November 2007: Which of the 1001 Books Are You Currently Reading?

It's a new month, so I'll start the thread. Which of the 1001 are you reading this month?

Later today I will start Animal Farm by George Orwell. I read it about 20 years ago, but I need to reread it for a class I'm taking.

Rounding out my Chandler stable with The Long Goodbye, by Raymond Chandler. I also picked up Tender is the Night, Tristram Shandy, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, The Virgin Suicides, Robinson Crusoe, and Hard Times at the library today. I'm planning/hoping to get through all of them within the month, since they're due Nov 23rd.

I am part way through The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Up to page 72 so far and I am finding it very easy to read and quite entertaining.

Wow, Kplatypus...that is a lot to get through in 3 weeks!

I'm reading Robinson Crusoe. I hope to finish it by next week. The second half has a little more action than the first half.

Dunno if I will get to it this month or not, but I have Catch-22 in my TBR for later on down the line. I probably won't get to it until the first of the year tho.

I am now reading Shroud by John Banville and am really enjoying his book. I really liked the sea and am just as impressed so far by shroud.

To strandbooks:

I suppose it is, but I'm not working a lot these days, so I have the time. Besides, they're pretty short, by and large, and boring I can power through, should that be necessary. I got through 18 books during the past 3 weeks, including a few graphic novels, so here's to hoping.

Kplatypus, how is Tristam Shandy? I've heard it's like reading nothing else.

I haven't started it yet, actually. I'll let you know once I do though. The description on the back makes me think it might be in the same vein as Joseph Andrews though.

I'm currently reading The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor.

I'm still working through Summer in Baden-Baden for a literature seminar I'm attending. It took me quite a while to be able to assimilate the stream-of-consciousness style. A single sentence can literally go on for pages. The magic key for me was to go off in a quiet corner and read out loud; a technique I used to use in college when working through the worst of my chemistry and physics classes. Eureka! The story and substance emerge. The class is on Tuesday and then this one will be done.

I'm also listening to two unabridged audio books. In Cold Blood in the car as I drive to work and Walden at work while doing mundane tasks I could do in my sleep.

I'm enjoying Walden immensely--I wish I had read this one forty years ago. Although, so many of the parts are familiar, it's rather like putting on a beloved pair of jeans rather than reading the book for the first time.

In Cold Blood--I think true crime books and TV shows like CSI have jaded my reactions. As the first of its kind, I can see it must have been horifying.

Crome Yellow, finally, because I promised myself I would read at least one other Aldous Huxley book besides Brave New World.

So far, it is okay, but nowhere near as good as Brave New World. I am a bit disappointed so far.

-- M1001

Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. I'm only about 100 pages in because I'm busy with college, but it's a good read so far.

#14, Anna Karenina is a fantastic book!

Even if it gets a bit dull in the middle just keep on going cause it's awesome.

I just started The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. About a week ago I finished In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.

Okay, I finished Crome Yellow. It starts out slow but it is actually better than I thought it would be. Nowhere near as good as Brave New World, but I could really sense the seeds of BNW stirring in Huxley's brain while I read this novel. The plot is a bit thin, but the characters and dialog are both entertaining.

I've started reading Infinite Jest now, particularly since it has been a topic of discussion here. I'm about seventy pages into it and, so far, I really like it. I haven't had any problems following the plot, which I know is a common reader complaint, but it is definitely a story that reveals itself in layers.

Since Infinite Jest is a novel that can only be described -- with a thick Scottish accent -- as "F-rrr-riggin' 'Uge", I also plan to read a few smaller books in parallel this month: The Maltese Falcon, The Stranger and The Garden of the Finzi-Continis; although, I reserve the right to toss the last book since I finished Fateless fairly recently, and one can only emotionally handle a limited number of holocaust novels in a given period of time.

-- M1001

I just finished The Butcher Boy.

Tonight I finished Robinson Crusoe. I skimmed the last 1/3. So far this was one of the most challenging on the list for me. I couldn't get into the story.

I most recently finished Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis, which was a hoot :D

Next TBR is The Handmaid's Tale, which I'm sure I've read before but long enough ago for me not to remember much about it.

*Edit; another reason to re-read The Handmaid's Tale is because it appears on Pelham Public Library's banned book list, 2007.

>17 media1001: media1001, I thought Crome Yellow was a bit weird. Its been many years since I read Brave New World, perhaps I need to revisit it by way of comparison...

I'm currently listening to an unabridged audio version of Kazuo Ishiguro's A Pale View of Hills. Pretty low-key stuff so far, but I like it the style.

I just finished Blood and Guts in High School. Back to Middlemarch now.

Re: Message 9:

> nmelcher:
> Kplatypus, how is Tristam Shandy? I've heard it's like reading
> nothing else.

What you have heard is true. It didn't look weird on the outside, but the inside is a bit of a trip. I'd say almost like 18th century stream of consciousness? Take Fielding, Faulkner, and a drunk bar wench, cross-breed them, and you're getting an idea. So far I wouldn't call it good or bad- just strange. But then I'm only 80 or so pages in.

Re: Message 16:

> readerbabe1984:
> I just started The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.

