, I shall wait a while before I read The Shipping News.

I have not read or seen Brokeback Mountain yet, but I will.

Edited because keyboard can't spell!!!

Message edited by its author, Jan 9, 2009, 6:48am.

Another fan of The Shipping News here.

amandameale: Not really surprised. We do agree a lot, don't we? Maybe it's time for you to tell me what to read next? :-)

englishrose60: Brokeback Mountain is found in a collection called Close Range: Wyoming Stories. Proulx says she worked years on that particular story, but her storytelling is really marvelous throughout this collection, imho. I see there are two more collections, Bad Dirt: Wyoming Stories 2 and Fine Just the Way It Is: Wyoming Stories 3. Must get those. I stopped reading her work for a while after Accordian Crimes. It is excellent, but next to Rohintan Mistry's A Fine Balance, that may have been the most depressing book I ever read!

Interesting interview, but probably best to skip if you haven't already read the story: Annie Proulx Tells the Story Behind "Brokeback Mountain"

Too much info/too much hype ahead of time can spoil a story, no?

Message edited by its author, Jan 9, 2009, 11:09am.

Yes! Sometimes. Other times it can be an encouragement to read something you might otherwise overlook!

Thanks for info on Brokeback Mountain:-)

Good point, englishrose.

I am disappointed to see that HTML color tags don't seem to work in LT posts. I wanted to put the book I am currently reading in my list above in red. Not possible, it seems.

Anyway, I am plowing through The Brothers Karamazov at the moment, all 800+ pages of it, so it will be a while before I post another review, I suspect.

Hope you are enjoying TBK - I have already read it and feel it's too soon for a reread. I enjoyed it very much.

I enjoyed it more when I read it about 30 years ago. I love the writing and the story, but am impatient with the lengthy discourses on issues of the day that Dostoevsky feels like inserting.

Thanks for making the Shipping News sound so appealing, Kambrogi! It's been on my shelf of must-read-but don't-really-feel-like-it books for years but now I really want to read it!

On the strength of your recommendation, Kathi, I got a copy of The Shipping News too.
Oh, the power of persuasion (plus the respect for your opinion)!!!
;-))

Let me know what you think, you two.

I am computerless at the moment, and so at the library (a COLD walk through the snow!). Clearly, LT is essential. I am adding Alice Munro to my reading list above, Soupdragon, as soon as I figure out what I have by her -- it appears it isn't catalogued, but I think I have Runaway.

I am still working away at The Brothers Karamzov, having switched translations midway through.

Message edited by its author, Jan 21, 2009, 10:52am.

Admiring the dedication in your walking through the snow to Library Thing! Actually, I'd probably do the same but it would be addiction in my case (:

I highly recommend Runaway especially after Dostoevsky. I can guarantee that unlike those Russians of a certain age, Munro does not side-track into discourses on issues of the day!

Kambrogi, just ran across this thread and have starred it. Good list. Sensible to leave gaps for books that pop up and must be read.

>37 I second Soupdragon's recommendation - Munro is really a fantastic short story writer, definitely no sidetracking there: the woman can fit the whole 800 pages of those enormous Russian books into a single 30-page short story. For that reason she's been called, to draw another parallel with Russian writers, "the Chekhov of our times". Pretty promising, that.

OK, I need to add Runaway to my wishlist.
--BJ

>40 I haven't read Runaway myself, though I really am tempted to try and find a copy. The one I read is called The Love of a Good Woman and I loved the stories there. Not much happens in terms of action, but EVERYTHING happens inside the characters' heads.

Another Alice Munro fan here. Oooo, kambrogi, great list for the year. I see some I've read and some I want to read, that are sitting on my TBR pile right now. I'm currently reading A Mercy, but you've actually made me want to read Shipping News! It's never appealed before, though I'm a fan of Proulx's short stories.

Pamelad! So great to see you! Thanks for dropping by and "starring" me. Still no computer; using my husband's today.

Thanks so much for these comments, Soupdragon and girlunderglass. Love that comparison to Chekhov, whom I much admire. Munro looks like my kind of writer.

I actually began thinking, as I worked my way through the Brothers (done, now), how the contemporary style is so much more focused, trim and honed, even when they are long. I think that is a result of the computer -- more opportunity to revise -- and the fact that novels today are not serialized (as the Brothers was). Serialization would eliminate the opportunity to go back and delete, rework and remove the unnecessary elements of early chapters after a clearer destination is determined. Of course, some people love those "errant" threads, like the chapters on the Paris sewer system and Waterloo in Les Miserables (a book I thought was terrific, anyway, as apparently Dostoevsky did, too).

Although I have always enjoyed those old Russians, and really appreciate a big, meaty book (A Suitable Boy!), I have to say that these days that cleaner style is very compelling, if it can carry the same level of complexity and meaning (and I know it can). I can't wait to get to Munro!

#43 "...more focused, trim and honed..."

I know exactly what you mean. But have we become lazy writers and lazy readers? Or is it simply a matter of style? (I don't know.)

Interesting comments about the opportunity to revise with computers because I've found a lot of contemporary fiction starts out great and then doesn't really end in a satisfactory way. It seems to me that some writers spend a tremendous amount of time reworking and revising their early chapters and then they just run out of steam. Of course, I can't think of any examples as I write this . . .

On a different scale, I think successful writers often get sloppy with their later works, and by that time their editors consider them "untouchable" and don't try to clean up their work at all. I'm thinking particularly of Faye Kellerman, who used to be one of my favorites, and whose Burnt House was just a mess.

>46, totally agree with you. I think Accordion Crimes by Annie Proulx is an example of that. After the commercial and literary success of her other books, especially Shipping News, it seemed that her editors didn't have the guts to help her trim that book down. And, this will probably be considered heresy, but I think the Harry Potter books could have done with a little editing as well. (Yikes! Gasps heard around the world!) But how does an editor--or even a publishing house--say that to one of the richest people in England?!

@ 47

I agree re: Harry Potter. I don't know that they needed to be shorter necessarily (though I could probably be convinced in the cases of 5 and 7), but the repetition of phrases over and over in the later books got to the point of ridiculousness. An editor somewhere should have stepped in there.n

Message edited by its author, Jan 26, 2009, 1:59pm.

>47 Yes, I remember some phrases repeated here and there. Rowling said that she hated it whenever she discovered a repetition in the books - maybe an editor could have helped her with spotting those. Though I must say, as a Harry Potter fan, I wouldn't have wanted the books to be ANY shorter. For me it's a case of "the more the better" :)

I got very annoyed with Hermione screaming so much....I don't think she was the type to scream at every little thing. A good editor might have taken care of that too.

Message edited by its author, Jan 26, 2009, 1:24pm.

KAthi - I see you have switched translations of The Brothers Karamov - it is the next book in line for me and I went out and bought the Prevear translation. Do you notice any difference with the change?

