Bekka's 75 for 2010

Right - gonna make it this year! Starting in Jan rather than late May should help....







Edited to include my 1,001 ticker!

Welcome back, Bekka! I hope you make your goal this year.

Welcome back!

I'm hoping to make it this year too! Best of luck!

Well technically this was started in 2009... but finished last night so I'm going to count it!

1 Kidnapped - Stevenson. I think I may have left this one a little late in life. It's supposed to be a rolicking advenure - plus of course political commentary, but I found it just a wee bit tiresome. I did enjoy it but it seemed to take a lot longer than a small book should, and I just found the narrator rather annoying - plus I would have punched Alan Breck in the nose.

Fingers crossed for the next one...

2) Dragonheart - Todd McCaffrey. Okay so I still love the Pern books but Todd is just not as good as his Mum. Still, v enjoyable.

I had heard that about Todd, also, and I appreciate your comment confirming it. I'll be interested to read your comments when you finish the book....or, duh, have you? Did you write a review?

I have finished - I've wrenched my back so doing a lot of reading this weekend! I was being a bit slack and not writing out my review - will get round to it shortly - promise!

Two more - been on hols so lots of reading done! Will post lots of reviews soon (promise!)

Giovanni's Room - James Baldwin
The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy

I am curious what you have to say about The God of Small Things.

Metamorphosis - Kafka. My first Kafka... very weird...

After thinking about it for a while...

Yup. Just weird. Changes in life without action – passivity and pain leading into growth? Totally needs to be read again with a more analytical head on than I had at the time.

Oooo I loved The God of Small Things! What were your thoughts on it?

Finally some reviews...

The God of Small Things

I first started reading this novel about 2 years ago, not long after my daughter was born. She, FYI, did not sleep well at all and, at the time, I could not read more than a few pages at a time. I really really struggled and disliked it. So I left it.

Then as part of my ‘determined to finish in 2010’ I picked it up again. And what a revelation. What I had been too sleep deprived to previously notice was the sheer beauty of the novel. I normally do enjoy a good non-linear text and I think this is one of the best I have read – it feels like echoes of the past forever bouncing back and forth. I know that a lot of reviews note the lyrical nature of the novel and I do just have to totally agree. In many places it reads more like poetry than fiction.

It is also a wonderfully intricate storyline – the interweaving of the plot lines is very neatly done and despite reading from very early on that the main characters lives are changed by the death of their cousin, it builds and builds the suspense as you try and work out how she dies and why it changes everything so much. When you finally reach the conclusion – the climax (in all senses of the word) you realise how tragic the chain of events is and how much it destroys the twin children at its core.

Altogether an amazing piece of writing, political, humanitarian, humorous at times, poetically beautiful and deeply enthralling. Five stars from me and if you haven’t read it, go do so immediately.

#14: Well, I checked and I own that one, so since I am trying to read more off my shelves this year, maybe I will get to it!

Dragonheart

Well without giving too much away this is quite simply half a book. As you will be able to read form the blurb, it is set about 10 years after the plague that decimated Pern and the main character is the daughter of the Fort Lord Holder, Fiona. I think it starts very well but it kind of loses itself in the middle – a lot of it could be condensed down. The writing is very ‘Pern’ and therefore it is a nice easy read, but my main bugbear by far is the half a storyline issue! The main issue facing Pern is the arrival of the next bout of Thread and the plague that strikes the Dragons. This is left totally unresolved – which is fine in some ways because it leaves you hanging on for the next novel. The problem is that Dragonheart therefore just stops and that leaves a very disappointed taste in the mouth.

More catch up reviews...

Giovanni’s Room

How many of us have not at some point hurt the person we love by being a bit ashamed of them? It’s an altogether human thing to do, but this novel takes it to the next level. The protagonist ends up betraying both his fiancée and his lover through his inability to face his own choices. He feels completely trapped by the passion that he finds with Giovanni. Giovanni’s room becomes a (in some ways metaphorical, in some ways not) cage for him, representing his own feeling that what he is doing is sordid and wrong.

An exceedingly interesting and yet disturbing short novel – it makes you looks at yourself and your opinions and leaves you trying to work out exactly what you feel for those you love.

Great reviews. I have added both Giovanni's Room and The God of Small Things to the TBR mountain. Thanks.

#17: That one has been in the BlackHole for a long while now. I will have to move it up!

Plus it's really short!

Of Human Bondage - Maugham

I've literally just finished this. And I'm so confused! In parts I hated it, in parts I loved and now I just don't know what I think. Will let it float around in my subconscious for a bit then write a proper (or a proper as I get!) review.

Of Human Bondage is my all time favorite book. There are definately parts that I hate, but mostly cause the characters make me want to beat them up. I look forward to your review.

Suddenly realised I keep forgetting to number these...

So 8) Bonjour Tristesse - Francoise Sagan. Once again letting this one percolate. Review to follow.

Oroonoko - Aphra Behn

That's just a nasty ended little story! I don't know that I have much more than that to say about it. Call me crazy but I have problems having sympathy for a man taken as a slave when he has been selling his fellow men into slavery. I know that the men he has been selling were taken in battle therefore he saw it as honorable, however it really rather pushed my buttons. There was a sense of his entitlement that I just did not get - plus I frankly dislike novels where the wife voluntarily dies to follow her husband (and in this case when pregnant).

But all that aside this is a fluid narrative and an entertaining if upsetting read.

I just picked up Oroonoko to read for the 1001 challenge. I'm glad you liked it!

10) Castle Rackrent - Edgeworth

Ummmm ..... I guess parts of it are funny....

11) The Crow Road - Banks.

My very first Banks. And all I can say is... brilliant, jsut absolutely brilliant. Once again, full review to follow. You can tell the novels that are getting to me lately since I totally cannot comment on them straight away - reviews for The Crow Road, Bonjour Tristesse and Of Human Bondage to follow soon!

Hi, I just found your thread and I really like your reviews so far. I'll be interested to see what you think of Bonjour Tristesse - I remember loving it at 17, but I haven't read it since. Same goes for God of Small Things - you've inspired me to see if I can dig out my copies and give them a re-read, thanks!

Can I ask what you thought of Castle Rackrent? I read that a while ago too and quite liked it

Hiya - do, do dig out God of Small Things - it is so amazing.

Castle Rackrent... well... sigh really. The editors preface being nearly as long as the novel put me off (even if this was the addition of the Edgeworths/Maria). And whilst parts of it were quite funny I just found it a bit... thin? I think I mean thin. I don't feel I got anything out of it. Which might be because I have recently read some very thought provoking and intense novels, it just didn't do it for me.

I think also that it does have its place in the history of the development of the novel - it was a first and is special in that way. In fact to study it might/probably would be fascinating. Unfortunately I don't really have the time to do that at the moment...

So my view is that it is an important novel, but not an especially enthralling one.

Now to find your thread and have a peek at your reviews in turn :)

Review time!

Of Human Bondage

I’ve taken ages to actually sit down and write about this novel. Mainly because it ended up touching me so deeply. I also found that I went through several stages whilst reading this – I started by thinking it was okay, then really started to find it annoying (Mildred’s fault) but by the end I found I absolutely adored it.

I think that so much of the novel reaches out to you – you understand what Phillip is feeling and why he is hurting. I don’t know about everyone else, but I have been madly in love with someone who was so so wrong for me that it threatened to tear my life apart. Now if I see him I cannot understand my own emotions back then. Also I think most people have given up on a dream at some point because we’ve realised that we are never ever going to make it – Maugham is so spot on in noting the self-martyring pain of this ‘sacrifice’ – it is one that we always want others to acknowledge and which they never really do.

An eventual realisation that normality and the freedom of actually giving yourself up to life is more beautiful and exciting than anything else, well that just touched me very strongly.

The Crow Road

I know that pretty much everyone who reads this novel will probably have the same comment… but seriously, one of the best first lines ever. 'It was the day my grandmother exploded.’ and what makes it so brilliant is the fact that this is quite literal…

This is probably the most non-linear thing I have ever read – and since I read The God of Small Things lately this is saying something. Some non-linear books just loose you and you can’t be bothered to keep track of the endless switching and shacking – in this novel it keeps you hooked. It allows you to really connect with the characters and to understand something of what they do. The very real fallibility and humanity of the characters is what makes this a pure joy to read and to explore.

I also really loved Prentice as a main character. I like to like my protagonists – which I know is not always, or even often, the point. Still, loved Prentice. This novel also has some amazing descriptive patches in it – it made me want to visit Scotland…. Hmmm wonder if I could persuade my husband….probably – his family originates up there after all…

So to conclude…

Where Of Human Bondage discusses life and the reasons for life and living, The Crow Road discussed death and the reasons for dying – therefore ultimately the reasons for living as well. Both utterly different. Both amazing. Both make me feel privileged to have read them – which isn’t a usual booky feeling for me. And I think… both go in my top 20 novels of all time.

#30: I enjoy Somerset Maugham's books a great deal, but it has been a long time since I read Of Human Bondage. I need to go back and revisit that one.

The Crow Road intrigues me. I will have to look for that one. Thanks for the recommendation!

I'm loving reading your reviews! I have The God of Small Things somewhere (a lot of our books are boxed up for a few years - we are away from our home in New Zealand on a Swiss adventure) - but I will read it sooner now than I would have.

I had to post because of your comments about sleep deprivation with your daughter - mine is 3 now and she is still a useless sleeper! I read so many books when she was little, but through a fog of tiredness. My abandoned one was Battle Cry of Freedom, which I knew was excellent even then but I could never get through more than about 10 pages in one feed!

Hi...

I've starred your thread since I like your reviews and we seem to have a couple of books in common. I read Giovanni's Room a few days ago and my feelings were the same as yours. I also read Bonjour Tristesse (last year), and am looking forward to your comments. I really enjoyed it.

I'm a big fan of Iain Banks - loved The Crow Road and also Espedair Street, Complicity, The Wasp Factory.

And I will now be adding Of Human Bondage and The God of Small Things to my wishlist. Thanks for the inspiration!

Thanks for the appreciation guys! Glad to recommend - the last few have been brilliant.

#33 I'm totally going to go and read more Banks - The Wasp Factory is on the 1,001 so I might read that next. To the Library!

#32 Poor you! Cass is much better these days (though she keeps getting sick, and then down we go again...sigh). I hope she gets better soon! I actually starred your thread first thing this morning - was enjoying reading about your change of environment - I hope Switzerland is going well? I'll admit I was cursing the Swiss at work this morning :/ but that was purely bank related!

