Stephanie "Jedigal"'s comments
(member since Jul 06, 2008)
Stephanie "Jedigal"'s comments from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die group.
(showing 1-20 of 38)
Junky The Definitive Text of Junk
I don't get it. I'll have to go home and read the blurb in 1001-B to see what they think makes it a must read. I say skip it. A QUICK read though...
Also, nothing experimental (akin to Naked Lunch or other William S. Burroughs titles) here.
Interesting thought, Heather. It's been a while since I read "Curious Incident", but I think I know what you mean. Haven't read any other Haddon, but that title, and all of Vonnegut, have a very sparse, matter-of-fact kind of style.
I too love Vonnegut. Currently reading God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater
Jan 06, 2009 01:42PM
I had pretty much determined before I even bought the list book, that I would never read Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past (or In Search of Lost Time, as many now prefer and as is a more accurate translation). A 7-volume, 3200-page novel? This might not be for me. I had problems getting through Don Quixote.
On the other hand, I know that there is so much intertextuality between this and other things, that it makes me consider changing my mind.
Maybe I could start the first volume, and if I liked it, keep going, if not, give up. Like Kristin, I am a completist. I like to finish the books I start. But there have been exceptions in the past, and I could certainly see making this one of them....
Elizabeth, I had that same problem with Doctor Zhivago! I feel relieved not to be alone. Actually, I have never read any novels by Russian authors since then, probably partially b/c of that! Although, I was probably a little too young anyway to quite grasp some of the politics, etc. I plan to re-read someday.
When I first saw Elizabeth's post about Flowers For Algernon, I got confused. I had just read the short story (first) version of that, in a SF collection I'm reading. But since we mostly post about book-length material here, I thought to myself "Maybe the title for that story was based on some important novel." When Linda and Sarah posted about it too, I had to find out what was going on. So now I understand it was a short story, and Keyes later expanded it. The SS was good, so I'll definitely try out the novel sometime. Thanks for illuminating me, ladies!
I was reading Jenni's first post in this thread, and when I logged on to suggest the "What's the Name of That Book?" group, I was pleasantly surprised to see so many others with the same comment. Although I have never solved anyone's request yet, I love the idea of that group, and I think as many should participate as can. That way a bigger pool of solvers! Good luck, Jenni!
Jan 02, 2009 11:47AM
Natalie, good idea with the audiobooks. So far, I have not done this very often. I tend to get easily distracted, and also, I am both cheap and a tad picky about my "reading" material, so that makes the audiobooks not great for me. I know the library has them, but I am a bad library returner. I am better at returning books to human (friends, coworkers) lenders than to the library. Also, I usually listen to another passion - my local NPR station - when I am doing "manual" chores.
Esther, I can't read while riding in a car, bus or train either. Doesn't it stink? I used to, but in my 30s I started to get motion sickness sometimes. Definitely reading triggers it. Only an airplane seems smooth enough to allow for reading.
Steph, I also have it on my TBR. Sometimes I look at my TBR books, and feel sorry for them. Getting in the pile in no way indicates how close they are to getting read. Especially since my TBR is probably about 2 to 2.5 years of reading. If I ever get Hurin tackled, I'll post about it.
Has anyone read Children of Hurin?
Dec 29, 2008 03:05PM
I LOVE TO READ. If I were an old-maid cat-lady with no life, I would read 24-7.
As it is, I sometimes feel that I am caught in a war between my reading life, and everything else. Things that interfere with reading: Work (avg 50 hrs wk); Volunteerism (avg 4 hrs wk); Husband (who thinks I read too much).
I watch way more tv than I think is reasonable, but my husband is more friendly towards tv if we are both watching. If I am reading, then he thinks I'm being antisocial - in my own little world. We have read aloud together, over 18 years of marriage, only, I think, 4 books. That was fun. For me at least. But whenever I suggest, he doesn't bite, so tv it is....
I read every spare minute I can, and still only managed 40-ish books last year.
I read:
- while eating meals
- while preparing meals
- while folding laundry (yes this can be done)
- while in the ladies room
- while walking down the hall in my house
- while blow drying my hair in the morning
- while waiting: in the drive-thru lane, at the dentist/dr office, at the bank
- etc etc etc
I always have a book with me. I tend to carry one even when I know I won't have an opportunity to read it. You never know. Better safe than sorry!