Oh, my, all this interesting talk, and me with no computer! My husband is leaving for work in a few minutes and so I won't be able to respond to all this cool stuff. I will start with 51, then: Kiwidoc, I did not notice any difference, except perhaps the language is just a little more modern in the second one, although I am sure those who speak Russian would see it as better translation. I actually kind of liked the more old-fashioned language better, but it is probably not as close to the original.

Length of work: Amandameale, I don't think we are lazy readers. I have no problem reading long, complex or complicated works (and I suspect you don't, either). In fact, I love them. And I like lyrical writing, psycological and dense, full of description, as well. I just want them tight, well-edited, focused. I like to work hard when I read -- it is part of the fun for me -- but I don't want the work to wander off-course. I want to know the writer put everything there for a purpose.

Bonniebooks, Laycomflower and LTW3, Your references to editing weaknesses in the Potter books, but no desire to have them shorter, would fit with my feelings about some books (although I only read the first Potter and so did not actually see that myself in those books).

Yes, I do think once an author is successful, there is little oversight. Isabelle Allende is a good example of that, although I must say I thought Proulx's Accordian Crimes was excellent (although 'way too depressing for me).

Rebecca, I think you are right about the computer leading to some laziness -- early editing that eventually falls apart, but then that can happen to any writer who gets tired of editing, I suppose. More books are written and published today, perhaps because it is easier to write them with a computer, so maybe the discipline is not there.

Gotta go -- no editing on this!

Message edited by its author, Feb 1, 2009, 5:23pm.

Got my computer back, and here's my recent reading:



#3 The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky (January). It took a while to get into this book, but ultimately I had to say it was brilliant. Only major downside? I don’t think it is finished. It was written in installments, published in one volume, and then he died. Most people believe another collection was planned, and one does long to learn more about the ultimate fate of these three amazing brothers. Picture is linked to my review.



#4 Embers by Sandor Marai (January). This book has a similar narrative style to The Reluctant Fundamentalist, and I loved it throughout the first half. However, the second half stopped showing and gave itself over entirely to telling, becoming essentially a long-winded rehash of the events in the tale, provided in the voice of the protagonist. And, also like that book, the ending was decidedly disappointing and unresolved. Hmmm … these issues are also present in The Brothers. Maybe it’s just me? Picture is linked to my review.



#5 A Mercy by Toni Morrison. Wow. Although this book is very short, I felt as though I were reading a full-length novel, and its complexity left me with the same feeling I had after reading The Brothers – the need to contemplate the lives of these amazing people. Picture is linked to my review.

Two more books coming ...

ETA to add book #4 title.

Message edited by its author, Feb 2, 2009, 12:56pm.

I can't wait to read A Mercy !! It's on tap for this month ...

I predict you will like it, lindsacl. Although it is not for everyone, as you can see if you read some other folks' comments. Some people get confused by a non-linear story, and have difficulty following stories that move back and forth in time, or have multiple narrators/multiple viewpoints. For me, that is the fun part!

Other recent reads:



#6 The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid (January). As an American who was living in Pakistan on 9/11, I found it interesting to read the story of a Pakistani living in the US on the same fateful day. There is much that is good here, especially the clever and effective narrative style, but I was disappointed by the excessive stereotyping of Americans by a narrator (difficult to separate from the author) who is himself so well-rounded. I was also disappointed by the unresolved ending. Picture is linked to my review.



#7 Wondrous Strange: The Wyeth Tradition (January). This marvelous book arrived on my doorstep, a housewarming gift from a friend, just a few days after Andrew Wyeth died. I was thrilled to get it, not only for its stunning plates of works by favorite artists Howard Pyle, NC Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth and Jamie Wyeth, but because it states what has been on my mind for a very long time: “Admirers who characterize Andrew Wyeth as a painter of calm certainties miss the odd, willful and marvelous incongruities lying in wait within the best of his work.” To my eye, there is as much abstraction in Andrew Wyeth as there is in de Kooning; the difference is merely in style. Jamie Wyeth, on rare occasions, rises to this level, as well, but also follows more closely in the footsteps of his grandfather. As for NC Wyeth, and his teacher Howard Pyle, I love their marvelous storytelling as well as I do any book their paintings grace. They were narrators of the very best kind, who bring you into the action to vividly reveal the passions of their characters. Picture is linked to my review.

Message edited by its author, Feb 2, 2009, 1:01pm.

Aha! Hi Kathi, finally made my way here. I see you haven't posted anything for a while which is fine since it gave me time to catch up with what's been said here. I like the fact that you've made a list and keep telling myself I should do the same, but then I hate the idea that I might not feel like reading a certain book when I get to it and I do enjoy the freedom to pick and choose as I go. Knowing myself I'd probably end up feeling like a failure if I didn't follow the list perfectly too. So no list for me at this point.

Re: The Shipping News I guess I haven't been very attracted to that book for the simple reason that it's set in Canada and it takes me a lot of convincing to read stories that are set in my own country. Which is ridiculous because I've read plenty of Margaret Atwood and Robertson Davies novels which are set in Canada usually. However your review of it was extremely appealing so I may just put this book back onto my wishlist.

I love that you've reviewed that Andrew Wyeth book too. I love his paintings too. I also told myself this year that I should read some of the fantastic art books I have collected and that making them count toward my 50something, would encourage me to do so because I tend not to consider them as "real books" since they are mostly visual, but that is nonsense of course.

Well I've been rambling long enough. I've starred your thread so I hope you'll come back and start posting here again soon! :-)

Thanks for popping by, Smiler! I have been really going to pieces on my reading, mostly because I'm working a lot more. I've also dabbled -- several essays and a quick rescan of Their Eyes Were Watching God, a few Faulkner short stories and the long, long, long Little Dorrit, by Charles Dickens, which I may be reading for the rest of my natural life, in extremely tiny type. *Sigh* The only book I've finished was Richistan, and I haven't finished the review yet.

I know how you feel about lists, but I intend to use this only as a guide, and have certainly picked outside it, too. I also forgave myself for the shorter books after the monstrous Brothers Karamazov. Anyway, it's my list, my goals, my interests I'm addressing, so why not read art books and record them? I give you my full permission to do the same, and look forward to your comments on same! If anyone quibbles, send 'em to me. :-)

Do read The Shipping News, and give it a little time to draw you in -- the language is quirky until you get into it. I adore Robertson Davies and Margaret Atwood -- and Proulx is damn good, too. Give her a go.

Message edited by its author, Mar 10, 2009, 8:52am.

> 55, It's so much easier to see, and be annoyed by, the stereotypes written about us because we are so much more aware of all the variability/complexities of people's lives within our own culture, aren't we? I want to come back after I've read the book and talk about this again!

Hi, kambrogi!
You are doing great with your reading! I am also reading The Brothers Karamazov, but I am only about 1/3 of the way through. I put it down for a while, which was a mistake.

I also count shorter books; I think that it all averages out in the end. :)

Have a great day!
--BJ

>58 Yes, bonnie, I think you have that right. Check back in and let me know what you think.

