Brenda's comments
(member since Feb 17, 2009)
Brenda's comments from the You'll love this one...!! A book club & more group.
(showing 1-20 of 37)
Shannon: Bless Me, Father by Neil Boyd
I forgot to mention Mrs. Mike by Benedict Freedman. One of my favourites. I read it as a teenager and really loved it.
SuzieR wrote: "This is probably my favourite classic of all time! I didn't watch the BBC production as I thought it might spoil it ... I did see a film version of it years ago which was excellent, but can't reme..."
Yes, I believe the film starred Nastasia Kinsky as Tess. Great book, great movie (although I think my husband thought the movie was boring.)
I just remembered a few more:
1 The Bear Went over the Mountain ( by the author of ET the Extraterrestrial)a send up of book publishing
2 Youth in Revolt and 3 I Love You, Beth Cooper - these two are teenage coming of age novels
4 Bless Me Father - funny happenings in an Irish parish
I'd recommend The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennett.
Jaime wrote: "Hmmmm....something to think about. I think I will have to give it a try, though, because there have been far more positives than negatives from people I have talked to about it and I did like the ..."
Yes, you're right. It did seem to have so much promise at the beginning ... I loved the idea of the cemetary of forgotten books... I would love to go there!
Hello Michelle: I'd recommend The Green Mile - a very moving story, it has a little bit of the supernatural, but I wouldn't call it scary. Also, Lissey's Tale which I didn't find scary at all- apparently he wrote this one for his wife.
Jaime wrote: "Beth wrote: "I highly recommend the following five-star books...
Chains
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The Gargoyle
[book:Water for Elephants|4364..."
A lot of people on here have really liked The Shadow of the wind... but for me I found it too wordy... maybe the translation? The words seemed to get in the way of the story. And by the middle of the book I no longer cared about the characters. I ended up not finishing it. So I'd pick The Gargolye (even though I haven't heard anything about it).
A five star read (if anyone is still interested....)
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry - beautifully written, haunting, sad, tragic, poignant, - you will come to fall in love with the characters.
Tasha wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Hello Danielle: I checked your "to read" list and I'd recommend you read The Red Tent and Gone with the Wind.
My favourite love story is Mrs. Mike by Benedict Freedman. I believe..."
Oh, I'm so glad you liked it. I read it in my teen years and was never able to find it again to re-read. It's nice to know it's back in print again. I'd love to re-read it now.
There is a series called The Josephine Bonaparte collection, which comprises three novels. The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe and The Last Great Dance on Earth (not too sure about the title of that last one). These novels are written by Sandra Gulland. They are the diary of Josephine Bonaparte and are historically accurate. Because they are written in diary form, the reader gets to know all about Josephine, Napoleon, and their surrounding friends and family.
Hello Ellie: I looked at your books and I would recommend for you to read The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. It's narrated by a character named Balram who describes his life journey of rising from poverty in India. But it is so much more than this. Very dark humour, funny, and sarcastic. It won the Man Booker Prize but don't let that stop you from reading it. (The last few Man Booker Prize winners have been
somewhat disappointing). This is very deserving of the prize and I can't recommend it highly enough. Even if you don't enjoy it, you will want to discuss it and talk about it afterwards.
If I had categories for my books I would categorize it as quirky, but definitely not humourous.
Hello Danielle: I checked your "to read" list and I'd recommend you read The Red Tent and Gone with the Wind.
My favourite love story is Mrs. Mike by Benedict Freedman. I believe it was written in the 1940's and I haven't read it lately so I wonder that it might seem dated. But it is a really beautiful love story about a woman from Boston who marries a mounted police officer from Canada. And he accepts a post in the far north where they build their lives together.
"Mike's eyes were so blue she could swim in them...."
This book made me a reader so I highly recommend it.
Heather wrote: "sorry for suggesting it guys. I had hoped it would bring about a bit more discussion than this
Don't be sorry, I am recommending this book to my son because I think he would really like it. He's 19.(And maybe my 23 year old son too, although he is not much of a reader... And anytime I can recommend something to them is a good thing. I wouldn't have found this book otherwise.....so I'm very happy to have read it.
Hello Heather: My latest buys:
1. Smashed, Squashed, Splattered, Chewed, Chunked and Spewed.
2. The Bark of the Dogwood
3. The Uncommon Reader
4. The Guernesey Literary and Potato Peel Society
5. Whale Song
I am going downtown tomorrow night... we will be passing by the World's Biggest Book Store....I am hoping my friends will want to stop in just for a peek....
Happy reading.....
I think you're right John. Throughout my public school years my teachers often made a lesson of "the quick brown fox..." and often challenged us to come up with another panagram. I also did not see any geat meaning in the story; many of the words I was unfamiliar with had to do with grammar or writing, and I think Dunn was having fun getting a chance to use them.
Since I've just started this, I'm thinking I'm going to need a dictionary close by!
Wanda wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Wanda: If you ever do manage to get a copy of Fifth Business (and read it) I'd be very interested to hear what you think! I'm going to try and look up the Welsh Trilogy you mention..."
Wow ... two years ... good luck with the move.. happy re-uniting, I wish you and your husband all the best.
Stephanie wrote: "I did try not to buy books but went to the library... but when they didn't have the books I wanted it was straight to Waterstone's I'm afraid.... no backbone, that's my trouble! "
Ha ha - I have done exactly the same thing!
You'll love this one...!! A...
