Greg’s Comments (group member since Jul 02, 2014)

Greg’s comments from the All About Books group.

I nominate Excellent Women by Barbara Pym

I will second The Children's Blizzard

Nidhi wrote: "We have read The Dutch House and These Precious Days by Patchett quite recently, though I couldn't finish either because of diversions.
For Tom Lake I am reading Our Town by Thornton, which has som..."

Thanks Nidhi, I have been away from Goodreads for a while because of work problems and must have missed the other reads.

Thanks for the tip on Our Town!

Glad to hear that Erica!

I'll be joining too mid-month. I've certainly heard of Pratchett, but this will be the first of her books that I've read. Looking forward to it!

I knew pretty much nothing about Panamanian history as well. And I'm really glad to have read it!

Alannah, I hope you end up enjoying it as much as Erica and I did!

Erica wrote: "Glad you enjoyed it Greg, I definitely had the same feel as you. I was initially not sure about the multiple perspectives but enjoyed it more the longer I read. I really liked the thread about the ..."

I found the story about the fisherman and his son very moving as well - despite their disagreements, they were both good people and the father's stubbornness is very believable. He's set in his ways, and I suppose his distrust of the canal project had a point.

I was so happy to see them come together by the end!

Here's my tentative plan:

Finish up from last month:
✔ Linghun by Ai Jiang ★★★ (3.0)

Definitely:
✔ The Maniac by Benjamín Labatut ★★★★ (4.5)
✔ Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törzs ★★★★ (4.0)
✔ Christmas at Thompson Hall: A Mid-Victorian Christmas Tale by Anthony Trollope ★★★ (3.5)

Probably:
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
✔ Bury Your Gays by Chuck Tingle ★★★ (3.0)
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Possibly:
Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
The Quest For Tanelorn by Michael Moorcock

Unplanned:
✔ Un Perro en el Grabado De Durero Titulado "El Caballero, La Muerte Y El Diablo" by Marco Denevi ★★★★ (3.5)
✔ A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote ★★★★★ (4.5)
✔ milk and honey by Rupi Kaur ★★★ (3.0)
✔ Walking Practice by Dolki Min ★★★ (3.5)
in progress 25% Happening by Annie Ernaux

Finish up someday (maybe this month, maybe another):
in progress 28% Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
✔ Juxtaposition by Piers Anthony ★★★ (2.5)
in progress 36% The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart
in progress 4% A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

What are your reading plans for the last month of 2024? Anything you want to wrap up before the new year?

I do hope some others join the read. I'm almost done, and it's extraordinarily enjoyable as it gets further!

Perhaps it has a slightly too rosy view of human nature, but much literature errs more dramatically by failing in the opposite, overly cynical direction.

The book has climbed to a solid 4 stars!

I don't know if this is exactly the story a Panamanian would write, but it's enjoyable and informative enough to have other interest besides. Not sure who nominated this one, but I'm happy it won. I would probably not have read it otherwise.

Now mid-chapter 14:

The history is fascinating! It's probably just my ignorance, but I had no idea that Columbia controlled Panama. I enjoyed learning just a little of the canal politics.

Interesting also that the positive and well meant effort to eliminate yellow fever came across wrong for Francisco because of the paternalistic way it is carried out, where the brigades just arrive and start bustling, burning, and papering without even explaining or preparing residents in advance for what was going to happen. What could have been a good thing becomes a traumatic experience instead.

I'm on chapter 10 now and liking it better as I get further. It's interesting to see the effects of the canal project on the various ordinary people who come there for work or who are displaced physically or economically.

It's a bit of a diversion from the main storyline but I like the chapter set in Barbados with Lucille's story.

I'm on chapter 5 now.

For anyone reading or that finished, how do you feel about the different perspectives in the book? Which of the perspectives are your favorites? There are several of them.

I'm enjoying it so far, but I can't decide if it feels 100% authentic to me - maybe it's a little bit sanitized or maybe it feels like the perspective of an American trying to imagine their lives rather than them themselves? I can't put my finger on anything exactly, and it's not a strong criticism. It just doesn't feel like a 5-star book yet, nothing too novel or unique.

That's just me though, and I have a long way still to go so my opinion could change.

Teri-K wrote: "I read this earlier this year. For about the first half I was undecided on how I felt about it, but somewhere along the line it all pulled together for me and I ended up absolutely loving it. I'll be interested to see how others respond to it..."

Glad to hear that Teri-K!

I'm on chapter 3 and enjoying it so far. I like the variety of different perspectives, but it's too early to know much.

Great Alannah! :)

I'm in!

Monday 18th:
Tuesday 19th:
Wednesday 20th:
Thursday 21st:
Friday 22nd:
Saturday 23rd:
Sunday 24th:

Running total:

Completed books ():

Alannah wrote: "288) Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter"

How did you like this one Alannah?

I'm starting this next week Erica - so glad you're enjoying it!

I plan to start this next week. Is anyone else joining?

Gem wrote: "I am so excited to be reading this selection, I've had my eye on this book for years. I enjoy long books but there is no way I'd finish this one in one month so I've never attempted it."

Glad to have you join the group read Gem!