>59 BJ, Thanks for checking in. Yes, TBK is a long trek, and perhaps it is unwise to rest too long by the roadside. I did that with Moby Dick, and before I knew it a year (or has it been two?) had passed!

Message edited by its author, Mar 10, 2009, 9:01am.

Well guess what? I ended up getting The Shipping News from BookMooch and it looks like I'll be getting Their Eyes Were Watching God soon as well (have had my eye on it for a while now). I've been reading quite a few short books this year and not feeling guilty one bit - at least I have the impression I'm making progress on my stated goal. I think I'll make myself pick up something massive soon though, just to get over my fear of big books. I don't usually like staying in any one universe for very long so am always concerned that about a quarter way through, I'll be desperate to switch to something else. This is probably when the art books will come in to break things up a little bit. That's the wonderful thing about art books: they accompany any other reading material marvelously well! :-)

Smiler: I love both of those books. As kambrogi said, don't rush The Shipping News.

Smiler -- I know what you mean! I am sick to death of living in Little Dorrit-world so long, but I actually like the book. Just antsy to be off to other places. If I were getting in more reading these days, I wouldn't be so stuck on the same old road. Good luck with your reading -- both the books you mention are a bit unusual in their language, and may take some patience, but I feel the payoff is excellent.

Well, I have piddled around with essays and short stories and a very loooong Dickens, and have little to show for my reading time lately, but here goes:



#8 Richistan by Robert Frank (February). This nonfiction book is about the new ultra-rich class, virtually a country in itself, within the US. The author studied the more than eight million millionaires in the US (greater than the population of Sweden).

Not my usual fare; it was given to me by a friend. But I found it quite interesting. Among other thing, it shows the changes in the way people make and spend money, and I was especially interested in how philanthropy has changed. Unfortunately, it was published just before the economy collapsed, so one wonders how many of those nouveau riche are still riche. Picture is linked to my review.



#9 Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens (February-March). This book is incredibly long and just seems to go on forever. But it is a master class in character creation and a really terrific story, as well. I did enjoy it, but it wore me out -- especially in a little antique volume with type suitable for ants! I have to admit, though, that after reading it, for a while every other book I picked up seemed rather flat. Tomorrow I will begin watching the multi-hour, two-part English dramatization of it on TCM. That should be fun. Picture is linked to my review.



#10 Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland (March). I read this for a book club and really balked originally, thinking it would be one of those books that makes up a story about the origin of a famous painting. Not so. This is a well-researched historical novel about the creation of Renoir’s greatest work, and is a fascinating read. Picture is linked to my review.



#11 Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (April). This is a reread, and I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first time. It is a book in which there is no one to love, but more than one person to be pitied, although you have to admit they bring every problem on themselves. And you keep wondering why. False values and self-absorption, it seems. Picture is linked to my review.

Message edited by its author, Apr 3, 2009, 4:36pm.

I appreciate your review of Luncheon of the Boating Party. I've had the same reservations about reading this book, so it's good to hear they are unfounded.

If you read it, lindsacl, I will share a little cool research I did following it -- one fact in particular I think you will appreciate. I'd send it on to you, but it is a library book!

#65 Same here. I like the sound of it now.

#12 The Reader by Bernhard Schlink (April). Wow. Quite a powerful and important story. Highly recommended. Picture is linked to my review.

Message edited by its author, Apr 6, 2009, 8:36am.

kambrogi, enjoying reading your reviews. How are you going with the tbrs? Have you snuck out and bought anything?

I had a similar plan, but my tbr pile is staying the same size because I can't pass a bookshop.

My tbr is growing because I can't pass a bookshop.

>64-10. Susan Vreeland has really created a little niche for herself, hasn't she? I like that I can depend on some authors to give me a particular type of writing.

Oh, rebeccanyc, I know what you mean, although I have done a lot better job of resisting since my budget took a nosedive.

Still, I am reading a lot of books NOT in my TBR pile or my goal list, Pamelad, but I can say in my own defense that I didn't buy any of them. They are mostly books thrust on me by book groups (I belong to two) or friends (like the last one I read). I like going to the book groups, because I love to discuss books and actually see real live people, but I wish I could choose all the books we read! :-) However, I must admit, I would never read certain books if it weren't for the groups, and that's not always a bad thing.

Bonnie, it is true that Vreeland seems to specialize in these art-history novels. I believe I remember that teelgee really liked The Forest Lover. I wonder if Vreeland is herself a painter? As a former art teacher, I saw that she seemed to know her stuff as far as the nitty-gritty of art, composition, painting technique, etc., go. Her writing style doesn't interest me as much as her subject-matter does, but I may try another one.

I've finally found you! Now I have to go back up and read all of your reviews. Very interested in the Wyeth, because he knocks my socks off.

Book groups are like English classes: things are thrust upon you but most of the time it's worth it, as you discover gems you might not have read otherwise.

I've got you starred now.

Love your goal list ! I've got several of these same "prize-winning" books in my mental TBR .

Message edited by its author, Apr 9, 2009, 5:49pm.

Great to see you, tiffin! I watch your reading with interest as often as possible.

Thanks, AquariusNat, I hope to hear what you think of those you read. At present, PreRaphaelites in Love has got me totally engaged. (Funny, that title will only work with touchstone if I take out the hyphen, but the LT title shows up on the right with a hyphen!)

Message edited by its author, Apr 10, 2009, 12:43pm.

I've been reading up a storm, but too busy to review. These are my latest reads:



#13 PreRaphaelites in Love by Gay Daly. I used to laugh at the Pre-Raphaelites. So shamelessly romantic, so out of step with the art of their times and the times to come. Not so much now. This is no fluffy, gossipy read, but treats the Victorians and art in a scholarly and intelligent but also very engaging way, through their private and public lives. Picture is linked to my review.



#14 Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. This was just as good as everyone said it was, but it took me a while to finish it, because I have trouble reading short stories -- I prefer a good, long, absorbing book of at least 350 pages. In any case, I was inspired by Lahiri's marvelous writing and terrific stories. Picture is linked to my review.



#15 The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Book club read. Waste of time for me, but hugely popular according to other reviewers. Picture is linked to my review.



#16 The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. This is another book I unwillingly read for a book club, but was very glad I did. A charming little book, witty but serious. Picture is linked to my review.



#17 March by Geraldine Brooks. I have heard conflicting reports on this Pulitzer Prize winner -- I don't think avaland liked it. However, I really did like it, quite a bit better than her Year of Wonders. Picture is linked to my review.

Three of these five books were on my original list, so that is more headway than in my last report. But, alas, I have picked up a biography of Natalie Wood and now doubt that I will finish Moby Dick before I visit the Berkshires. Tut tut.

Message edited by its author, May 4, 2009, 1:21pm.

Thanks for your review of Interpreter of Maladies. I first heard about Lahiri in a TIME magazine article and was curious about her works. Your favourable review pushes her higher up my TBR list. =)

Hope you like it, aihre. Lahiri is a class act.

