Olga's comments (member since Mar 15, 2009)

Olga's comments from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die group.

So far I have read only 3 Coelho´s books, The Alchemist, Eleven Minutes and The Pilgrimage. The last one because I was preparing myself for my year abroad in Santiago de Compostela, Spain and I knew the book was about the pilgrimage (el camino) the author did. All of them were great, I am a big fan. Studying Portuguese at the moment, hoping to read some of his work in original in the future. Which one do you recommend as the best one ever?

Katie wrote: "Anyone notice that in both Surfacing and Cat's Eye the main character, when young, goes to church with a neighbor family who after church goes to the train yard to watch trains...."
autobiographical books

oh, not from the list, but for me they all should get there :) really like her work

I started reading Atwood´s books exactly a year ago, and I am so happy I found out about her. I started with The Robber Bride, which was excellent, I then read The Edible Women, which I liked, Cat´s Eye is probably one of my favourites, but hard to choose. Then Alias Grace, a masterpiece, after that book I realised I am reading works of genious. Then Negotiating with the dead, a book about writing (but not a manual about HOW to write!), brilliant, brilliant work of non - fiction. Then I got her Eating Fire, poems, yet again positively surprised. Then essays Curious Pursuits, have not finished it yet, I am devouring one essays after another, too precious to finish too quickly. Then Moral Disorder, very autobiographical (just like Cat´s Eye)I think and then The Blind Assassin; genious; yet again. Then I had a long break from Atwood, I am currently doing my year abroad in Spain where I read Surfacing or "Resurgir" I should write, the Spanish title. Very good but you can definately tell it is one of her first novels, you can´t even compare it with The Blind Assassin (for example). When I am back in England there are some books on the shelf waiting to be read Oryx and Crake, The Handmaid´s Tale (which, ashamed to admit, I have not yet read) and Life Before Man - I cannot wait to start them. Have anyone of you read Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth? I am curious about that, read some good reviews. And more, Bodily Harm, Lady Oracle. I am really a big big big big Margaret Atwood fan!