#34 The Wasp Factory I read in one go without stopping. It's crazy and absolutely unique. A must read I would say.

Another Banks fan here - I think you read his best one first but I recommend Espedair Street; Whit and The Business. Also I think that The Steep Approach to Garbadale is closer in feel to The Crow Road. There is also a BBC production of The Crow Road (made in the 1990's) with Joseph McFadden as Prentice; Peter Capaldi as Rory and Bill Paterson as Kenneth - it is very good!

Hmm ... might have to go dig out that adaptation... downloading time! :)

#30 I liked your reviews. Never read any Somerset Maughan before. I have read one book by Iain Banks, The Player of Games writing as Iain M. Banks. My hubby as quite a few of his other books so I should get round to reading those. The Crow Road sounds intriguing, I don't think we have that one.

The Iain M Banks sci-fi novels I tried for the first time last year, with Consider Phlebas, which was pretty good actually.

I haven't previously been into this kind of sci-fi and it was recommended to me by a hardcore Iain Banks fan, who was also a non sci-fi fan who had ventured into Iain M Banks.

To me it could be two different writers depending on whether the M is included, though I haven't read that much of his work - in fact nothing published since Complicity I don't think. So would be grateful for any recommendations.

The only Iain Banks I've read was Complicity, and while I liked parts of it I wasn't moved to seek out more of his books - until I read the opening line of Crow Road that you quoted. Brilliant.

Book 12 - Tarka the Otter - Williamson.

I have been struggling with this for ages. For a 200 page book it felt like a 2,000 page book. I absolutely loathed it... hated it hated it hated it. Williamson has to be the most long winded writer I have ever read - and not in a good way. Add in a very depressing ending and, allegorical nature of the text aside, this was just horrible.

Half a star for the fact that some of his description can be beautiful if totally excessively unnecesary.

Hello Bekka, I've been insomniac (hmm -having a little trouble spelling --- but I think I got it), and have been reading through 75er threads -- what a reading adventure you are having! And oh my Tarka the Otter, I haven't thought about that book in forever. I was tougher at 12 plus, read tons of tough animal books....

I should be reading my books!

#42 Lol - it's nice to take a break and see what others are reading too though! I have had some brilliant books this year. And some rough ones... must do a star chart at some point...

Book 13 - unlucky for some. But not for me! Thud - Pratchett.

Not what I had expected. I have read all of Pratchett's discworld novels (up to Thud) and I have to say that this is my favourite to date - closely followed by Nightwatch. The first half of the book I found more difficult than I have previous Pratchett's - the writing is more studied and the subject matter definitely more dense. But the second half? Wow! It just kept those pages turning as fast as my little fingers could go. It also made me cry. Unfortunately in a doctors surgery waiitng room so the receptionist had to come and ask me what was wrong... sheepishly I had to admit it was my book.

Anyway, I think my absolute favourite bit of this book it that since they published 'Where's my cow?' seperately to Thud (non pratchett readers may get confused here :) ) a friend bought it for me not long after my daughter was born. She loves it - in fact after reading it to her every night for 10 days it mysteriously went missing... But it forms such a ball of love in the book. It's very much a book about love and hate and above all else fear.

5 very shiny stars.

Oh and be afraid of the dark...

Oh, Night Watch and Thud are my favorite Pratchett's too. I reread all of the Watch books last year just so I could read them again.

#45 Seconded! Glad you enjoyed Thud!

14 Moll Flanders - Defoe

V Good. Review later.

15) Making Money - another Pratchett :)

Excellent fun, really easy and exceedingly enjoyable read - also a great commentary on the current/recent financial issues (since I work in finance I found this v amusing). Unfortunately just not quite as good as Thud!

16) Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Wow.... just wow. This was amazing. I picked this up when at my Mum's last week. I was very upset and wanted to take a bath, but had no book with me (I know - horrific, right!) and so raided a pile I'd left in her garage. I actually picked this up thinking it was a 1,001 novel - and it really really really should be.

The novel centres around three main characters from very different backgrounds yet all linked together during the Nigerian civil war in the 60s. Warning, some sections are very upsetting. But the whole novel is written with such a grace and feeling that makes the people so much more important than the massacres. I don't think I wil be alone in saying that my favourite character is Ugwu, the houseboy, though (trying to be spoiler free here) there is a page of the novel that you can't help yelling/crying at one of his actions.

The sheer cruelty of the war - the places that fears and famine take the human mind are exposed here for everyone to see. On a smaller scale, the falliability of human nature - of love and flesh is also shatteringly portrayed.

I have actually marked two pages of my copy with two quotes that I wanted to share here... but now I'm writing this and have left the book at home. Will include them later.

Basically I'm struggling to say how good I really felt this was - I thought that reading this during a really hard time in my life would bring me down - instead it helped me to feel my pain and move on (see one of the quotes above... when I get it included...).

So all I can really say is, amazing and 5 stars.

I really have to read Half of a Yellow Sun, and your great review has reminded me to get on with it. Our books from New Zealand are arriving any minute (the movers are about to turn up and erect their lift outside our apartment!) and I think I packed it. And I thought it was on the 1001 list too? Maybe it's on the old list, or the new one...

Hope you're feeling better soon.

Thanks - getting there now :)

I've checked both lists and it's not .... yes it is! I apparently didn't check too well. It is book 4 in the 2008 edition. That's brilliant - both for my list fulfilling purposes and because it totally deserves to be there.

Yep, I love that feeling of reading a book and *then* finding that it was on the list. I did that with 3 earlier this year. My list total is so pathetic that I haven't done a thread in the 1001 group - I've read 32 now I think! I have a friend who's been competing intensely to read the most on the 1001 list with a friend of his for 4 years now, and he's up to 300+ - and won't read anything else. It's funny to watch but he's missing a lot of good books.

Your review makes Half a Yellow Sun sound amazing. I will certainly look for this one.

#49 Half of a Yellow Sun is on my TBR pile. I must bump it up - glad you enjoyed it!

I just read Making Money and reviewed it on my thread... I was kind of disappointed by it! It wasn't bad, but I much preferred the first Moist von Lipwig book, Going Postal. Oh well. He can't be expected to write 5 star books all the time, I guess!

#55 Sadly sadly true... I'm not decided on the Moist ones yet - I have read Going Postal but is only a fuzzy memory, which is never a great sign! I've just started Unseen Academicals which I gave to my husband for Xmas and may - may I say, have stolen.

I do seem to have four books on the go though which is excessive even for me. See here for forthcoming reviews on the following!
Unseen Academicals - chill out in the house book
Wind-Up Bird Chronicles - proper in the house book
The murder of Roger Ackroyd - carry around in the bag book
Rameau's Nephew - at work

There are also Bleak House and Day of the Triffids on the go and on the back burner...

What's happened to me! I blame LT....

#56: What's happened to me! I blame LT....

Doesn't everyone?

I know! But I've not been on here a year yet - didn't expect it to infect me at such a rate...

17) Rameau's Nephew - Diderot

Parts of this are really fascinating and deserve a second look. Parts are very annoying and mind numbing...

#49 - 54: I read Purple Hibiscus a few years back and really enjoyed it. I then read in a British newspaper shortly afterwards that, not only had Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie written another book (Half of a Yellow Sun), but that it had won the Orange Prize. I was amazed when I found a copy for $3.99AUD in a discount book store in Sydney about a week after I'd read the article. I asked the book store owners if they were aware that it had won the Orange Prize in the UK and they said they weren't. When I went back a week later they had a big sign next to the books and considerably fewer of them on the shelves ;-) It's been sitting on my book shelf gathering dust since then and I now have no excuse not to get on with reading it. I have dusted it down and moved it to the bottom of the TBR pile on my bedside table. Thank you!

Fingers crossed you'll enjoy it!

18 Predators and Prey - Whedon

Wasn't sure whether to include graphic novels... but I thought, what the hell! Though this was quite disappointing really - nowhere near as good as the other season 8 ones. Fingers crossed that the next one will be better when it arrives in a couple of weeks.

I include graphic novels in my reading as do several other group members, so you are not the only one!

#62 I have been meaning to investigate the Buffy Season 8 novels. I am a massive fan of the TV series but never really enjoyed any of the books that much. Glad to hear the other season 8 ones are good.

#64 I'd totally go for the season 8 ones - just skip this one and go for the rest! Missing this one really won't matter.

19) Retreat - Joss Whedon/Jane Espenson

Now that was muchhhh better - back to following the plot line and you can really see how it would have played out as an episode. Plus one thing happened which I have been expecting for the the last two seasons! Still felt a bit thin in places - for some reason it read far quicker than the earlier ones.

Either way - a quick 20 min read, which is the perfect reaction to my ongoing slog with Camilla which is, I think, 700 pages too long.

20) Unseen Academicals - Pratchett

Yup - brilliant. His style of writing is definitly changing - whether that's intended or an effect of his Alzheimer's I don't know. He's touching on real issues far more lately and really writing much more of a social commentary than previously. It seems in many ways less subtle - but then they are bigger issues. My main problem is that in some ways the parody runs too close to our world and it becomes less about the Discworld.

But as I'm sure everyone who reads this will agree - Glenda is brilliant!

Still my other reads at the moment are rather dense - this is, as always, very enjoyable. As part of my 1010 challenge I'm reading a Pratchett a month. Since I am now up to date on all the discworld novels, I am going to read the junior and YA ones - I've never gotten around to this before. Hopefully they'll provide some lighter reads to my eternally ongoing 1,001 challenge!

Pratchett is brilliant!

I definitely recommend The Bromeliad Trilogy (Truckers, Diggers and Wings) as a junior Pratchett. Have you read his YA Discworld books yet - if not you are in for a treat. I love Tiffany Aching (and there's a fourth book out soon); also The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents is wonderful.

Now I'm drooling.... but must stick to the one a month...must.....aghhhh...

Back to Camilla... grump, grump, but determined grump...

21) Camilla - Fanny Burney

Woo hoo! I finally finished it! So 982 pages of... soap. It's a soap. And not a good one either. But in the same way that soaps keep you hooked I found myself drawn to it and I HAD to find out what happened. Despite wanting to punch every single character in the nose at some point.

Sigh. In some ways I sort of liked it - and despise myself for that. In most ways I just despised it.

Okay, I was warned that being a member of this group might result in the growth of my tbr pile....