Absolutely ... and if you really must read Unaccustomed Earth, her more recent collection of short fiction. It's just as wonderful as Interpreter of Maladies.

>79: I wholeheartedly agree with Laura. I am "treating" myself with the stories from Unaccustomed Earth with no more than one a day so as to draw the experience out a bit. I did the same with Interpreter of Maladies. I was just like you, kambrogi, in not being a fan of short stories...and I would still have trouble focusing on an entire collection at one time. I prefer to get immersed in characters, plot, etc.

Thanks, you two. I'll be on the lookout for Unaccustomed Earth.

That is really a good idea, Donna -- one a day. I like to read over my coffee in the morning, and a short story might be just great for that slot each day. I would like to read more of them, as I am thinking I would like to write more of them. The best collections I have ever read were A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain by Robert Olen Butler, and Close Range:Wyoming Stories by Annie Proulx (often marketed today as Brokeback Mountain and other Stories).

Message edited by its author, May 4, 2009, 4:48pm.

Kathi, I also enjoyed Interpreter of Maladies and, on the Indian theme, must get back to The Inheritance of Loss.

I have kind of been out of it for a few weeks and just spot checking a few threads now and then. I finally caught up to you today.
I am really impressed with the material you have read this year. The commentary on your thread is wonderful. What a bunch of marvelously smart women we have here on LT and lucky you---they like to hang out on your thread. I only made it to #50 but will be back to continue catching up. I found a lot of books talked about here today that I added to my TBR list and a few for my 999 challenge.

#29 "Interesting interview, but probably best to skip if you haven't already read the story: Annie Proulx Tells the Story Behind "Brokeback Mountain"

Thank you for throwing that link in. It helped me with some understanding.
belva

Glad to know you found items of interest, nannybette. Stop by anytime. It seems we do enjoy many of the same books.

Message edited by its author, May 15, 2009, 3:59pm.

#18 Natalie Wood: A Life by Gavin Lambert. I’d been talking to my sister, a big movie buff, and she mentioned how Natalie Wood had a fear of dark water ever since her childhood, when her unscrupulous director and stage mother tricked her in a scene where a bridge collapses, in order that she register real fear. The child almost drowned, and had a lifelong trauma over it. So I read this book out of curiosity. I came away with great respect for the author, who knew Wood, but less for Ms. Wood herself, who never really achieved much greatness in her life. Click on the book jacket picture for my review.

Message edited by its author, May 15, 2009, 8:31am.

Kathi: Moby Dick is one I intend to re-read this year or next. Can't wait to hear your thoughts.

I totally bogged down in it again. I really like the story, but the interminable center section that tells in chapter after chapter after chapter everything you ever wanted to know (not!) about whales really wears me out. I want to read the rest of the story, but something in me is not willing to skip 10 or 20 chapters in the middle of a book! So once again, I have put it down. I am reading Jane Eyre instead, for the first time. Lovely.

I'm afraid Moby Dick is one of those books I simply can't read. I tried 3 or 4 times in my 20s and 30s, and even took the extreme measure of bringing it on a trip without any other books. But I just couldn't do it then, and now I think I never will. Too many other books I really want to read!

Ditto as Rebecca.

It's a shame, really, because those of us who love Moby Dick find it to be an entertaining, insightful, funny, tragic novel...really anything you'd hope a novel could be. Even those chapters on whale blubber have their own charm, though I'd agree they aren't the strongest part of the book :-)

Personally, I think we try to teach this novel too early (often in high school), which turns people off of it, sometimes forever. At least all of you have given it multiple looks! Second, I think we treat it too seriously and miss some of the comic nature of the book. We try to read the Great Themes into it rather than enjoying the adventure story of it.

Of course, no matter what, there are going to be people who don't like it. But as someone who does enjoy it, I think it deserves its reputation.

I would perhaps suggest listening to Moby Dick on CD - the abridged version can really bring the essence of the book alive and get you past the details that become laborious. It is such a sensational book to miss it altogether?

Message edited by its author, May 19, 2009, 12:13pm.

Ahhh! I say just read Ahab's Wife and forget about Moby Dick! ;-)

#90 I totally agree with you about introducing some literature too early. I've re-read a couple books lately that I know I first read in high school. Smart as I was (she says, modestly) I'm sure I wasn't ready to appreciate Cry, The Beloved Country or much of Shakespeare at the age of 14, 15 and 16. I also regret that my high school English teacher, who was otherwise extremely good, had very little sense of humor. So I know that she short-changed us by not highlighting the funny bits in some of the classics we studied.

Glad to hear that you, rebeccanyc, didn't get through Moby Dick-- since I consider you one of the most erudite readers I know. That makes me feel better.

Interesting comments, LaytonW3 and wrmjr66. As an old English teacher (old in both senses of the word), I certainly agree. I do, however, think kids can love Shakespeare in high school if it is properly taught, and advocate teaching it, because otherwise most will never be exposed to what I consider the most important literary work in the English language. But the jokes are important, and too many teachers overlook that, as well as the naughty bits that add plenty of interest for teens!

Bonnie, I am with you. I liked Ahab's Wife a lot. Kiwidoc, I remembered that you loved Moby's Dick, and for a while I used that to goad myself on. I think the audio version is a great idea. I will see if I can get it. And then there is Patrick Stewart in the movie ... that would be wonderful, no doubt, but still not the book. Hmmm ... maybe I will try again.

#64 & 71>

I'm glad you like Vreeland. I'm getting ready to read Girl in Hyacinth Blue within the next few months.

kambrogi, I am hardly an erudite reader, but thank you.

On the subject of multiple looks, it took me several tries in different decades of my life to read The Magic Mountain and In Search of Lost Time, but having read both in the past several years, I can say that my 50s turned out to be the right time. Still, I feel no pull to try Moby Dick again.

Well said, rebeccanyc. I totally agree about that there are perfect times for certain books, and other times when they just don't fit. I was able the climb The Magic Mountain in one go, but it took two reads to "get" -- of all things -- The Great Gatsby. As a middle school kid, I had read all of Salinger, and hungry for more I read The Great Gatsby, a book mentioned in one of Salinger's stories. It did nothing for me at the time. Reading it again in college, I cried, finding it so moving.

Message edited by its author, May 20, 2009, 7:54am.

#19 Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. This was my first time to read this classic. I found a marvelous 1943 special edition, with woodcut illustrations by Fritz Eichenberg, at the local library sale. It was accompanied by a companion volume of Wuthering Heights, and each cost only $1! It was an absolute joy to read, partly because of the lovely volume and images, but more because it’s a terrific book. Click on the book jacket picture for my review.

At this website, you can see and click on larger images of the unique covers of this and Wuthering Heights, and pick out Jane on her cover: Book Covers Anonymous

Message edited by its author, May 29, 2009, 6:58am.

