Gay Degani's recent posts

Recent public discussion board posts (showing 1-20 of 43).

ay-ya!!!! I haven't read one of those books!!! Sorry. I'll have to get too it!

The fact that I've even heard of this book, let alone read it and loved it, shows my age!!

BEtter here because I'm putting down a spoiler.

As I remember it, the old lady jumps into the river and dies. Nothing is particularly resolved, even if what I want is a literary ending. I did not feel any great moment of insight when it was all over other than ...hmm, Booth Tarkington did a better job of this small town stuff in The Magnificent Ambersons. I can't comment specifically because I remember more the feeling of disappointment and "WHAT?" when I finished.

I agree about his characters. They are warm and quirky. Memorable??? Can I remember anyone's name? No. They owned a diner. They remind me of Anne Tyler. I enjoy his books.

I do. I just don't think he's say up there with Jeffrey Eugenides, JCO, Judith Guest, Margaret Atwood, Carole Shields,or even Junot Díaz. Or TC Boyle for that matter.

When I say predictable applying to EF BOS, I mean I know pretty much what's going on the whole time and the writing isn't so brilliant that I'm willing to completely overlook it.

I won't elaborate more than that, except to say, dear friend, that YOU write line for line just as well or better than RR.

I like this guy. Sand and Fog a favorite. Looking forward to your take on this new one.

I read this a while back too, but I don't think I'll reread it. I loved it too much and since I can't seem to get past page 50 of World without End or what I like to call Book Without End or Tension or Story, it would be a set-up for disappointment!

I haven't read this Harlan Coben book, but he is corny. I won't bother with this one. Thanks!

Agreed. This book falls into the throw-it-against-the-wall-then-burn-the-house-down category. Reminds me of eight-year-old boys behind the garage looking a girlie/bloody combat magazines.

Okay. I have this book on my night stand. It's been there for I don't know five or six years? I'll read it.

The Corrections has a shriveled up cold, black center where its heart should be.

You go girl. You are RIGHT on the money with this one.

PS I'm Irish! Well, a good strong 1/2.

I loved this book and Cahill's sense of fun. The title reflects two things: much of what we know now was salvaged by those dutiful little monks AND if we were in a pub drinking a pint, we'd be listening to some son of the sod telling just how the Irish have saved the world and how they get no credit, and "We've given birth to the world's greatest novelist and the world's greatest playwright and the world's greatest poet and still we get no respect!"

Once you get past the burning of Smyrna the book really comes alive. But the burning is essential to the story so it's necessary. I love this book.

Anita Shreve is a hack. She uses trite plots and dresses them up with a good sentence or two: think Danielle Steele.

Coralie! Is this the family saga we were talking about?

Coralie,

I am a very old fan of Dorothy Eden and read everything I could get my hands on. Not that I can remember anything now, but we are kindred spirits!

Walden is an all time favorite. The man is brilliant. When I went to Walden Pond, it was a cloudy dull day in early winter. No snow. But I felt exhilirated and amazed that I was there. It's much bigger than I thought.

I'm a big Graham Greene fan as well as Somerset Maugham.

lovely way to put that!! going on vaca in about four hours. Will write more in a week.

I love this sad sad book for all the things you mention, Sarah, and the twin themes of obsession and control.

Finally the book gets down to Antony and Cleopatra. Frankly this book is more about Octavian than Antony, but I suppose if you've read the whole Masters of Rome series, that makes McCullough sense. I'm reading it because I love it.