I have starred your thread and I found that you have listed some books I had on my watchlist for some time. Your reviews convinced me to give them a try. So I just ordered The God of Small Things, Crow Road and Half of a Yellow Sun. And Of Human Bondage is already waiting on the shelf.
I wonder how many books I can read in parallel...

LOL - it definitely has that effect! All those are excellent - hope you enjoy them too. I'm currently reading The Wind-up Bird Chronicles which is brilliant also.

#70: Congratulations on finishing such a massive tome!

22) The Trial - Kafka

Right. Well. Okay then.

Hated it! I so want to like his stuff but I really don't. I can completely see that this would be good to study and that a lot of films use this as inspiration. In fact it very much reminds me of an episode of Star Trek TNG... But I still loathed pretty much everything about it. I think I will be taking a good long Kafka break now.

#74: I guess the best thing about it is now that you have read it, you never have to read it again.

I hope you like your next read better!

Yup - done dusted and not revisiting any time soon!

But what to read next! Always exciting :) THough I should probably finish Wind up bird and To ride Hell's Chasm. Specially since the later is my TIOLI book for this month.

23) Where Angels fear to tread - Forster

I do love Forster and this was no different, but the end just left me feeling sad and kinda tired. Only finished it ten minutes ago so I think I will revisit this opinion in the morning when I've processed it...

I love Forster but haven't gotten around to this one yet. A Passage to India disappointed me so I put him on hold for a while.

24) To Ride Hell's Chasm - Janny Wurts

This was my TIOLI March book - came in just under the wire cos I finished at 10.45 last night!

Anyway, loved it. It's, as another TIOLI reader noted, an exceptionally well drawn out world for a single volume - in fact I think I would have loved it to be a trilogy, the world she drew out was very compelling and I'd like to have stayed!

#79: I have got to find that one some day. It sounds very good.

I picked it up for 1p from Amazon second hand - though 2.50 p&p! I could send it to you if you want? I have no room to keep books at the moment (unless they are new/series/first edition) due to the tinyness of my tiny house!

25) Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan

Kids book - somewhere between Harry Potter and a young version of Jim Butcher. In a good way! Occasionally (often?) painfully obvious, but a great fun read.

#81: I actually found it out on PBS and ordered it there. I appreciate the offer though.

#82: The series improves after the first book IMHO, so I hope you will read the remaining books.

LOL - just taken my daughter to the library and abandoned here to sprint down to the front desk when I (whilst looking on the catalog) realised that it had just come back in :)

I'm reading a Pratchett a month and am onto the kids stuff (Carpet People this month) so definitely some easy reading coming up! I'm hoping they'll counterweight Tristram Shandy which is becoming fairly torturous.

#79 Well done on finishing To Ride Hell's Chasm on time! I really enjoyed it too, I think I'm going to look out for more books by Janny Wurts but I really need to read some of the books already in my TBR pile first!

#84 Looking forward to your Pratchett reading!

Ta! Did really enjoy it but I also have soooo much on the TBR mountain - am trying to reach 200 on my 1001 this year so I have to read about 30 of those as well!

Good luck with that goal!

26) Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan

Once again, great fun. Am a wee bit hooked and totally have to read the others at some point :)

Must get back to some 1,001 books though....

#88: I really liked that series. They improved from book to book, IMHO.

27) The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - Agatha Christie

My first Christie - it's on the 1,001 otherwise I probably wouldn't have read this. But I'm so so glad I did - excellent fun.

28) Adrian Mole: The Prostrate Years - Sue Townsend

Wonderful as always! I love her Adrian Mole novels and this is as great as usual. Really upsetting and heart wrenching in places, but hilarious at the same time. It's a very fine line to walk and she walks it brilliantly.

29) Welcome to the Jungle - Jim Butcher

Another comic for my 1010 graphic novel catagory! Loved it. Actually, I felt, a much better story than his short story 'Warrior' which I read recently as part of the TIOLI short story challenge. I totally didn't agree with their visualisation of Dresden, but the stroy felt right.

#92: I have never read the Dresden series. Is it necessary to have read the books before reading the graphic novel?

Not really - it would stand on it's own I think. The novels are great though! They're never going to be works of literary genius but they're such great fun. As I said before - the Percy Jackson stuff really feels like a junior version of the Dresden Files. Theres just something about the writing style. The latest Jim Butcher Changes is out but Hubby will not let me buy it - it's part of my b'day pressie, but that means I don't get it till May! Grrrr...

30) The Wind up Bird Chronicles - Haruki Murakami

Well....huh. Finally finished (got side tracked halfway through) and I just totally don't know what to say. Will report back once this has percolated!

#94: I read Wind Up Bird Chronicles earlier this year, so I know what you mean. It may need to percolate for a while.

ETA: Thanks for the input about the Dresden graphic novel.

I still need to try the Dresden novels. Look forward to your thoughts for The Wind Up Bird Chronicle! There's a group read of Norwegian Wood by Murakami planned for May if you want to read more by him.

# 91: With every new Adrian Mole book I fear it might be the last one, so I use to buy them early and then protract the reading. I haven't read this latest one yet, but I am curious to see what happens this time and I hope he will accompany my life for a while longer. He is about my age and when I re-read the older books I can always feel a bit of the zeitgeist of those years.

I hope that one day he will have some real break-through. He was a promising youth in the first 2 books and sometimes I struggled a bit with his later development as the eternal loser. Usually the books end in a positive way, but when we meet again a few years later everything is in shambles.

#97 - Prepare to really feel it with this one. I found it really heart-breaking in places! The end is lovely though.

The Wind Up Bird Chronicle is one of my favorite books. The first time I read it, I really enjoyed it without knowing why or what it was about. Then I spent a semester writing a paper about it for a course. After dwelling on it for those two or three months I really began to appreciate why I appreciated it, if that makes sense!

Totally makes sense. I was so relieved when I finished it, but now I just want more of it. Kind of a belated connection to the characters - and a massive retroactive appreciation of the novel itself.

Still percolating though!

>#92 I just picked up Welcome to the Jungle. However, it was not the graphic novel version, i didn't realize they even made those!

#101 I think that's the only one so far...

31) The Vicar of Wakefield - Oliver Goldsmith

Why do I do these things to myself? Really? This was pretty bad - the narrator (the Vicar of Wakefield) is annoying, self rightous and, I think, mean! He makes his 4/5 year old sons sleep in prison with him becasue he thinks they'd want to be closer to him.

I kept thinking it HAD to be a parody, but apparently not. Bluegh. Not impressed.

32) Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse - Rick Riordan

Once again - fun and easy. Yay for these - and I have the next one sitting next to me waiting. Probably should read my bookgroup book first though...

33) Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth - Rick Riordan

Alcottacre was so totally right - these do get even better as you go through the series. Totally recommended!

I am glad you are enjoying the Percy Jackson series more the deeper you get into it.

34) Hideous Kinky - Esther Freud

For a very slender volume, this actually has a lot to it. There isn't actually a story per se - it is the tale of a Mother and her two daughters as they arrive and live in Morocco for a year (ish) and their changing relatioships/experiences there.

I think my main feeling with the novel was a connection between the narrator and her older sister Bea - one phrase in particular stuck with me;

'I sat on the wall and wondered how it was that Bea always won, whatever the game. However hard I copied and stored the rules, at the last minute she always twisted them, added something new, and won.'

This is the way I always felt with my older sister. She is three years older than me and is now 30 but I still feel esactly the same way about our relationship.

Another thing I loved about the novel is the landscape - hubby and I have been to Tunisia a couple of times and loved it,very much the same feeling comes from this book.

I guess I do feel that it may be a little light for a 1,001 novel, but it's still much better than some I have read. An enjoyable and skilful read. One blurb on the back of my copy noted 'Written with the art that coneals art'. I think that pretty much covers it.

I will have to add Hideous Kinky to my list. It sounds pretty awesome!

Hideous kinky was one of those 1001 books that I new nothing about. Thanks for doing the reconnaisance, so to speak! Ssounds like I'd love it.

#106: Adding that one to the BlackHole. Thanks for the review and recommendation.

Hideous Kinky is an Indy film too. I think it has Kate Winslet in it. I have heard mixed reviews on the film.

Yes - hubby has seen the film. He was massively unimpressed. Apparently the film is fromt he perspective of the Mother - so I can completely understand why it wouldn't work. The greatness and simplicity of the novel is that it is from the viewpoint of a 4 year old.

107-109 I hope you guys liek it! It is a light read and probably not eveyone's cup of tea, so I hope I'm not recommending something that you wont like :/

#111: Not every book is everybody's cup of tea, so no worries. If I do not like the book, I will not be blaming you :)

I really like Esther Freud's work.

35) The Castle of Otranto - Horace Walpole

Just another little quicky read because Tristram Shandy is making me go a bit crazy. This is... well it's entertaining I guess. Really not sure why it's on the list - there is not a lot to it.

Ah ha. Just googled it - apparently it is widely considered the first gothic novel, which would explain it's presence.

It's definitely a gothic novel and I do generally enjoy them. I mean I did enjoy this but not as much as I usually do - it is rather light for my gothic tastes! It also kept making me laugh which I don't think was the intention - at several points a giant foot is haunting the castle...

Still it takes me one step closer to hitting my 200 1,001 books read by the ned of the year. This one takes me up to 182.

#114: I am going to get around to reading that one some century, if only for the fact that it is considered the first gothic novel.

It's quite short and quick. Gothic seems to either be really short (Poe for example) or really long, now I think about it...

#116: I downloaded it from Amazon for my Kindle-for-PC. I just have not managed to get it read yet.

36) Goodbye to Berlin - Isherwood

My April Bookgroup read. This was chosen by one of our members who loves Cabaret. Her comment on the book is that it's much less fun without all the signing and dancing!

I, however, have not seen Cabaret and really enjoyed this. The last vignette in particular is very evocative of the fear that preceeded the war in Berlin. I did have a slight issue in that I also started Breakfast at Tiffany's the other day and started getting a little mixed up with the characters of Sally Bowles and Holly Golightly!

#117 I know the feeling! I've just had to clear another window ledge for yet another TBR mound. I'm starting to run out of natural light :)

#118: I'm starting to run out of natural light :)

That's why God invented electricity, right? So once the books block all the natural light, we just have to flip a switch.

37) Ballet Shoes - Noel Streatfield

How did I miss this when I was a kid? Maybe cos I wasn't into ballet and thought I'd hate it. Doesn't matter what you're into - everyone should read this because it is just lovely. It may be rather old fashioned now, but I will still be insisting that my daughter read it as soon as she can.