Frankly, my mind is always busy - and rather than have it be busy thinking (and feeling guilty) about all the vacuuming/leaf raking/etc that needs doing, I'd much rather occupy my mind with a book. Hmmm.... I wonder if I am a book addict. Has my reading made my life unmanageable? I guess if you place a high value on Susie-homemaker-hood, than I am unmanageable. If you value revealing hidden worlds, opening doors, expanding minds, well - my life is working just fine.
So many books, so little time...
OOPS - If a double post goes on - my bad! If not, well I goofed, but then didn't. Computer users.....
Per my own *ratings, my 2008 least favs were Don Quixote and Sieze The Day. But I think my actual least fav list EXPERIENCE was Edna O'Brien's Country Girls trilogy (all three are on the list), which my bookclub read.
My top *rating for 2008 was A Clockwork Orange. But my fav reading EXPERIENCES were (I couldn't narrow more than this - I just couldn't):
Kurt Vonnegut - Breakfast of Champions
Toni Morrison - Song of Solomon
Paul Auster - Book of Illusions
Sarah Waters - Fingersmith
H Rider Haggard - She
Out of 15 reads in 2008 chosen from the list, I'd have to say that the list is doing right by me - pointing me in the direction of some FINE and FUN literature. And even the FINE and Not-So-Fun literature (like, for me, Don Q.) I am still glad to have read.
Krenzel, good topic!
Tej, I know what you mean about ocd and masochistic need to finish reading a title.
Welcome, Frances!
Never posted here yet, b/c these are SO much a part of my last 30 years, I can start talking and then never stop myself. But as a Christmas present to myself.....
LOTR and Hobbit are definitely in my top 5 (counting LOTR as one) books of all time. I started with them as pre-teen and have always re-read them regularly. Wish I had kept track of how many times, but far too late now....
It seems that those who can handle the long descriptions and DENSITY of these books just keep coming back. Certainly in part it's thanks to the archetypal characters (thx Coalbanks for mentioning) and the detailed well-thought out universe that they move in.
Abigail, if you still post on this group, could you explain what you meant by
"I loved TLoR until the climactic scene. That ruined the whole series for me."
On the Silmarillion, when I first tried it as a teen, I was shocked that it did not resonate with me as did the Trilogy. I didn't get through it. But when I tried again in my 20s I really enjoyed it. Maybe I had more patience...
PS - I totally to admit to occasionally skimming or skipping some particularly long descriptive passages, or poems in Elvish. This is however, more rare during my older re-reads than it was during my younger years. I tend to pick the trilogy back up when I am in a patient mellow reading frame of mind. Also, as with any title that I have read MANY times, the more you read it, the "easier" the read is - it is more like remembering. Like when a smell or a song makes you remember some previous event in your life, and it just flows back through you. To me, this allows for more reflection as the "event" or "book" "plays" itself - you can see different themes or relationships, etc. Even for those who don't like LOTR, I strongly recommend finding a book that YOU can re-read every few years, and see how that can enrich your experience.
I haven't read that many, I kind of gave up on King after a while, but of the 8-10 I've read, my favs were:
The Stand
The Shining
Cujo
I also really enjoyed the concept of Needful Things, but the book was TOO LONG. Yeah, The Stand is long, but the length is better supported by the plot and character development.
My most hated: Pet Sematery. I'm fine with the idea of the book, but this one was so poor (IMO) it made me think he was just writing to meet a contract deadline.
Mentioned this on other threads, already, but thought should add to this one. Didn't trip my trigger, but still glad to have read, to see for myself what has been praised by others.
Sieze the Day by Saul Bellow. Less than 150 pg.
Not a list book, but a list author...
John Steinbeck's THE PEARL.
Great author, great book.
And SHORT!
Sieze the Day by Saul Bellow. I get why it receives critical acclaim, but it didn't do anything for me. Too much depressing realism. At this point in my life, I like stories that convey some hope.
1001 Books You Must Read Before You