Have you read The Moonstone? The Woman in White has a lot of great images, but I think I prefer The Moonstone overall. I love Collins and was so pleased to see his works on the list, since it often feels like no one has heard of him.

#21 digifish_books Crome Yellow is a bit weird because it really doesn't have much of a plot and the characters have unusual, quirky personalities. It is almost like a "pre-Brave New World" novel; it kind of gives you a feel about what Huxley wants to communicate in BNW, but the concepts and characters haven't matured yet.

I would always recommend reading Brave New World, regardless of the reasons, because I love that novel...so yeah, go read it again :).

-- M1001

I have just started reading Brighton Rock by Graham Greene. So far it seems to be the story of a rather sadistic killer.

Yesterday I read Enduring Love, by Ian McEwan. I liked it a lot. In fact, I couldn't put it down. I'm on vacation, and took it to the beach in the morning and didn't go to bed until I finished it. Definitely recommended, but then I really like McEwan.

Will start Jon Banville´s "The Sea" ... but have to finish "Falling Man" first ...

I have recently read Breathing Lessons by Ann Tyler -- underwhelmed; Dracula by Bram Stoker -- pretty good, actually; Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier -- loved it! and just started I, Claudius -- slow going thus far.

reading watchmen by Alan Moore, the only graphic novel on the list.

I've just started Gone with the Wind for the Go Review That Book! LT group. It's really drawing me in to the world of nineteenth century Georgia and I'm really enjoying it!

I shall be starting an audio book of A Room With a View by E M Forster tomorrow on my way to work.

I'm about 3/4 of the way through Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. It's not a very pleasant place to spend my time, but it is an interesting and well-written book.

I just started Wide Sargasso Sea last night. This is a short book, but my edition includes a lot of additional content such as relevant excerpts from Jane Eyre, and a collection of literary criticism, which I will read selectively.

I read 50 pages of Billy Bathgate by E.L. Doctorow. Can't wait to read more today.

I finished Wide Sargasso Sea, which I thought was just OK. I'm now reading Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Not too far in yet, but I am finding it easier going than expected. I've not read Thomas Hardy before.

I am reading 1001 Books first.

Currently reading Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.

I am currently reading White Noise, by Don Delillo for a cold war literature class.

I actually haven't read the Moonstone. The Woman in White is Collins first book I've even heard of.

Listening to an audio book of A Room with a View by E M Forster and reading The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.

To readerbabe1984:

If you like The woman in White you should definitely check out The Moonstone, at least in my opinion. Good times.

As for me, that Tristam Shandy is messing up my plan! I got through all the rest I mentioned, but I'm finding TS such slow going! And I only have three days left. Argh! Just gotta power through, I suppose.

Good luck with Tristram Shandy, Kplatypus. I really enjoyed it but I knew exactly what to expect when I picked it up. I read it in short spurts like an entertaining magazine.

I'm reading Moll Flanders now. It's fine although I'm finding it rather predictable and the random capitalization is driving me nuts.

I attempted Robinson Crusoe ten years ago and gave up out of sheer boredom. No matter how good Moll gets, I don't think I'll be going back to that tedious island!

Just starting War and Peace. I am reading the Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky translation published by Vintage Classics. It is a beautiful edition, hard back with a comfortable cover. It is a real joy to use! If you are interested it is on my profile page as I love it so much!

I have also downloaded the Sparks notes (http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/warandpeace)as I welcome the additional support.

I am currently reading The Handmaid's Tale. About 150 pages in & loving it so far. It's weird--I used to really dislike science fiction, but lately I'm really getting into dystopian novels.

I wish all the 1001 books were this easy to read!

I picked up Times Arrow by Martin Amis this afternoon, and I'm about half through it. Its an interesting concept, although occasionally it gets a bit gimmicky.
Basically, the narrator is experiencing the life of some other man, except backwards, although he interprets this experience as if he were moving forwards through time, leading to some interesting inversions of everyday life. All this is moving towards a dark secret of the man's early years, which seems to have something to do with babies.

I'm currently 100 pages into A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving It's my first novel by this author. It's a good read so far.

It's the end of the month, but I have just joined. I have decided to read through the book list backwards, i.e. starting with the newest books and working back. I have also decided to read what I can in the original languages (I can manage German and Dutch). This has given me the necessary kick in the pants to brush up my high school French and expand it. Just going for a grammar book based program as my goal is at present reading, not speaking. My main reason for going backwards is that I have read an awful lot of classical and early modern literature through studies (I had an old fashioned 'liberal arts' education) so although I haven't counted them my instinct is that I have fair coverage of the pre 1900 lists. But I really am very much at sea say post 1950, so..work backwards! As I am also working through the 'canonical' books of the Great Book of the Western World more or less forwards, the two lists should meet at some time!

So, right now I am reading The Red Queen by Margaret Attwood. It's mildly interesting, but a bit pretentious, IMHO. Anyone else got some views on this? I hop to finish by Monday.

#47 cedric: I think you're reading The Red Queen by MARGARET DRABBLE. I thought it was quite good, but not a favourite.

Still reading The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, but also now listening to Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Loving both of them. Especially Tarzan!

You are right, it is Margaret Drabble. My apologies, that's what happens when you work from memory. Thanks for the correction.