#120 I ***loved*** Ballet Shoes - one of my favourite books. And there were some other ones by her that I am going to look up now.

I loved her Growing Summer when I was younger - must re-visit it.

38) Breakfast at Tiffany's - Truman Capote

V short - was kinda hooked by it and would have liked it to be longer. There's just something about it - and about Holly that was brilliant. Can't exactly put my finger on what though...

39) Mean Streets - Mixed

A selection of 4 novellas - my hubby bought this for me beacuse it has a Jim Butcher short story in. Ironically I thought the Butcher story was nowhere near as good as his normal work. Bit annoyed by that...it was an excessivly religous story (to agnostic me anyway).

The others were, however, surprisingly good - I don't normally go for novellas. I really liked the Sniegoski which was centred on his fallen angel/detective Remiel. May have to read more of his stuff.

The other two novellas were by Simon Green - hmm not sure, liked the beginning, lost it a bit at the end, and Kat Richardson which was also rather good - it had a lot about Mexican death rituals in which was interesting.

Altogether, well worth picking up.

I've not read Breakfast at Tiffany's, and I've wondered what it was like. Nice, short review! I'll have to see if I can track it down at the library after all.

Found you! *starred*

#124 Be warned due to the older lit 1,001 list e-texts I read (sometimes at work shhhh....) I do read soem random stuff - Rameau's Nephew and The Castle of Otranto spring to mind. Odd, odd, odd!

BekkaJo, I mooched The Castle of Otranto because it's on the 1001 and it's here. It looked short - is it readable? And what e-texts? (oh no don't tell me.)

LOL - nothing fancy. I just tend to raid The Online Books Page - mostly Project Gutenberg texts. I use them kinda like other people use cigarette breaks - otherwise my brain will turn to mush.

Castle of O is v short and yes actually quite readable. Just really random in pages. I don't thinkit's brilliant but it's definitely an interesting read if you like gothic, since this is the first gothic novel.

Have never read gothic, but suspect it'll be scary ==> not my thing. But I need some short books to up my reading total - I'm at 21! {I'm kidding; I would just like to beat last year's 60-something.}

Believe me this is totally not scary - I found it rather funny in places!

I really want to make 75 this year too - started late last year and was too pre-occupied to read that much. Now I feel like I'm a bit more back on track. Well, I will be once I finish that darn Tristram Shandy... ugh...

I did it, I did it, I did it! I finally finished Tristram Shandy.

So, book 40 is Tristram Shandy and I honestly cannot think of anything good to say about it. Just so glad to be finished.

Congratulations! I know how relieved you must feel. :-)
I got the DVD with my latest amazon order but haven't watched it yet. Maybe this weekend. I don't expect much of an improvement though.

Well done!! How long was it?

About 550 pages - it's not that long. It's not really the length, just that it is the most diabolical piece of rubbish.

Maybe I just didn't get....

Don't care - hated it and am so so glad it's done!

41) Fingersmith - Sarah Waters

I read this for my book group and didn't expect to like it, however I aboslutely loved it. There is a Dickensian feel which I enjoyed and I love the first person narrative structure.

The main reason I found this so intriguing and enjoyable were the twists - she keeps you guessing all the time. Call me naive but the main twist at the end of part 1 I just did not see coming! Hubby kept teasing me whilst I read this, saying that I was reading porn (knowing the reputation of waters after Tipping the Velvet) however the actual descriptions are very mild - it is far more about the love story between the girls. I found the novel as a whole very moving - I had a very strange nightmare about being trapped in an asylum after reading that section.

Anyway, if you haven't read it I'd highly recommend it. Go read...

Cushla/Bekka, check out her memoir books, including Away from the Vicarage -- well they are written as if they were about someone else, but she is "Victoria" in them.

Well done on finishing Tristam Shandy - I will avoid that one!

#134 I've avoided Sarah Waters' books after all the furore surrounding Tipping the Velvet but perhaps I should try Fingersmith.

42) Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian - Rick Riordan

What can I say - this series really does get better and better. This is an excellent finale volume (far better than the last Harry Potter by the way). I'd recommend this to anyone, whatever their age.

I started Tristam Shandy once. It defeated me. (But I'm still tempted to try again another day, when I have more reading time...) Congratulations on winning the fight!

Glad you liked Fingersmith, I love Sarah Waters' Victorian novels! Fascinating stuff, great plots.

I really cannot recommend TS - it is just dire and I feel kind of masochistic in making myself get through it. I just hate letting books defeat me - but I think it's something I should learn to get over!

43) Crome Yellow - Aldous Huxley

Not quite what I expected! The only other Huxley I had read is Brave New World so I was surprised to find this a 'house party' novel. Essentially it is a brief social commentary on the elite of the time. There is a fore-mention of the themes of Brave New World in one conevrsation, but on the whole I found it just too light.

I did really enjoy the rather mockingly written narratives of the history of the house - those were great fun!

Sound interesting! I've only read Brave New World myself, it would be interesting to get a different Huxley feel.

44) Carpet People - Terry Pratchett

This is Prachett's first novel and is co-written with himself - he went back and re-wrote half of it later on. I read this for my Pratchett a month catch up challenge, but I was just really not hooked by it - which is why it's taken me this long to finish April's book!

I think Tipping the Velvet is wonderful - I think the TV dramatisation and press coverage played up the sex part of it out of proportion, though I have the DVD as well.

I am totally going to read Tipping the Velvet soon. I just ahve a few out the library that I need to get through (read 10) and I need to finish Norwegian Wood... but it will be read soon!

45) Theatre Shoes - Noel Streatfeild

Having discovered Ballet Shoes late in life it's safe to say that I'm hooked. There's just a wonderful innocence and joy about these that I love. This one follows on from Ballet Shoes in that it is set about 8 years after the end, during the 2nd World War and is about the same school. The characters are different but the Fossil sisters are in this one too (kind of).

Anyway, if you're like me and love things like Arthur Ransome or Chalet School or are just feeling a bit of ennui with the world, read some of these. They're just lovely.

I have White Boots waiting for me next...

It's great that you have found a series that you can truly enjoy!

Happy Birthday tomorrow, Bekka!

Thank you! Am looking forward to a lie in - plus the strawberries and champagne in bed my hubby has promised me.

46) Evelina - Fanny Burney

I went into this rather suspicious... Camilla was hard work, though I did enjoy it in the end. This was much shorter (by 600 pages!) and in letter format. It made for an easier and more interesting read. Camilla felt so much like a dodgy and far too long soap opera. This has a similar soap opera like feel but it was mroe condensed and actually still keeps you attention.

Anyway, rather surprised but liked this one.

I hope you enjoy the strawberries and champagne, Bekka! Have a great birthday.

I loved Noel Streatfeild's work as a child and want to reread it. My collection is split between my house and my little sister's room in my mum's house in Ilkley. I have a copy of Theatre Shoes for the introduction and because my old copy of Curtain Up (its real title) is a rather tatty and unattractive hardback, but I don't really approve of the fake series thing in this case. I think the Fossils also show up in The Painted Garden - have they renamed that one?

Belated happy birthday, hope you enjoyed it.

Thanks Elkiedee! I had a lovely birthday - very chilled out. Plus the weather was stunning though really really hot for the whole weekend.

Not sure about The Painted Garden - it's not one I've come across, so maybe they have renamed it. Will go investigate...

Painted Garedn is out of print. Also sometimes Movie Shoes in the US - but yes it does have Pauline and Posy in it too. Apparently Apple Bough does also. That one is on my shelf on loan from the library, so may read that one next. Though I also have Tennis Shoes and White boots out and 2 ten hour train journeys next week...

47) Changes - Jim Butcher

I only finished this an hour or two ago and bout all I can say at this point is ooooh ooooh oooh!!! Big battle oooh!

I can't lie, it's a bit of a guilty pleasure, but this one is still awfully awfully good. And the end just leaves you going... well, you guessed it...ooooooh! If you like Butcher and are up to date on the Dresden novels, go read this immediately!

48) The Man of Feeling - Henry Mackenzie

Not really sure what to say about this... it's a selection of 'feeling' anecdotes mainly centered around a young gentleman named Harley, written in 1771. This is a 'sentimental' novel - and apparently Mackenzie imitated Sterne whilst writing it (which I didn't know till I had to google it half way through to work out why it felt naggingly familiar). Whilst I wouldn't have read this if I realised the Sterne thing before hand, I found this actually read far better than Sterne's work! I'm not saying I liked it - it was far too weepy for my tastes, however there is a certain clarity of style to certain of the chapters that I did appreciate.

#153: I still have not started that series. I will get to it one of these years!

Do do do! It's another one of those series that gets better and better.

#156: I have the first book in the series here somewhere. My locating it is the problem! lol

49) Apple Bough - Noel Streatfeild

And so my Streatfeild obsession continues... just love the innocence. Things are un-brilliant at home right now and it's just like a lovely cuddly blanket :/ .

Ah, ha, found your thread and have now starred it.

I usually am on top of sending birthday messages but May was a very busy month. Thus, I apologize for not posting birthday greetings on your thread.

A belated Happy Birthday to you!

Ta Whisper! Don't be silly - you can't be expected to know everybody's b'day! :) Plus not a big one this year... 2012 sees me turn 30 and probably sobbing online into the bargain!

Belated happy birthday from me too! I've heard lots of good things about the Jim Butcher series, I will get to those books one day!

Back from a holiday at the in-laws. Holiday? Don't make me laugh... hubby and I are more stressed than when we went! I did get to travel up to a friends in North Yorkshire (I only get to see her about once a year) which was fun. 2 10 hour train journeys gave me time for a lot of reading. Unfortunately being majorly 'wrung out' and stressed let to lots of easy reading :)

50) White Boots - Streatfeild

Another great Steatfeild - slightly different, but only in that this deals with skating and not dancing/acting. I also appreciated that the main characters family were rather poor - her father has a shop, the produce for which is sent from his brother in the country. But since his brother keeps all the best for himself they never have much to sell - the sub-plot of the main characters brothers trying to earn money to buy in more produce for the shop is lovely.

51) Wild Magic - Tamora Pierce

The first of Pierce's second series set in Tortall - children's/YA fantasy but well crafted and great fun.

52) The Virgin Suicides - Jeffrey Eugenides

I didn't expect to like this... but actually this was awfully good. Eugenides writing is amazing, his style (for my tastes), virtually faultless. Lyrical, exocative and devoured in less than 4 hours on a train up the UK!