What an exciting find, Kathi. Those images are so perfect, for both novels.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time. Marvelous!~!

I loved your comment about the Taj Mahal in your terrific Jane Eyre review. It is a favorite of mine. Looks like you got a real beauty of a book at the library sale. Love that cover.

Thanks for the compliment, Donna. Funny, I lived close to the Taj for five years and never went there! But the metaphor still stands.

Thanks all for the comments -- wish you could see the books. I am trying to restrain myself from jumping right into Wuthering Heights, another classic I've never read. Doing Gilead first.

kambrogi;
I am so looking forward to reading Gilead. Will you let me know how you like it? It sounds like one I may want to put with my The Garden at the Edge of Beyond and One Extra*Ordinary Day in my "serenity basket".
I hope it is great and that you love it.
belva

Yes, Belva, I will let you know my final verdict. Right now, I am finding it very much as you imagine. Wise, solemn and powerful.

Well, I'm interested in seeing whether you like Gilead, Belva! :-) It puzzles/intrigues me how I, an atheist, can so like that book, while others are bored by it! I think it's a perfect book for a "serenity basket".

I agree, Bonnie. It somehow makes religion -- more and more a source of distaste for me in today's world -- intelligent, deep, beautiful, graceful and human. Who could have imagined? More when I finish.

Well said! :-)

I am trying to restrain myself from jumping right into Wuthering Heights, another classic I've never read.

Oh no! Restrain yourself no longer! I'm dying to read your review :D

Ooh, thanks, bonnie and girlunderglass, for the words of encouragement. After I finish Gilead, I have to go with Death in Venice (reread) for a book club, and then maybe I will treat myself to Wuthering Heights.

Message edited by its author, Jun 6, 2009, 8:27am.

#20 Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. I am still floating after reading this amazing book. Read at the right time and place, it could be life-changing. Click on the book jacket picture for my review.

Kathi, I am sooo glad you liked this book. It is one of my favorites. I chose it for a small group discussion at my church and discovered to my dismay that some people do not like the inward focused philosophical books that I gravitate towards. I have (not too seriously) considered making this book the standard for making compatible book friends...but still respecting the fact that not everyone has the same taste in books. I guess that's what makes LT such an interesting place to hang out.

I know what you mean, Donna. Even though I wrote a rave review, I knew there were those who would find it impossibly slow and impenetrable -- although I would think a church group would be ideal. But then, I suppose even churchgoers may not care to think so seriously about their faith.

A book that combines meaningful reflection with beautiful writing is bound to be a sure winner with me -- especially with a few compelling characters and a touching story thrown in! I do think the readers I best connect with are the ones who are willing to hang in there when a book moves at a slow and deliberate pace toward something that matters on a personal level. You must be one of those! :-)

Message edited by its author, Jun 7, 2009, 7:48pm.

I haven't been able to guess very well who will like this book. And I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't have guessed that I, still an atheist, would have been as impacted by it as I was. Like you, I tend to immerse myself in one story at a time, and frequently finish a book the same day I begin it (or the next day, if I start reading in the evening), but I can see how this story would be a good one to stretch out for longer. In any case, for me, the feelings and thoughts it generated lasted for many days after.

You wrote a very beautiful review for Gilead. I was happy to see how much you thought of the book. I have already ordered it and one other by Robinson and they should arrive any day now. After reading your review I am even more eager to get my hands on them.
Thank you. A thumbs up all the way round.
belva

omg, that message is unbelievable.

I just want to say that Gilead is an amazing book, just beautiful in its construction.

This message has been flagged by multiple users and is no longer displayed.

>Bonnie, it sounds as though this book made quite an impression on you as well. Sometimes books just must stay in the forefront of our minds until they have said all they need to say to us. It is not always in the words on the page that books speak to us.
Rest well, my dear.
belva

Great review of Gilead! I, too, loved this book and also Housekeeping. Looking forward to reading her new one as well.

Oh, thanks, Christine. I, too, liked Housekeeping, but nowhere near as much as this one. I can't wait to read Home.

I forgot to post this quotation from Gilead. It still give me chills. This is what I mean when I say that Ames'/Robinson's Christianity is humanistic.

"...I can't believe that, when we have all been changed and put on incorruptibility, we will forget our fantastic condition of mortality and impermanence, the great bright dream of procreating and perishing that meant the whole world to us. In eternity this world will be Troy, I believe, and all that has passed here will be the epic of the universe, the ballad they sing in the streets. Because I don't imagine any reality putting this one in the shade entirely, and I think piety forbids me to try."

Hi Kambrogi,

I haven't been around in awhile, but I just read your review of Gilead and wanted to let you know how impressed I was with it. Now, for sure, I must pull my copy of the book out of my shelves and read it! Great job.

Teresa

Thanks, theaelizabet!

My copy just arrived in the post today. Can't wait to get to it but must as I have library books to finish and return. I have her Home on order (wrong touchstones; oh well) and want to get Housekeeping also. My "serenity basket" is filling up so fast!~! Ha!
g'nite Kambrogi. I just wanted to pop over and see how you were.
belva
was just looking on one of my shelves for a book and found Housekeeping; was tickled!~! Thank God for LT. It is pretty pathetic when you have so many books you don't know what you do have!~!

Message edited by its author, Jun 13, 2009, 1:57am.

Thanks for popping over, nannybette. I do hope the book is not a disappointment; that "serenity basket" is an important part of life, no? Now I must think about what would go in mine. I think you will find Housekeeping different from Gilead. I read the latter a very long time ago (you probably know that 24 years separate the two books). I found no serenity in the first one, although it is fine writing.

I will probably finish Fingersmith today (I know, it is completely off my writing plan, but at least it is a TBR), and what a fun ride it has been! Just the perfect thing for rainy days after a root canal.

Message edited by its author, Jun 11, 2009, 8:12am.

My "serenity basket" is something important in my life. I learned about it while I was in the hospital. It is an actual basket and in it I have placed something for each of my senses that has a calming effect on me. I have a DVD of The Jungle Book, (the animated version because it can put me to sleep), some chocolate (I have to rotate that out every so often :-), some herbal teabags, a CD of soothing classical music, a stuffed Siamese kitten, a book: The Garden at the Edge of Beyond, a candle, and pictures of my grandchildren. When I get stressed or nervous, sometimes I get my basket out and use something in it to help me get through the rough moments. Amazingly, it works.
I won't know if I want to add Gilead until I have read it but it sounds promising. At the very least, it sounds like a wonderful book.
And you poor dear; a root canal. Here, borrow my basket. I am sure the tea, the kitten, and the music would help. Get better.
belva

After reading this wonderful discussion of Gilead, I must add it to my wishlist. :) Thanks so much everyone!
--BJ

Nanybette, your serenity basket is a wonderful thing! What a great idea, and an interesting challenge. I really must think about what would be in mine. Thanks for the sympathy re: root canal.

billiejean, hope it works for you!

I have finished Fingersmith -- review coming soon.

