Cam's comments (member since Jan 08, 2009)

Cam's comments from the Pick-a-Shelf group.

Tara wrote: "Cam wrote: "Plan on reading a book or two from the following that I have on hand.

Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About By Mil Millington
Tourist Season By Car..."

Tanks Tara, have heard good things, & Lyn, I have that one in the pile too so I'm looking good for choices.

Plan on reading a book or two from the following that I have on hand.

Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About By Mil Millington
Tourist Season By Carl Hiassen
Smashed, Squashed, Splattered, Chewed, Chunked and Spewed By Lance Carbuncle
The Eyre Affair By Jasper Fforde

Great choice for setting the mood Photojim, looking forward to it.

Colleen wrote: "Lyn wrote: "I'm liking it so far. It's interesting. "

Im about halfway through, I'm enjoying it, but I can see your point Cam about losing something in the translation."

I'm certainly not sorry that I read it, it's given me a starting point in something I knew nothing about really. Look forward to hearing more of your thoughts at the end Colleen, glad your enjoying it.

Meghan wrote: "Cam wrote: "I have finished Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress A Novel as well. At the moment I'm hovering around a 2 1/2 - 3 star rating. I think a lot of the general fears of..."

Yes, I definitely think I'm in your camp of thinking there Meghan. I'll be reading Vagrants next I think out of my selections as it gives the impression of a more realistic interpretation of village life & what happens when someone was deemed as losing their faith in communism during that same period.

Melissa wrote: "How many more people have to read Balzac? I don't want to post anything on here until everyone's done -- I read it last September."

There's a few more to go Melissa. It should make for interesting discussion by the looks.

I have finished Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress A Novel as well. At the moment I'm hovering around a 2 1/2 - 3 star rating. I think a lot of the general fears of the Chinese cultural revolution were well captured, though I thought in detail the urgency of danger that would have surrounded the central characters was lost somewhere along the way. It is not a period of history that I know a lot about, I enjoyed the read along with the opportunity to learn more.

Linda wrote: "I have just finished "Geisha, A Life" by Mineko Iwasaki. This is a true story of one of Japan's star geisha until she retired at the age of 29. She trained to become a geisha from the age of 5. ..."

Linda, this sounds wonderful (I agree with you Lyn) Have added it to my list as well as 'Memoirs Of A Geisha'. Thankyou both.

I've been away but Balzac has not arrived yet anyway Lyn. I might be like Colleen, & plan for the weekend as I have a world of things to catch up on now.....
Your copy arrived yet Sara?

Lyn wrote: "Cam - looks like the 3rd is your destiny"

We have dispatch Lyn, so it will be close to the 3rd (usually takes 3 bus days) all depending on Melbourne Cup.

Excellent Sara. No, start Lyn. It's only a shorty anyway by the looks. I even tried to get it from the library, willing to go whole hog and commit to a membership (shocking at returning things on time). Go to all that effort, find a park, write out a list, & I get right up to the doors & it has a teenie, tiny, sign that reads closed for renovations till the 3rd of November. So when's the 3rd? Tuesday anyway! Ha ha.

Lyn wrote: "Mine is ready at the library also. So I am ready to go for Nov. 1"

My Order is still being processed so won't be expecting it before Tues next week. Am happy to play Ketchup with you & Colleen,Lyn.

Arlene wrote: "I have Q & A on my TBR shelf. I still haven't seen the movie. I also have a copy of The Street of a Thousand Blossoms. I have read several other books by Gail Tsukiy..."

I really loved how Q & A's story was structured (though totally different in subject matter, built similarly to - Geraldine Brooks - People Of The Book). I thought it was very cleverly done, and as often is the case sooooooooo much better than the film & very different too.

Not at all Arlene, it's a wonder that I didn't, I am a bit like Lynne - very enthused by your choice.

Meghan wrote: "That Brothers book is being heavily promoted at my foreign language bookstore here in Beijing. Now maybe I'll need to pick it up.

And Balzac is a nice little story. Now that I know more about the Cultural Revolution, I think I'd appreciate it more."

Brothers - This is really nice timing, have had it on order for over 2 months, was told it would be at least another month away & it came in this Thurs just gone. The Aus book mag I subscribe to, gave it huge wraps. It's quite a big book, which I wasn't expecting but am hoping I'll get to read at least 3 out of the 7 I've listed with this being one of them.
Looking forward to seeing what you think of Sea Of Poppies Meghan, I've had that one on the pile for a while too.

Love to Lyn - Have just ordered it (Still on book buying ban - just thought I'd help hubby with part of my Anniversary present - I've been thoughtful like that all week). All things going well, it should arrive before the 1st and we can start whenever you like.

Arlene, I'm a bit confused, I think that's where I left them. But I'll be happy to add the other 13 from the long list if you want some more :) Lourve the choice by the way, now I just have to work out which to read first. Very excited!

There is so much to choose from, have managed to narrowed a long list of 20 down to 7 already. They are -

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress A Novel by Dai Sijie
The Vagrants By Yiyun Li
Brothers By Yu Hua
Water Ghosts A Novel By Shawna Yang Ryan
A Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini
Saving Fish From Drowning By Amy Tan
The Bonesetter's Daughter By Amy Tan

Excellent Arlene - Happy picking!

Have just finished reading Fledgling By Octavia E. Butler. My favourite book of this year came from this author (Kindred) so I had high hopes for this my second foray both into Octavia's novels & my second also into the vampire genre. Though it was far better than the earlier vampire read, I have to say that I'm not much of a fan but at least this threw in some fangs unlike 'The Strain' which just included a rather nasty tongue, so I feel like I've now actually read a vamp book at least.
The book follows the story of Shori a young Ina (vampire) a new & improved version of the old (Shori is the result of successful inter breeding between that of human & vampire) Her black skin enables her to venture out into the daylight as it has natural melonin that protects her from the suns rays. Many Ina believe she is the new super vampire of the future, however there are those that believe she is no longer true Ina. We join her story where she is suffering complete amnesia due to severe head injuries from a horrendous attack that as well as wiping her memory of her first 53 years of life, has also wiped out her entire female family line. We follow Shori as she has to begin her life from scratch & create a new support network of her own & at the same time seek out the reasons behind the mass murder of her family.
I have given it 3 Stars (3 & 1/2 Stars), which is pretty good as much of the vampireness of the book made me squirm & quite a few moments where Shori although 53 in vamp years is in reality the equivalent in appearance to that of a 10 - 11 year old girl, I'm sorry, I know it's fiction but I have one of those in this house, & it was yucky & uncomfortable to read at times, and it paid a price in how I rated it because of this.