#162: I hope you get to take a vacation now that you have had your holiday!

53) The Black Butterfly - Mark Gatiss

I don't necessarily think this is as good as the previous Lucifer Box stuff - but it's still an excellent romping yarn!

I still think my favourite description from the book is 'An unnecessarily ginger vicar droned on...'. Not sure why but I love that.

54) Wolf Speaker - Tamora Pierce

2nd of the series - again, great fun.

55) Tennis Shoes - Streatfeild

I'm just going to have to go and find more of these - I'm just not ready for my addiction to end... Not sure this is as good as some of the others, but still reads like a gentle cuddle.

56) The Emperor Mage - Pierce

Book 3...

Well looking at that I really need to go and read some classics. Or at least some grown up books... I am halfway through Norwegian Wood and the last Pierce. Also a third of the way into American Gods (started one the train down from Whitby!)

#163 Thanks Alcottacre! I'm actually off for 2 more days (mornings anyway - baby in afternoon) so have just done a workout and am having breakfast whilst trying to catch up on the thousands of posts I'm behind on...

Sounds like you need those couple of days off to catch your breath! I am glad you have them.

Bleagh to the sound of that holiday - hope you have a few quiet weekends at home to recover.

I saw a Streatfeild (Party Shoes I think) in Bider and Tanner last week, but was restrained!

Thanks guys - it is just lovely to be home!

I had some sort of throat infection thing whilst I was away as well and lost my voice. It just about put the tin hat on the week... actually no - that was when we found out on Saturday that since I had, this once, let my hubby book the boat back, he'd booked it for Sat not Sunday when we thought we were travelling. Luckily the travel company got uson Sunday's boat and it only cos us an amendment fee (rather than £150 for another boat).

Sigh...

And very restrained Cushla... now go back and get it :)

#162 Holidaying with the in-laws? You have my sympathies! Since we left the UK 8 years ago, our 'holidays' have all taken place between the in-laws in Cardiff and my family in Newcastle and Malton. The kids are always really excited but I have to say that a couple of weeks with the in-laws just doesn't compare to a week on an exotic island some place ;) What can I say? The part of my family that used to live in Malton has now moved to "just outside Goole" - I can barely contain my excitement for this year's hols coming up in August!!!

I liked The Virgin Suicides too. Have you read Middlesex by the same author? It is one of my favourite books of all time. One of my friends who I see about 3 times a year raves about Jim Butcher's books to me every time I see her. I was somewhat unsure as to whether she was getting very forgetful in her old age and couldn't remember what she'd told me last time we met or whether they were actually very good and she was 'proselytising' as head of the Jim Butcher fan club! Maybe I'll give them a go ;)

I love Jim Butcher's Dresden Case Files too. I'm only up to about #6 (finished Death Masks fairly recently). My husband is waiting with bated breath for the library to get Changes in. They've got a copy, but it's not in the catalogue yet. (HURRY UP!)

I haven't read any of Streatfield's "shoe" books, but the BBC did a rather delightful adaptation recently that I caught last year. Charming stuff, I will track down the books at some stage.

Sorry that your holiday was not restful!

#169 Poor you too! Good luck for August. Where do you live now? Oh and I am definitely going to chekc and see if the library have Middlesex when I'm there this afternoon. It looks v good, plus it's another 1,001 book as a bonus.

#170 The Butcher ones get better and better. You should also be on hand to watch your husband's face at the end of Changes. If it's anything like mine it'll be making some sort of strangled cat - goldfish face.

And 'Charming' really is the perfect Streatfeild description.

57) The Realms of the Gods - Pierce

Just had to finish the last one... rather heavy handed on the she-doesn't-notice-he's-in-love-with-her bit, but this is YA so we can't worry too much :) Still a very satisfactory conclusion to the series.

I have so many more Pierce downloaded that I will happily be reading many more yet.

#171: I am reading one of Pierce's books for this month's TIOLI challenge, Alanna. I have not read any of hers before, so I am hoping I like it as much as you have enjoyed her books.

I have great memories of Alanna. It was my first ever Pierce when I was about 10/11 and that series is still one of my favourites (and my sister's too). I realy hope you enjoy it!

Thanks!

#171 We're living in New Jersey. The sheer cost of the plane tickets right now makes it even worse. I mean, just think how many books I could buy with all that money! Hell, I could probably add an extra room to the house and turn it into my long-wished-for library! Instead I get to see my mother-in-law. Gah! Ah well, at least we're no longer in Australia. Quite apart from the cost, Australia to the UK is just one trip I would never, ever, ever make again with two small children in tow shudders at the memory.

#172/173 - ooh, I picked up a couple of Pierce's books with no real idea what they were like on bag day at the last library book sale. It turns out one of them is Alanna. I now look forward to reading it. The other one was Lady Knight which it would appear is book 4 of another series. I guess I'll have to fill in the gaps on that one first!

Travelling with little ones sucks! We came back on the ferry which takes about 4 hours (normally). Unfortunately we were delayed to about 6 hours. I'll admit she was really good on the way back - we have a portable dvd player so that kept her happy until the battery died. Luckily that was when we were rounding the south coast of the island and only half on hour out.

Americans always presume we're from New Jersey - when you say you are from Jersey that is. It's really hard to explain where we're actually from!

> Americans always presume we're from New Jersey - when you say you are from Jersey that is. It's really hard to explain where we're actually from!

I can see that. Whilst it's true that people here say just 'Jersey' instead of 'New Jersey', I find it really difficult to shorten myself. I guess this is because I'm so used to Jersey referring to...well, Jersey! My next-door neighbour back home was from Jersey and I used to get really excited every time she went away to visit her parents in the summer because I knew she would bring me back a nice big box of Jersey fudge (I'm salivating now just at the thought of it). As I got older and hit the teenage years, I used to fear every year that she wouldn't bring me one as I was too old but, bless her heart, she kept on going right until I left home. Anyway, sorry, I'm clogging up your thread with my witterings. I do hope you enjoy Middlesex. It's another of those books that when I find cheap copies at library book sales I tend to fish them up out of the boxes on the floor and place them prominently on top of the other books on the table. I know that other people on this thread are not afraid to actually accost people and suggest they read their favourite books but I guess I'm just too shy for that!

Don't worry about wittering (not that you were) - I am a prime offender. Specially when it comes to Jersey. I never realised I was so obsessed with where I lived until I went to Uni at 18 and people started calling me the Jerz... it may be a slight social problem.

Meugh. Just had to re-write that because my daughter discovered the escape key.

You should also be on hand to watch your husband's face at the end of Changes. If it's anything like mine it'll be making some sort of strangled cat - goldfish face.

Can't wait! :) And hopefully the following book will be out by the time I get up to there in my reading!

#175> Ah well, at least we're no longer in Australia.

Oh gosh yes. I remember 20+ hour flights to the UK & America as a youngster. No way would I be happy do either with a child in tow!

58) Norwegian Wood - Haruki Murakami

My second Murakami and so amazingly different from the first - Wind up Bird. Whilst I loved Wind up Bird, this was brilliant in a very different way. I dont know about anyone else but I find that reading Murakami takes a long time - I like to take it slowly and let it sink in. I feel that his writing can be really quite painfully emotional at times, I think becasue it reminds you of all sorts of pains that you'd almost forgotten.

Anyway, the story... loving the characters. The protagonist Watanabe is wonderfully drawn and established. On the whole he is surrounded by strong female characters - the males have smaller odder roles in the novel (actually that is a similar trait to Wind up Bird). I do think my favourite character is Midori - I loved her! She had such great whims and did some completely crazy and yet fundamentally understandable things - such as {spoiler} after nursing her father in hospital for years and after his death, sitting in fron of the buddhist shrine to him at their house and stripping naked (when a bit drunk) to show him herself. Because she came from him and he was gone and she was still here and an alive and real woman. I think some people may find this bit offensive or upsetting (partly becasue of the language), but to me it reinforced what Murakami had been pointing out - that she was the alive, living choice of girl and also that this is a representation of grief in it purest most mad making form.

I don't know how anyone could characterise this as a 'simple love story' - it is far more than that. Far far more complex and far far more wonderful.

Sorry your holiday was not quite as 'holidayish' as desirable!

I picked up the first book in the Dresden files recently which I'm looking forward to starting.

#180 Really glad you liked Norwegian Wood. I loved it. Looking forward to all those unread Murakami books now!

59) The Circus is Coming - Noel Streatfeild

Another Streatfeild to make me feel all better after a shoddy week. It's also acting as bit of a let up against my monthly book group book Don't Move which is exceedingly graphic and quite disturbing...

This one is set - well, you guessed it, at a Circus. Two orphans are bought up by their Aunt Rebecca who used to be maid to a duchess. Their whole lives are based on doing what the Duchess had told their Aunt that children should be. But between several crack-pot tutors, very little money and overly smart clothes they have little common sense and no real education. When Aunt Rebecca dies where will they go? Seperate orphanages are proposed, leading the children to run away to their Uncle whom they only find out about from a post card in their Aunts room...

Basically they learn a lot about themselves and grow up a lot and find some strength of character and purpose. Much the same as usual - still an award winning formula! This one is a little different in that their Uncle seems to go on a journey as well.

Hmmm... oddly loquacious tonight...

Sorry to hear your week was shoddy. I hope you have a better week coming up!

Thanks Alcottacre - I hope so too! Not sure I can take many more like last week.

60) Don’t Move - Margaret Mazzantini

Despite this being a 1,001 book, it is definitely not something I would have picked up off my own bat. However a friend picked this as our monthly book group book so out I went to buy and read.

Warning – this is not a book for the faint hearted. It is exceedingly graphic and exceedingly disturbing.

The narrator is Timoteo, a successful surgeon. He is married to a beautiful journalist, Elsa and has a 15 year old daughter Angela. The novel starts with Angela being rushed into hospital after running a red light on her moped with her helmet not done up properly. And believe me, the A&E/surgery scenes are very vivid.

But whilst Timoteo waits for the surgery to be completed he begins to tell his daughter about things that have happened in his past – and we are swallowed up in the tangled web of his younger life. The degradation and pain that leads him to a place he never expected to end up – and the horror and joy that accompany it.

The language is amazing – it’s a translation from Italian and is really wonderful in places. One line that I loved (not for it’s grace/beauty just because it’s so true)was on the narrator’s first view of his child “She was so ugly. She was so beautiful.”. Such a true view of newborns!