>127: kambrogi's right, Belva! Don't put Housekeeping in your serenity basket. Good book, but not the right book for the job! You should start a thread, with the above explanation, Belva, and then ask: What's in Your Serenity Basket? Do, do it now! :-)

*whew* caught up finally! What's this about a root canal? Did I miss something?

I have avoided Gilead because of the same disillusionment with/distaste for religion, but your review is making me second guess that.

I know exactly what you mean about the Pausch but I gave a copy to someone at a critically low point in their life and it turned everything around for them, so I think it can go beyond Disney if the conditions are right (or terribly wrong!). I heard him speak on the radio and then watched the video of him delivering that lecture, so thought the simplicity of the language and the directness might be accessible for someone whose body chemistry and brain were misfiring for them so that they couldn't handle anything deeper. It worked; chacun à son goût, eh?

Okay, okay Bonnie!~!
My goodness, you are a pushy little thing, aren't you? **wink**
belva

Yes, Belva, go now and do as directed!

Tiffin, I am totally with you about the Pausch. I think the review average on LT is about 4.5! I did think the lecture was 'way better than the book (memoir), and in any case it is all in what you are ready for. I really don't know if you will be in the right frame of mind for Gilead, but I don't think a distaste for religious will turn you away from it -- even Bonnie, avowed atheist, thought it was good! :-)

Well I'm always curious about those things, so maybe I can get it from the library instead of splashing out for it.

I really like the idea of a serenity basket. I know mine would have some sweet grass in it, for sure. But what else....?

>134: but what else? A sleeping puppy.

>133: I was a very good girl and did as told kambrogi.

>137: mmmm, sweet grass or lemon grass or even wheat grass. very nice tiffin.

>135: Ahhhhhhhh, how very sweet. Do you have a new one at your house?

belva

Message edited by its author, Jun 15, 2009, 12:37am.

I had never heard of a serenity basket, but I'm going to start working on one TODAY. Some Gregorian chant, perhaps. A very smooth stone from a creekbed, a little sachet filled with balsam...yes, this is an extremely good idea.

>136: No, but I used to (we have two grown dogs now).

>#137;
Linda;
A worry stone would be perfect for a serenity basket as would the Gregorian chant, and the sachet.
You all are coming up with some really good and thoughtful ideas for these baskets. I'm liking it a lot.
belva

It's been quite a while since I've been here! That Serenity Basket sounds like a great idea. But considering how anxious I can get mine would have to be a Serenity Warehouse!

Gilead keeps popping up everywhere, so it's obviously a popular book but every time I read about it I think "not now but maybe later". Obviously it isn't the right time yet, but I'm not too concerned about that considering how many books are on my tbr right now (172 according to LT). That should keep me busy for a little while considering how slowly I read.

Oh, Smiler, I do know how you feel. Those TBRs ... I have been pretty good about not buying books until I get the pile down, but there are sooo many I want to read that I don't have yet! Such temptation. One thing I know -- every book has its time, and your time for Gilead will come. I was supposed to have read Death in Venice for tonight, but simply could not resist Fingersmith, so I didn't get to it in time. Bad, bad girl.

You guys have some good ideas for the Serenity Basket. Why can I not think of single thing?

>#140;
Smiler69;
Reading your post I had to laugh. That is exactly why I have a "serenity basket"!~! And guess where I found out about it? On the 1-South wing of St. Peters Hospital in Olympia (the mental ward) where I spent a week last November after having a nervous break down. So, if you have anxiety (which is what I was diagnosed with along with depression) the basket just might help. And you can make it as big as you like! The "warehouse" sounds good!
belva

Oh, apologies for being gone so long. I've been busy, and sick. I have, however, been reading, although not a lot from my original list! :-)



#21 Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. Some of us prefer plot-driven novels and others prefer those that focus on character. But, truth be told, a real book lover wants it ALL. Thank God for Sarah Waters, who has given us just that. Click on the book jacket picture for my review.



#22 Death in Venice by Thomas Mann. This was a reread for a book club. As good as I remember. Click on the book jacket picture for my review.



#23 Two Lives by Vikram Seth. A dear LT friend gifted me this book that I’ve wanted for ages. Thank you, my friend! Click on the book jacket picture for my review.



#24 A Tree Grows in Brooklyn This book club read is a great old-fashioned story about life in the early years of the last century, but it lacks the insights that would make it a #1 book for me. Click on the book jacket picture for my review.



#25 The Lost Painting; The Quest for a Caravaggio Masterpiece by Jonathan Harr. A narrative non-fiction story about tracking down a lost painting; fun if you like art as much as I do. Click on the book jacket picture for my review.



#26 Rereadings edited by Anne Fadiman. As a Fadiman fan, I loved every minute of this book, but be prepared: it is a lot more academic than Ex Libris. Only the Foreword is by Fadiman. Again, my LT friend made it possible for me to read this terrific book. Click on the book jacket picture for my review.



#27 Early Havoc by June Havoc. This is a reread, partially inspired by the book, Rereadings (above). I read and loved Early Havoc as a kid, and forty years later – still vividly remembering the book -- I wrote a fan letter to the author, June Havoc. Thus began a lively correspondence, and I received an autographed copy from the author a couple of years ago. Some may know June Havoc as the real person behind the character of Baby June, the younger sister of Gypsy Rose Lee in the musical, Gypsy. The reread was a great success – I liked the book even more than I did the first time! Click on the book jacket picture for my review.

Message edited by its author, Jul 20, 2009, 3:43pm.

Such interesting books! Hope you are feeling much better now.

I must look for that June Havoc book. I have always been curious about her, ever since seeing Gypsy, and it sounds quite good.

Great reads, Kambrogi. I have read all except the last one, which I am very tempted to seek out. Thanks.

Goodness, what great stuff you've been reading! Two I've read, two already on my TBR pile, and another that must soon be. You must tell me which author revisited Sue Barton, Student Nurse! I had totally forgotten those stories, but she and Cherry Ames had me quite convinced for a year or two that nursing was to be my profession. (Turning sick to my stomach when my little brother fell and knocked out one of his front teeth changed my mind about that!)

So glad you liked Two Lives -- one of my favorite books too.

I looked for the June Havoc book on Amazon, and it is quite expensive, unfortunately.

Thanks for the comments, all.

>marise, I am not surprised at your interest in Early Havoc -- doesn't my sister adore it, and read it every year? :-)

>kiwidoc, you've read all these books except Havoc? I never realized our reading was so parallel! Cool!

>laytonW3, Katherine Ashenburg (the daughter and sister of doctors, btw) wrote about Sue Barton, but she has a real attitude about Cherry Ames! It was a really cool essay, as -- like most of them -- it spoke about her life, as well as her reading. And addressed a lot about women and careers. Didn't we all want to be nurses at some point? I did.

>rebecca, I did think of you as I read it.

