Mike’s
Comments
(group member since Oct 28, 2021)
Mike’s
comments
from the Never too Late to Read Classics group.
Showing 161-180 of 317
Luís wrote: "I've read War & Peace once, in a four-volume set. And I bought one single English edition a few months ago."Both my English translations (Maude & Briggs) are single volume wrist breakers, a multi volume set would be a more confortable read. I have a single volume version of Les Miserables which is of similar size to War & Peace - I'm looking forward to reading it but not holding it!
Well done Samantha!
I've read War & Peace twice, once as a teenager and once middle-aged. Both times I struggled a little to get going with the overwhelming deluge of unfamiliar names but once you are going you don't stop. As a teen I found the war scenes to be the most fascinating but as a middle-ager it was the peacetime society scenes that I enjoyed more. Last week I finished watching the recent six-part BBC adaption which I quite enjoyed. The cover of the DVD has three people on the front and I was pleased that I knew which three characters they were without having yet watched the show.
Congratulations everyone!
I finished reading Pleasures and Days and suspect it was a good entrée for In Search of Lost Time. Since buying the volumes a while back I have often taken one of the shelf and read snippits. One thing I noticed from this browsing is that paragraphs span pages and sentences keep going. This is also true in Pleasures and Days but I am glad that at no time did they feel a chore, there is almost a poetry to these sentences that keep you captivated. One remaining fear is keeping track of the 2000 odd characters that Wikipedia notes are contained in these volumes. I am terrible with names so will likely lose track of infrequent characters forgetting that I've encountered them before. War and Peace has over 500 and I enjoyed it so I'm hopeful.
Brian E wrote: "Recently, in another GR group, we were reading two stories that did not have their own GR blurb. I got frustrated that I couldn't use them to add to my GR page and book totals for the year. ..."I suffered from that too Brian, my solution was to join the Goodreads Librarians so I could add books and edit books that had the wrong details. If you tell me the title, author, isbn and page count of those books I can add them for you.
I finished reading Once There Was a War which I read by the dates 79 years later. It was very tempting to read on on any given day but I resisted and enjoyed the gaps created imagining what it must've been like as a non-combatant waiting to hear the latest news.Next year I'll probably read more of Steinbeck's short stories but I also intend to read one of the longer novels, either The Grapes of Wrath or East of Eden.
Chad wrote: "Occasionally in older novels I see names of people or places omitted. Such as, “He headed down to the bridge on W— street.” I’m talking about novels here, the author could have just made up a name ..."In the edition of Crime and Punishment I read the introduction said that the censor had removed the names. Apparently some translations include the uncensored name having worked out what Dostoyevsky meant but my edition preserved the censoring. I've come across this in Marcel Proust's Pleasures and Days and presume it's for the same reason but I haven't read the introduction yet to confirm.
Thanks Lesle, that was nice to read. I too am coloured by the TV series and would "hear" Laurie & Fry as I read the dialogue. I use Wodehouse as an antidepressant too. I'll pick one up when I'm low but I'll also read them after reading "difficult" books such as A Clockwork Orange or Requiem for a Dream.I finished reading the last Jeeves novel last month and will start the Blandings books next.
Slot saved! There are some here I know I intend to read next year but I think it'll be nice to pick someone (or two) that I haven't read before. I'm going to aim for at least 10.
I'm five away from dedicated explorer this year and might not hit my goal so I'm aiming for Advancing in the Journey next year.Greek: Greek Fiction: Callirhoe, Daphnis and Chloe, Letters of Chion by Chariton, Longus
French: In Search of Lost Time, Volume 1: The Way by Swann's by Marcel Proust
French: In Search of Lost Time, Volume 2: In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower by Marcel Proust
1. Relaxed Reader-5 books
2. Expanding Horizons- 10 books
3. Advancing in the Journey-15 books
4. Dedicated Explorer-20 books
Slot saved. I'll have to have a good think about some of these.A fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says W T F. Read a comedy!
I am ready to face any challenges that might be foolish enough to face me! Read a book with a character who is ready to take on life and all the challenges thereof.
Alcohol! Because no great story started with someone eating a salad… Read a book with a character who is a writer.
I am on a seafood diet. I see food, and I eat it. Read a book with a character who is impulsive and spontaneous.
My mind is like my internet browser: 19 tabs open, 3 of them are frozen and I have no idea where the music is coming from. Read a book with a character over 50ish years old.
Me in the middle of Monday: It’s been a long week… Read a book with a character who hates the direction life has taken them.
There should be a weather app for people with social anxiety, like, “Today, Walmart will be partly cloudy with a 70% chance of seeing people you know.” Read a book with a character who is a 'nervous Nancy.'
Starting tomorrow whatever life throws at me, I’m ducking so it hits someone else! Read a book with a sassy character.
If people are talking behind your back…just fart! Read a book with a character who looks on the bright side of life.
Some people just need a high five…in the face, with a chair. Read a book with an infamous villain.
When nothing is going right—go left! Read a book with a wise mentor.
I NEED A HUGe amount of money. Read a book with a heist or one which involves a lot of thievery!
I’m smiling because you’re my sister, I’m laughing cuz there’s nothing you can do about it! Read a book with siblings as the main characters.
I’m sorry, did I roll my eyes out loud?? Read that book you’ve been dreading!
Never look back—you’re not going that way. Read a book with a moral lesson or a self help book.
“Revenge” sounds so mean that’s why I prefer to call it “returning the favor.” Read a book with a revenge plot.
Some people say their body is a temple…mine is a bouncy castle! Read a fantasy book!
Dear haters, I couldn’t help but notice that “awesome” ends with “ME” and “ugly” starts with “U.” Read a book where the main character struggles through the whole story but beats the antagonist at the end.
Sorry. Yesterday was the deadline for all complaints. Read a book where the main character owns a business.
I wish the dollar store sold gas. Read a book where the setting is somewhere poor.
I hug people I hate so I know how big to dig the hole in my backyard. Read a book about a character who likes to hold grudges.
In my defense I was left unsupervised. Read a book with a mischievous character.
I received Pleasures and Days by Marcel Proust today in time to start it tonight. Luis recommended it and it also slots into my AND list. It will serve as a warm up to joining the buddy read of In Search of Lost Time next year.