Anyway, this definitely grew on me. At the beginning I felt that this was going to be a big struggle to finish – in particular due to an early on description of rape that I found really disturbing. But by the end you are involved in his life, you are captivated, because you know where it ends up. You know that 15 years down the line he is with his daughter in the hospital waiting for his wife to get off the plane and join them there. You know that everything he is struggling with and for and towards is never going to end well and it breaks you heart a little.

Final verdict? Not the sort of thing I would usually read and most definitely not for everyone, but a very good book, deserving it’s place on the 1,001 list.

'Don't Move' sounds interesting, I think I will give it a try.

I just have to get used to reading Italian books, and there are not many on the 1001 list. I failed with 'the Leopard' last year, but a modern one might be a bit easier to read. Though I take it from your review that it might extend my Italian vocabulary not exactly in the area where I need it (which is 'business')...

I imagine you'll learn a few new words... :)

61) The Riddle of the Sands - Erskine Childers

This was an up and down book for me. Parts I thought were great. Parts dragged and dragged and dragged. Basically this is a spy thriller - but written in 1903 it isn't quite what we would now call thrilling. If you have no interest in the sea/boats then probably best to avoid this one.

Luckily I love the sea so parts of this really spoke to me. I also liked the early bursting of the narrators bubble when he turns up in response to a vgaue telegram from a friend (ish) from college to go 'yachting'. The yacht in question is not exactly his cup of tea - and the holiday is not exactly what it seems...

Anyway, kind of a ripping yarn, kind of not.

Darn... my reviews just didn't load up for some reason. Therefore these'll be short because I'm cranky about re-writing them...

62) Party Shoes - Noel Streatfeild

I think I'm at the end of my Streatfeild rampage - this one lacked punch. Nice to read but 'nice' shouldn't really be all of it.

63) The Day of the Triffids - John Wyndham

Sooooo good! Except that I kept reading it at bedtime adn it gave me weird dreams... I love Wyndham's writing - The Chrysalids is all lined up for July.

64) The Garden Party - Katherine Mansfield

I read this as a 1,001 - and since I was reading it online, didn't realise it was a short story till I finished the first story started the second and then had to go google it to work out whether I'd really missed something.

Anyway, the 1,001 entry seems to be purely for the short story itself, which is actually rather good in a very short way. I'm just not sure how much I can really say about it. More may come to me...

#188 I read The Day of the Triffids for the first time last year. I had just found that some kind person had uploaded the entire of the 1980s television series Chocky, Chocky's Children and Chocky's Challenge on YouTube (I used to watch the TV series as a child - scared the heck out of me) and I found out that not only did Chocky exist as a book but the author was John Wyndham who also wrote The Day of the Triffids. I'd watched The Day of the Triffids as a kid too (scared me even more than Chocky) but realized I'd never read it. I really enjoyed the book as it was much less scary than the TV series from the early 80s. Thinking about it, I must have been 8 at the time that was shown. No wonder I was scared. What the heck were my parents thinking? Combine Chocky with Day of the Triffids and Dr Who and I'm surprised I ever actually came out from behind the sofa at all! I'm going to try to buy a copy of Chocky (the book) when I visit the UK this summer.

My hubby is the biggest Dr Who geek so he's been making me watch lots of old Dr Who lately - great fun :) I'll admit I love it too (just not as madly as he does!).

I think we have a dvd of the the Day of the Triffids somewhere... must go dig that out! Plus I must read Chocky - which I remember my older sister reading and loving, round about the time I got hooked on fantasy and wasn't reading much else (I was about 10 and had just finished The Lord of the Rings for the first time).

#188 I have The Day of the Triffids; I'm going to try reading it for July's TIOLI challenge. There was a dramatization of it shown by the BBC over Christmas and I've been meaning to read it since then...

#191 Never heard of Chocky, will look out for it.

"round about the time I got hooked on fantasy and wasn't reading much else (I was about 10 and had just finished The Lord of the Rings for the first time)"

Me too! Except I didn't really know of any other fantasy so I just reread The Lord of the Rings over and over...

Ah - see it was a perfect age to read David Eddings, then get into Anne MacCaffey, then Katherine Kerr... the list goes on a long way. Still love them all so much.

The Garden Party is also the name of one of Katherine Mansfield's collections. If you liked that one there are several other stories about the same family, like that one set in New Zealand - two of them are Prelude (in Bliss) and The Doll's House.

Thanks Elkiedee - I'm still not sure about it I have to admit...

65) Thursday's Child - Streatfeild

Just when I thought my Streatfeild addiction was at an end. Once again some very stressful personal life is juvenilising my reading, but I can't complain when I find things like this. I love old fashioned/evil orphanages in childrens stories (for example I love The Wolves of Willoughby Chase) and this one is great. The main character - Margaret Thursday is also brilliant and the whole thing was a complete joy to read.

To give you a brief precis; Maragaret is found on the church steps as a baby with 'three of the best of everything' and money is left yearly for her upkeep. Until she is about 11 when no money comes and she ends up being sent to an orphanage which the vicar is assured is a good place... well you can imagine. She ends up looking after two young boys whose sister has taken a place as scullery maid in a large manor house.

Anyway this is a short book (or at least it's 200 odd pages but it feels short) about their escape from the orphanage and their adventures. Pure indulgence.

66) The Professor’s House - Willa Cather

This was a random online download that I picked up because it was a 1,001 novel. And I was so pleasantly surprised! This novel is, both in language and storyline, deceptively simple. But I found that it really touched me – the relationship of the Professor and his family, the discussion of life and death and really of what we make of our lives.

The novel is made up of three parts – two narratives concerning the Professor, bracketing the tale of Tom Outland, the Professor’s ex-pupil and friend. Outland’s tale is interesting, exquisite and heartbreaking, but I found I preferred the Professor – the sadness that was apparent in his life. Having received publishing success for his life’s work – a series of 10 books on the Spanish Adventurers, he builds a new house for his wife. But he finds that moving away from the old one where he has been so happy, so productive and so much himself is almost more than he can bear.

Outland’s death in the Second World War weighs equally heavily upon him – Outland having discovered a gas, the patent for which he leaves to his fiancée, the Professor’s elder daughter. This produces a large amount of money – money is a major theme in this novel. And seems to be the source of the most pain.

Anyway, I’d really recommend this – it touches you more than you realise.

#197 That one sounds good: thanks for your review.

I loved Thursday's Child - I think my baby sister has stolen my copy and I need to buy a replacement. There is a sequel, Far to Go. I believe they're set in the 19th century, although I don't think Streatfeild's main concern was her historical context.

The Professor's House sounds very good. I hope to read it soon.

#198 Thanks CatyM - I'm trying to be better about actually getting a review down lately (after my naughty patchin the middle) :)

#199 oooh... *goes off in search*

#200 I hope you enjoy it - it really is oddly good. Plus if it turns out to not be quite your cup of tea, it's not a vast tome either.

67) American Gods - Neil Gaiman

this is my hubby's favourite book. Now mean as it sounds that doesn't carry all that much weight with me since my husband reads (almost exclusively) comic books. He's been nagging me to read this since we got together - so about 7 1/2 years now! I finally gave in - and I'm so glad I did. I think now that I was only holding out because he was nagging about it - I really love Gaiman's work.

I think stylistically this is a master piece - the use of language is excellent, harrowing at times, amusing at others and undeniably beautiful in some sections. I can understand that this novel may be a minefield for some religious readers - having to go along with the premise of the novel, that all the Gods that the settlors of America bought with them were real and stayed. But I loved it - it's a concept I find really intriguing, how our belief has it's own power and how we could maybe help to create our own Gods in the form we need them (I seem to have more connection to a pantheon of Gods than just one - you can tell I'm an agnostic, right?).

Gaiman also represents excellently the transience of life and of belief as the new Gods of Technology etc appear and yet are already aware that their time is limited and that nothing lasts forever.

I also, I'm sure along with many readers of this novel, loved the protagonist Shadow.

--201--I'm sure I'll like it since I'm a fan of Willa Cather, but even if I don't it's another 1001 book under my belt. :) You continue to race through them--I'm impressed.

Thanks for the flowers :)

It's mainly become a reading obsession - when a friend bought me the 2006 version for my birthday in...well 2006... I had only read 60 odd which I thought was appaling for an English graduate. Hence... a lot more 1,001 reading for me.

I have found it exceedingly rewarding though - so many of the books I would not have picked up normally have turned out to be amazing.

68) The Death of Ivan Ilych - Leo Tolstoy

I found this online after reading the review on Deern's thread. She warned us that this was distressing.

She was so so right. This is very short - it's a short story really, but it is exceedingly disturbing. It charts the descent into illness and eventual death of Ivan Ilych, who previously had been a middle ranking magistrate. His fear of death and his pain as he gets sicker and sicker and all very simply drawn, but with a clarity that makes them rather upsetting. Towards the end Ivan starts to believe that perhaps he did not live his life right and that he is being punished - the second guessing of his whole life's path and purpose breaking him down still further.

The final lines leave you with a light and a sense of rest and peace, but personally I still felt I could hear him screaming beind it all.

Maybe something more positive now...

Sorry about Ivan Ilych!
Then better don't read La Bete Humaine/ The Beast in Man. I half-recommended that one as well (it's also 1001 and quite short), but it contains many brutal and depressing scenes.

Btw. I am half through "Don't Move". I like it, the language is beautiful and some chapters almost brought me to tears, especially when Timoteo directly addresses his daughter and describes scenes from their family life. At the same time I keep writing swear words for him into the book - I just can't believe his views whenever it comes to Italia, the way he is readjusting the facts in a way which just suits him. I feel terribly sorry for her.

LOL, I actually picked up La Bete Humaine from a charity bookshelf we have at work yesterday... but I do think it's going into the black hole for some time.

Re Italia - my problem with her is that I couldn't connect with her, so it was a strange sort of pity I felt for her. It's the same sort of pity I feel for people in abusive physical relationships - want to shake them and say get out, get out. Even though I know that it is never that simple or that easy. With Italia I jsut wanted her to get a backbone, but when she does take things into her own hands it doesn't end too well either... plus I was also occupied with shouting at Timoteo to get a backbone as well....

Wow - I haven't posted on my own thread in forever! I'm still alive - just don't seem to be finishing anything. I have three nearly done... but I keep having to go to bed at about 8.30 to counteract the complete annihilating (sp?) exhaustion that this pregnancy is inflicting upon me.