>aluvalibri, alas, Early Havoc is long, long out of print, and I know how expensive copies are. That is why June sent me a copy (one of the last ones she had). You might find it in a library, especially using interlibrary loan near NYC -- where she and her sister lived and worked, and there would have been plenty of interest in her as Gypsy was staged and revived there.

Message edited by its author, Jul 21, 2009, 1:27pm.

#28 Deaf Sentence by David Lodge. I wouldn’t have liked this book, I wager, a decade or so ago. But now it seems so real, so agonizingly present, that it is almost like reading Catcher in the Rye at 15. This was the absolute right time for me to read about an aging, retired intellectual with a hearing problem and a father on his way to dementia. David Lodge is a fine writer in that steady, honest, direct way that I often miss in this time of belabored, aggressive, publish-me writing. Click on the book jacket picture for my review.

#29 And the World Changed: Contemporary Stories by Pakistani Women This is a terrific collection of short stories. Picture and review to come.



#30 The Tortilla Curtain by T. Coraghessan Boyle. This is a very well-shaped novel, full of dramatic tension and heartbreaking tragedy that is both inevitable and important. Then why don’t I like it? Click on the book jacket picture for my review.

Message edited by its author, Aug 18, 2009, 4:22pm.

>150: Hey, my friend, I've missed you. Great review on The Tortilla Curtain. I read this back in 1998 and had to go back to my hand-written book journal to read my comments. I pretty much called it a compelling story, gave a brief summary, and added a personal reflection: "Their will to survive is at the heart of the story."

I don't recall it being cold and calculating at all, but March of '98 was about a million books ago!. Well, closer to a thousand is more like it. I am not disputing you at all; in fact, I am giving you a thumbs up because you clearly put a great deal of thought into that review. I do have a point in this lengthy response. The way I read and respond to books has changed a great deal in the past ten years or so as I grapple with writing about them. And I learn from others and their opinions.

Now, I guess I'm up to two points, so I'll go ahead and make it three. I wholeheartedly agree with your statement that "Boyle is a man who knows how to craft a story." Tortilla Curtain was my introduction to Boyle. I guess I wasn't completely blown away because I only gave it 3.5 stars, but I must say I have enjoyed his quirkiness and unique style over the years.

Keep those good reviews coming!

I am a David Lodge fan so good to hear about this book. He epitomizes that kinda jaded English cynical view of life, perhaps.

PS. Happy Birthday to you!!

I wouldn’t have liked this book, I wager, a decade or so ago. But now it seems so real, so agonizingly present, that it is almost like reading Catcher in the Rye at 15.

That is such a good point! So much of how you "experience" a book is dependent on what you've read before as well as what you've experienced in your own life. I think that alone can account for very differing views of a book. I'm probably ready for Deaf Sentence about now as well.

I "thumbed" your review of Tortilla Curtain because it was well done, but also because it captured similar feelings of mine when I read it--though I couldn't have said it as well.

Message edited by its author, Aug 17, 2009, 1:58am.

Thanks for the feedback. I had no idea so many people had read Deaf Sentence. I don't think Lodge is as well known in the US as he is in the UK, kiwidoc. More's the pity. I will seek out more of his work -- is there one in particular that you would recommend?

Donna, I did have difficulty figuring out why I didn't like Tortilla Curtain. It is, essentially, a very good book. Hence the loooong review -- trying to figure it out as I wrote! I know what you mean about the difficulties of commenting on a book. I usually start with a feeling, then try to objectify it. I often end up liking a book a lot more once I have reviewed it, because in my effort to be objective I see so much that is good -- even if I didn't "enjoy" it at all! But I have learned that I really just do not care for unrelenting dramatic tension -- it upsets me too much and I can't relax into a book and enjoy it. That is peculiar, since I can handle all sorts of tragedy and grief, but I want it at a slower pace, so I can consider it and understand it. And that is simply personal preference!

bonnie, thanks for the "thumb." Perhaps I would have liked Boyle's book better, too, at a different time. There is so much of age and experience, time and place, in a perception of a book, as you note.

"I often end up liking a book a lot more once I have reviewed it, because in my effort to be objective I see so much that is good -- even if I didn't "enjoy" it at all!" Boy, do I know that feeling. Sometimes I almost feel I should go back and re-read the book after reading my own review!

>154,155: same thing can happen to me through discussion on these threads. Earlier this year I read Property and didn't particularly care for it. That sparked a lot of discussion on my 75-book thread and now I'd almost like to re-read it because I think I might actually like it!

Funny, lindsacl, but absolutely true. I bought that book because of all the discussion on your thread, but still haven't got around to reading it (although it is right there on my bedside table, along with a dozen others).

Did I participate in that discussion? Lol. I remember rushing over to your or laytonwoman3rd's thread to defend a book--no, that was Special Topics in Calamity Physics I think. I loved Property; now I'm going to have to go searching for that discussion.

Kambrogi, I accidently started too far back on your thread today and ended up adding two more books onto my wish list that earlier I had resisted. I'm considering a rereading challenge for myself next year, so decided I have to read Rereadings after all.

Cool! Always happy to contribute to somebody else's Mount TBR! I have thought that a Rereadings thread might be cool in LT ... but not sure it would engage enough people.

#154: I know that feeling too. It gets you thinking about the thing and digging deeper than you might otherwise. I've added Deaf Sentence to my wishlist. Have had the Fadiman sitting here for over a year. Geesh.

Well, being too busy to get in here and post has resulted in my actually forgetting some of what I’ve read! Oh, my. I’m also totally failing to read all those TBRs I set out to read in January. Book clubs, book reviews and other “assigned readings” have waylaid me. However, I can’t say I regret it, because I’ve read a lot of great books. And I didn’t spend money on any of them, since they were all gifts or library books. That counts for something, doesn’t it? 

Here is what I can remember:



#31 Water by Bapsi Sidhwa. Sidhwa is my favorite Pakistani writer, a distinguished author of international reputation, and the first Pakistani to publish a novel in English. She has done a fine job playing turnabout with the equally distinguished Indian-Canadian film maker Deepa Mehta. Click on the book jacket picture for my review.

#32 Woman on the Other Side Review to come in the next issue of Belletrista (details below in #162)



#33 All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren. I loved this book! It is pure Southern literature in all its glory, with good writing and a terrific story to round out an analysis of what makes good men go bad. Long and complex, but worth every minute. Click on the book jacket picture for my review.

#34 How to Paint a Dead Man by Sarah Hall. Review to come in the next issue of Belletrista (details below in #162)

#35 Dracula by Bram Stoker. In progress. Great tale for an October eve!

ETA: Touchstones not working on the less common works. Is that generally the case?

Message edited by its author, Oct 9, 2009, 10:10am.

Here's an update on my #29 And the World Changed: Contemporary Stories by Pakistani Women edited by Muneeza Shamsie. My review is published in Belletrista, the new magazine about writing by women from around the world. A great source of new reading ideas, especially if you are interested in reading globally.