Nearly finished Cry the beloved country and Kim so more sooooon!

Sorry to hear you are fighting fatigue, but congratulations on the baby!

I hope you are enjoying Cry the Beloved Country. It was a favorite of mine a couple years back.

I still have not managed to read Kim yet. One of these centuries. . .

Congratulations from me too!! Did I miss that or have you just started telling people?

I still haven't read Cry the Beloved Country but it's one of those ones that's hovering in the top half of the TBR pile.

Just started telling people - and only posted it over at the Green Dragon...

It's too early to be telling really (we lost a baby in Feb which I can now just about talk about) but I couldn't resist... ah I don't need to see anyone on here I guess and can always run away if bad things happen :/

But fingers cross all is going well - only 9 weeks at the mo, but it's kicking 7 bells out of me. Beugh...

Oh - Cry... well it's been a journey! I wasn't keen at first but now I'm loving it. I wanted to finish it last night but we went out for dinner for my Nana's 85th b'day and only got home at 11.00 so I was dead on my feet and went straight to bed. Only 50 pages to go though.

Kim... still not sure. I think I really like it.

I think it was Roni who mentioned on my thread that Kim is one of her favorite books.

Continued good luck with the pregnancy. I will keep my fingers crossed too.

My fingers are all crossed for you too. I've had several friends have miscarriages and can't imagine how devastating it must be. I guess the fact that you're wiped out with exhaustion is a good sign though!

People keep telling me that... but I'm mental at work and its very wearing. Could do without the nauseau as well. Yuk. Can't wait for my first scan though :)

#199 Another happy, my copy of Far to go (bought second hand on Amazon) just arrived. Yay!

Great news, BekkaJo, congratulations! :-)
And I'll sure keep my fingers crossed for you.
I remember from my friends with children that the exhaustion was just a temporary thing during the first 3 months, after that they said they felt more energetic than ever.

I just moved Cry the Beloved Country to my wishlist. I've read that title so often now in various threads...

Thanks for all the finger crossing guys - I know it makes typing hellish!

69) Cry the beloved country - Alan Paton

I honestly do not have time to write a review now - am only snatching two minutes at work to naughtily post, and work is so so so busy that I may cry.

But the book was absolutely amazing. Wasn't sure at first, but once you get into it? Wow... stunning.

More to follow!

I hope work slows down for you so that you can at least get your review posted, if nothing else!

70) Far to Go - Streatfeild

This is the sequel to Thursday's Child that elkiedee pionted out existed. I'm not sure it can really be called a book in it's own right - it's pretty much just the extra 4-5 chapters of Thursday's Child. It's great, don't get me wrong, entertaining and the same brilliant characters. But it's very short and I don't know if I count it as a whole book...

Still I've also read some of Streatfeild's shorter stuff (When the Siren's Wailed for example - WWII evacuation story, really enjoyable) and not counted them for their short length, so I guess we'll call book 70 a combo score.

Back to the grown up books for a while I think. I'm ploughing through The Plague and it's just not doing it for me.

#218: Around here, if it is between covers it counts!

Thanks Stasia. I feel a bit like I'm cheating this year with the amount of kid's books I've been reading. Feel a decided need to pull in some mighty tomes before the end of the year to make up for it :)

To War and Peace!

Maybe not right now...

#220: There are several people in the group who read children's books. As far as this group is concerned, a book is a book. We do not denigrate anyone's reading habits - one of the reasons I love this group so much!

War and Peace is excellent. I would recommend the recent Pevear/Volokhonsky translation to you. I read it last year.

#208 Congratulations on the baby Bekka! Sorry to hear you're feeling so tired though and that things at work are so busy. I will be thinking of you and baby to be.

#216 Glad you liked that one, I really enjoyed it when I read it earlier this year (think it is my book of the year so far).

#220 Well, I've had a bit of a rough month and been mainly reading children's and YA books as well as Asterix comics. Don't feel bad about reading children's books. War and Peace has been sitting on my shelves unread for about 15 years now and I do want to read it but I want to read it when I have the energy to appreciate it rather than feel like I'm slogging through it. So, maybe when/if I retire?!

Cheers guys! I don't really feel bad about reading kids stuff... so much as I just keep looking at my TBR mounds and thinking I should be clearing them (am supposed to be making space). Meh. Oh and souloftherose - I LOVE Asterix too. I picked up Asterix and the Olympic Games the other day (couldn't resist at 10p!).

See... I really quite want to read War and Peace - I loved Anna Karenina when I read it last year. I think it may have to wait a little longer (I've had it for about 5 years too). I don't think I'm gonna make it this year.

Am fed up because I've been sick (as in fluey) this weekend, so I'm reading a bit of light fantasy to cheer me up.

Asterix and the Olympic Games for 10p? Bargain! I'll bet that wasn't at an Oxfam bookshop! I was reading an article the other day saying "Oxfam actually have backroom chappies checking the Ebay/amazon price of their donations. You can find fliers telling you the "internet price" of a book inside every book on offer". Erk!!

Unfortunately we don't have an Oxfam bookshop :( We have an Oxfam which occasionaly has some good books in, but I do miss the big Oxfam bookshop in Southampton. It had some brilliant bargains on occasion.

I guess they've learnt the hard way by people buying things then cartwheeling out of the shop and dancing down the street singing 'I got it for £1 and it's worth £500'...

We're lucky - we have loads of charity shops for a small town. In fact hubby and I outfitted ourselves for our Summer ball (last Friday) at the charity shops. Love my scruffy hubby, but he does scrub up nice in a tux!

#205 I purchased The Death of Ivan Ilych at a library booksale a few months ago because....well, it's Tolstoy. Not knowing its premise I really appreciate the heads up.

71 - In Pursuit of Love - Nancy Mitford

A friend has been trying to pursuade me to read this for ages - and she was right, it is great.

At first I was really rather bored by it... but if you stick with it, especially once they are grown up and out in the world, it pays off. It is funny but often touching at the same time. And the end... didn't see it coming...

72 - Kim - Rudyard Kipling

Busy busy busy again so wee review for now. Must catch up!

I'm a bit confused by this novel - I'm not sure what I think.

Which kinda lends itself to waiting and letting it sink in I guess!

#223 An Asterix book for 10p!!

Most of my books come from our local charity shop which sells paperbacks for £1 which is fantastic! Most of them are in pretty good condition too.

Sorry to hear you're not feeling well :-( Hope the fantasy reads help!

#227 It's been a while since I read that one but I remember it being a fun read.

BekkaJo, much excited *squeeee!* over the baby. My kids are old enough now that I can look back on that phase with rose-coloured glasses. :)

For the nausea, I do recommend constant nibbling - I had a tub of nuts, seeds and dried fruit on my desk and whenever I started feeling wobbly would tuck in. (And nuts are high in folate!) My GP recommended plain crackers too, which would have been good. It was mostly the empty tummy that made everything go bleurgh!

While pregnant with Mr Bear (he turns eight this Nov, how time flies!), I just read the Harry Potter series over, and over, again. I lost track of how many times I read it! While the tiredness does fade (oh, that fabulous second trimester! so! much! energy!), my mind was definitely all over the place and hard to pin down to one serious tome, so Mr Potter was a great companion for the ride. :)

Again, congratulations!

Thank you Wookiebender! I really need to cling on to the excitement. At the moment I'm just too tired and fed up of working constantly to feel it, and I really want to feel it! I guess that first scan will make it all sink in a bit more.

Oh, the constant nausea can be a killer. It's just so hard to muster energy for anything, beyond glaring balefully at coworkers and fellow commuters. If it all gets too much, do talk to your doctor, there are anti-nausea drugs you can take that are perfectly safe and will make you feel much happier. (If you're not keen on medication - I wasn't either - grated apple and ginger can both help with nausea. Although from my experience, *anything* good to nibble helped.)

I hope you have an energy-filled second trimester! The excitement will kick back in then. :)

I worked 12 hours yesterday... it's really getting in the way of my reading...

Nausea not too bad at the moment. Main prob is I'm run down and picked up a horrible horrible cold and sore throat - which I can't take much for so it wont go away. Ah well...

I'm sorry I'm such a big whinge! I think the fact that I am working fit to burst whilst ill and I can't tell my work why it's even harder for me... it's making me kinda bitter.

I hope you will get better soon. And you are not a whinge! I have no experience with pregnancy, but I know very well what just the combination of long office hours and a heavy cold can do to you. And those colds always come when there's too much work to stay at home and recover...

On the topic of reading childrens books: I did the same this year during the more stressful times and I also read some comic books. I just didn't list them because they were all rereads (more yearly 'comfort rereads').
But now I am wondering where I have stored all my Asterix books? Haven't read those for ages!

Oh, Asterix! I'm still regretting not snaffling our complete collection out of our parents' house when my sister & I moved out (into different houses). I left it too long, and ended up having to split the collection with her. Oh, the trauma!

Sickness, long hours, and first trimester. Nasty combo. I hope work calms down, and I hope you manage a sick day!!

Congratulations on your pregnancy! You must be thrilled (though tired). My daughter is about 6 weeks away from giving birth to her first child (my first grandchild), and she too had lost her first baby. I'm sure everything will also be fine for you.

Congratulations from me too! I hope you will be able to tell everyone (at work) soon so that they will be more understanding...

Thanks all! And congrats Arubabookwoman - you must be getting very excited now!

#235 I stole all my Dad's - muahahaahahhaa!

I've managed to tie up enough ends to have this morning off, plus a friend is having my toddler for the afternoon to play with hers (my daughters boyfriend!). It's a good thing because my brain is fried and an evil cough has joined the yucky cold.

But I have just finished this;

73) The Magic of Recluce - L.E Modesitt

Now I love Modesitt's Magic Engineer but all his other Recluse books feel rather derivative of it. At least I think Engineer came first. Prob should check...

But even if it is a bit derivative I still though it was great. This is never going to be the best fantasy book you ever read, but it is entertaining and easy to read with some good philosophy behind it (always do things to the best of your ability, don't lie, don't hurt people etc). Perfect for my brain right now. In fact I'm off to start the next one...

#238: I have never read anything by Modesitt. Is there a good starting point that you would recommend, Bekka?

I definitely think the Magic Engineer is best. I haven't revisited it for a while, but I'm pretty sure it'll still stand up as my fave when I've finished the rest. I'm reading the seocnd one Towers of Sunset at the moment and am really confused - it feels like he's trying to leave a lot up in the air for later explanation and exploration... slightly too much unfortunately!

#240: OK, I will see if I can find Magic Engineer. Thanks for that recommendation.

I'm way behind on threads. Congratulations on your pregnancy. Prayers and hugs are sent your way.

Thanks Whisper :)

74) The Towers of Sunset - Modesitt

re my post 240, it turns out that this one does sort itself out once you get going, and turns out to be rather good. It's pretty much an origin story of the island of Recluce, which is central to the rest of the books. It essentially takes us back to a great historical character from the Recluce world that all the other books refer to from hundreds of years in the future. As origin stories go it's actually okay. In particular I enjoyed it once they were actually on the island and trying to survice there, and you could see where a lot of the current day Recluce ideas/products appeared from.

I then transferred the next 5 or so (there 12 Recluce novels) to my e-reader to find that The Magic Engineer is book 3. So I'm currently doing a quick re-read of this one to see how sitting after Towers actually affects it. Turns out reading it in order (for readers of the books...no pun intended) does make a difference because you have some background and a lot of the refs make more sense. Still don't understand why Magic of Recluce is book 1 though - chronologically it falls after book 4, and that's only within the first 5 that I have either read or glanced at. I'll be interested to see if he does stick to a chronological stream within the books or whether he moves around.

Well, it's been a while since I read the Recluce books. If memory serves, he writes 'em in mostly inverse chronological order. I think there are two series listed on LT for these books - publication order and chronological order. The effect Modesitt gets from the way he's doing things is that the reader hears legends and stories then the "true" story behind the legend is told. I'd like to take the chronological route sometime if I reread them.

It's definitely interesting to watch them fit together choronologically. But I do like your description, i.e hear the legends then see the true story - it is very true so far.

75) The Order War - Modesitt

Having finished a quick re-read of book 3 - the Magic Engineer, I quickly moved onto this one. This deals with Justen - the only real Grey wizard (one able to balance chaos and order - or rather to order chaos). This books is very much about balance and nature - the fact that immoderate use of power by one political faction will lead to immoderate us of power by an opposing political faction. At least that seems the basic idea - fill in with the usual battles and add some druids for fun. Once again a very good fantasy novel from Modesitt.

I finished this on Friday, but was crocked with a migraine most of Sunday so no posting for me! I've started the next one, which chronologically fits in just after the 1st book of the series and goes back to the same characters. Interesting so far. Should probably read something a bit more grown up... nah, I'm enjoying myself!

Hope the migraine is gone for good! I hate those things.

Happy, happy, happy! Scan yesterday - all good. Just the one very wriggly little baby, slightly further on than anticipated (only a week) but even happier about that.

Happy meeeeee...

Woot! Congratulations!!

Are you aware of the baby's gender or are you wanting to keep it a surprise?

That's great news! (And also great news about being one week ahead of where you thought...40 weeks is a LONG time.)

Wonderful news! Congratulations again! :-)

Ta guys - BIG relief. #249 Can't check gender till the 20 week scan - but we're not going to find out. We didn't last time and I just think there are very few wonderful surprises left in the world, I love having this one to look forward to. :)

76) The Death of Chaos - L.E Modesitt Jr

Yup, I'm still enjoying my Modesitt kick. This one is book 5 of 12 but chronologically the last of the series. It does wrap up some ends but leaves things open for him to revisit if he decides to set one a few hundred years later. There is a lot about family and love in this one - and about being honest with yourself about your motives for doing things.

#252: I cannot blame you. I did not want to know before my babies were born either.

#248 Fantastic news Bekka, so glad things are going well.

#252 And glad you are enjoying your Modesitt reads

I didn't find out the gender of my kids until they were born (although I had a sneaking suspicion about Miss Boo, since the pregnancy was SO much different from Mr Bear's!). I wanted to have some happy anticipation to try and numb the terror of approaching labour. (Call me a wuss. :)

Congratulations on everything being fine!!

Thanks Wookiebender - I'll admit I was convinved it was a girl, but now I'm starting to have a sneaking suspicion it's a boy. Quite diff to Cassie and I think (at this early stage) I'm carrying far more at the front than with her. Time will tell!

77) The Fall of Angels - L.E Modesitt Jr

Once again really good if you can get past the first 20 pages. Space battles are really not his forte in my opinion! Possibly an excess of battles, but that kinda comes with the territory.

78) Roxana - Daniel Defoe

I don't have a vast amount to say about this one - I mean unlike Moll Flanders which has lots of ups and downs, Roxana pretty much has a big low and then lots of up and high class whoring. I mean it's entertaining and all - but it's just nowhere near as good (or as fun) as Moll Flanders.

79) Thank You, Jeeves - P.G Wodehouse.

I've had this out the library for ages wanting a nice easy (yet still 1,001) read. And though it's not really my normal cup of tea, it is wonderfully relaxing - and by the end I loved it. The relationship between Jeeves and Wooster is jsut really special.

I love Jeeves and Wooster, and I'm always trying to persuade people to try Wodehouse: I'm glad you enjoyed that one. :)

Glad things are going well with the baby.

80) Jacob’s Room - Virginia Woolf

I started this thinking ‘I Hate Virginia Woolf’. By the time I finished it I was horribly conflicted. I actually quite liked sections of the novel – and some of her descriptions are exquisite. I also like the haunting quality of the ending (which I won’t divulge for fear of spoilers). I can’t say that I don’t still find her flighty style annoying at times, but this novel, which is more darting than most, somehow seemed to click with me – I could follow her between the characters more easily than in other Woolf’s I have read. Either way I am now horrendously conflicted about her work and will have to go away and deliberate some more. I sense some re-reads in the offing.

81) The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Short but brilliant. I just loved this – and since it is essentially a short story I really can’t say much more without giving it all away. But it’ll take you 30mins tops. If you haven’t read it, go do so right now!

#259: I read The Yellow Wallpaper last year and agree with your assessment: 'short but brilliant.'

Edited for typo

I read The Yellow Wallpaper online a year or two ago, and thought it was wonderful. Only downside: the cat headbutted me about halfway through, and I almost spilt my tea all over the keyboard. I was the only one awake in the house and so caught up in the story that she gave me such a fright.

Poor you - I just saw that the 2006 edition of the 1001 list holds 9 Virginia Woolf novels (5 more than my 2008 edition). I haven't read any of the removed ones yet, but I have The Voyage Out on my tbr.

I put The Yellow Wallpaper into my ever growing shopping basket at amazon's. I've read so much in August, it's almost time for a new order.

#262 To be honest I'm blaming you for trying harder with my Woolf - and kinda liking this one :) Your comments on Orlando made me want to try and like her writing. See where it's got me! :)

Re Yellow Wallpaper, if you use Project Gutenburg you should be able to get it from there without having to Amazon it.

82) The Chaos Balance - L.E Modesitt Jr

Another Recluce novel done - only another 5 or so to go! This one follows on directly after the Fall of Angels and is chronologically very interesting since it is set far before the majority of the books (that I have read so far anyway) and it deals with the formation/change of the countries to the more recognised form of the later novels. Once again Modesitt's thing is mainly all about balance and truth. This one is also very much about change and the fact that imposed change will eventually be rebelled against, whereas sociological change is generally much slower but there is no going back once it has started (for instance here, greater freedom for women).

#261 See - that's why cats are evil... :)

Sorry - serious cat allergies make me cranky at the little devils!

I am actually slightly allergic to cats. I get snuffly and itchy eyed around cats I don't know, so can't pet that lovely ginger boy cat who lives near where I park my car at work. But strangely enough, I'm fine with cats I live with. I'm seriously hoping I never get worse!

Cats are just wonderful pets, IMHO. Self-cleaning, self-amusing, and, on occasion, self-feeding. But also willing to sit in your lap for hours and have their ears scratched. And also willing to sit on your comatose form at 6am and meow in that where-is-my-breakfast tone, which is less engaging. Somehow, they are always forgiven.

But, yes, if you're seriously allergic, they're no fun at all. Poor you!

I'll admit to being more of a dog person - I grew up on a farm and we always had a springer (working dogs for shooting generally). My Dad isn't on the farm anymore but he has two beautiful black and white English springers spaniels and they are lovely dogs.

I know my cat views aren't widely held on the threads so I generally keep schtum about them! But really it isn't cat's themselves it's what they do to me - I guess 28 years of not being allowed to go near them kinda jades you somewhat to the furry things. I would say maybe a hairless cat - but mostly they really really freak me out!

#263: Thanks for the tip, I just read The Yellow Wallpaper on project Gutenberg. Short yes, brilliant yes, but - as LizzyD/Peggy writes in her thread - really 'creepy'.
Great that it counts as a book! One of the quickest reads ever.

I know - I think the last two have got me up to 198 on my 1,001, or maybe 199. Was determined to hit 200 by the end of the years so it looks like I can comfortably squash one goal off the list!

Congratulations on your growing 1001 Books number! I'm at 123 right now. I remember how relieved I was to hit 100, because then I felt I had some credibility! Ha! I'll feel even better when I'm as far along as you are!

And, about The Yellow Wallpaper--I don't know if anyone's mentioned it, but there is a film version of it that was pretty good. I believe it was a BBC television version. I had to ILL it, because no libraries around me had it. Definitely worth a watch!

Karen O.

#269 ta for the congrat Karen - I have been reading a lot of the short ones though... I'm totally going to run out of them soon!

83) Dragongirl - Todd McCaffrey

Well this follows on directly from Book 2 of my list - Dragonheart. And well... I have exactly the same quibbles as noted on post 16 of this thread. This one is very Pern-y etc but he takes about 300 pages to cover what his mother would have written into less than 100 - and then had time to finish the actual story! Because once again this is less than half a book. I understand that he's trying to make it into a full continuation series but he's being awfully heavy handed about it.

Also, what's with all the sudden sleeping around? Something Anne McCaffrey never wrote and whilst she touched upon the subject in the Weyrs (generally in relation to the intense emotion of mating flights) it was never a central theme and always subtely done. This is just a bit excessive!

None of this will stop me waiting for the next one and devouring it when it finally arrives at the Library... will stop me buying them though.

Thread is starting to become a little unwieldy so I've set up another one...not sure how to put a link in though. Sorry!

Hopefully the next one will be up to 100 by the end of the year! We'll see...

Link to Bekka's new thread: http://www.librarything.com/topic/97554

Thank you!

No problem :)