Hmmm - I guess I will have to wait until Belletrista #2 pops up on line. I have been resisting the Sarah Hall read, mainly because her book Carhullan Army irritated the heck out of me when I read it last year. When I saw it on the Booker longlist, it got me interested. I think I will wait to see your review and decide then.

Congratulations on a superb review in the first issue.

Message edited by its author, Oct 9, 2009, 10:11am.

>162: Hey, Kathy, great review in Belletrista -- which has been bookmarked by me. As if I needed another source for finding books. :-)
I am slowly becoming more appreciative of the short story genre. This one looks particularly good. Thanks for keeping your old friends in the loop.

Kathi--I am delighted, but not surprised, that you loved All the King's Men. It's on my top ten list, as you may know. I remember discovering it, and having it hit me like a ton of bricks. I have re-read it several times and will certainly do so again.

>165: I need to read that. Fits with my Pulitzer Project ... so yes, on TBR it goes!

Yes, LaytonW3, I assumed that you would have read All the King's Men. It is a marvelous example of what we both love: Southern fiction. I can't believe I am only now reading it! I plan to see both the movie versions now. I saw the old one as a child, but remember little. The casting of the new one seems odd throughout, but I have a lot of respect for Sean Penn (as an actor).

Lindsacl, I look forward to seeing what you think when you finish it.

Thanks, Donna, for the comment on the review. I know how you feel about short stories -- they tend to be a struggle for me, as well. I found with this book that the different authors and extremely varied styles and setting added interest, however. Also, perhaps, the familiarity of the Indian Subcontinent helped.

Kiwidoc, without giving too much away, I can say that The Electric Michelangelo by Sarah Hall has been on my TBR shelf for 3-4 years, and now I can't wait to get it down and jump into it! :-)

Message edited by its author, Oct 11, 2009, 10:35am.

Kathi, when you have seen the movies, I'll be very interested in your reactions. I won't say anything now, although I'm itching to!!

Oooh, the prospect is even more interesting now! But first, I must watch a few vampire movies.



#35 Dracula by Bram Stoker. Terrific book! Never read it before, and was surprised by a great deal – not least of all the presence of a strong woman character to beat any other I’ve met in 19th century literature. She reads feminist literature, is creative and technologically oriented, solves problems, makes decisions men are inclined to follow -- and carries a gun when she must! Click on the book jacket picture for my review.

Message edited by its author, Oct 11, 2009, 11:47am.

Well - I had to give that review a thumb, Kathi. It was such a fresh take on an old classic. It seems that a lot of people have been reading this one recently on LT - with very different reactions.

Thanks, kiwidoc. I am not a fan of horror, so I was surprised at how much it impressed me. However, in most of the reading I've done, I notice that the wonderful woman character -- Mina -- is seldom included among the team of heroes, although to my mind she clearly is one of them.

Kambrogi, you read Dracula on a dark autumn night? Wow, are you ever brave! I know the fire would have helped but those shadows in the corners..... Seriously, isn't it great fun? I'm so glad you pointed Mina out for special attention.

Yes, Tiffin, the timing was perfect. It was actually the October selection in my favorite book club. They usually choose classics, and I end up reading things I've missed (like All the King's Men). I plan to see some of the earlier vampire movies, in part to see if Mina gets her fair share of attention in any of them. Not likely, I suppose.

I thumbed the review, too! I haven't read the book myself because I don't read horror, but your review made me realize I might just be missing something.

Thumbs up from me too!

Me too. If it doesn't make the "Hot" list, it won't be our fault! I'm going to have to re-read it myself, now. It's been much too long, and I do remember being almost as surprised by Dracula in the original as I was by Frankenstein. (Those of you who say you don't read "horror", and haven't read that one---really, you must. It's a heart-breaker.)

Thank you all; I owe my 15 minutes of fame to you!

I don't read horror, either, lindsacl. This is my first. Maybe next year I'll go for Frankenstein, now that I've taken the plunge. And Mary Shelly is a writer I owe it to myself to read. But it stops there! :-)

I don't think I'll go much further with the vampire theme, as in essence it doesn't interest me. I saw Nosferatu (classic silent film) today and will see Shadow of the Vampire, about the making of it. I think that may be it for me.

I was thumb #2! :)
The Shelley book might surprise you with its real message.

Thank you, tiffin. Nice to have a few fans. :-)

I have heard only good thing about Frankenstein over the last few years. I think I fear that it will make me too sad.

I was thumb #14, you must be on the hot list by now!

Kathi, I am awfully glad you liked Dracula, which I read as a teenager (usually in bed, before going to sleep and, unknown to my parents, often past midnight) and absolutely loved.
I really don't think of it as a 'horror' story, just like I don't think Frankenstein falls into this category. To me they are masterpieces, and rightfully belong on the shelf with great works of literature.

ETA: I was thumb #15.

Message edited by its author, Oct 13, 2009, 7:33am.

Oh, thank you all! *bows humbly before accepting Hot Review Award* I couldn't have done it without my fans! I have had way more than my fair share of 15 minutes now.

Thanks Soupdragon, your thumb is high praise indeed.

Aluvalibri, I totaly agree about Dracula.

Now I am reading The Zookeeper's Wife, and not enjoying it as much as I was led to believe I would. Still, I am persevering.

#36 The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman. This book was so promising. The topics were fascinating, but ... Click on the book jacket picture for my review.

I know what you mean. I liked the first half of the book a lot more than the second half for some of the reasons you mentioned. Such an inspiring real-life story though. Ackerman is so praised for her writing, but I think she is lots better at the sentence level than at the story level.

Bother it - that one was on my TBR - and has just taken a big dive in priority.

Good to know I'm not alone, bonnie, but there are those who really like it. Kiwidoc, maybe you would; taste can be so dependent on person and time and place. It might appeal more to serious animal lovers, as the theme of much-loved pets is recurrent.

So, LaytonW3, I've seen both the All the King's Men movies now, and here is what I think. The new one followed the details of the plot more carefully, but the old one interpreted the characters much better. I didn't like the way the new one made Willie Stark so evil, and ignored his genuine desire to do good, even if he was ultimately corrupted by power. Thus, the true tragedy of the tale is lost. They also ditched the tough-as-nails-heart-of-gold quality that made Sadie so compelling, characterized Adam as crazy rather than gifted and lost, showed the Judge as unrepentant, and so forth. A lot of great actors, including Sean Penn and Patricia Clarkson, but the screenwriter and director seem not to have "gotten" it. I vote for the old one.

And, oh yeah, the theme music kept overlapping with Star Wars, which was seriously distracting! :-)

Message edited by its author, Oct 29, 2009, 8:43pm.

Excellent points, all, Kathi. I agree with you about everything but the music, which I've totally forgotten, so you're probably right about that too!

My sister pointed out that if anybody could have played a true Sadie, it was Patricia Clarkson. She was made for that role, as Robert Penn Warren wrote it. My sister suggested that perhaps the casting director was the only one who actually read the book?