Pam’s Comments (group member since Jul 12, 2018)

Pam’s comments from the Never too Late to Read Classics group.

Lesle wrote: "What a great find Pam! and your more than welcome to talk about it while we are reading Buddenbrooks.

Glad your Dad is enjoying the Inspector books. Great that he was able to take them off your h..."

Lesle - I think he likes them because 1) he likes mysteries (e.g. PBS British mystery shows like Father Brown) and 2) they are very short! I never knew that my father liked to read until recently, after my mom passed. He used to endlessly talk about politics/current events. Now it's less of that (although Putin and Omicron are his 2 favorite topics) and more literary discussion! I will have to someday read Don Quixote, one of his favorites.

Armin wrote: "Pam wrote: "I tried watching Tarkovsky’s Stalker movie and it was so slow and boring that we finally turned it off."

"The Stalker" is a story from another book:
Roadside Picknick from Strugatsky..."

Armin - I realize that Stalker is based on a different book. Sorry, my wording wasn't clear! I was saying that I haven't seen Tarkovsky's Solaris movie but have seen Stalker, which I think is similar in its slow-paced (contemplative, perhaps) style. The Tarkovsky Solaris movie is 2:45 hrs! At my book group meeting yesterday, the group leader said you could start at the 40 minute mark to get where the book actually starts! We had a very good discussion about the book. I'm only half-way through it but have some ideas to think about as I read it.

I’m trying very hard to not buy more books but I found The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann for $2 at the library so I had to have it! I started it 2 years ago but, since it was a library book, I didn’t have time to finish it. I might read it when the group is reading Buddenbrooks, since I’ve already read that one.

I gave my dad the Inspector Maigret books and he is enjoying them. Not my cup of tea.

I finally got started on this one, 50 pages in. I have ~30 hrs to finish it before our book club meets to discuss it! I need to get busy. I like it so far but it’s not a quick read for me, even though it’s short.

In the Clooney movie, I don’t remember any discussion about the ocean, which seems odd. Or, it could be that I had no idea what was going on! I haven’t watched the Russian adaptation. I tried watching Tarkovsky’s Stalker movie and it was so slow and boring that we finally turned it off. I suspect that Solaris is similar.

My library hold came in today so I’ll go ahead and start it tonight, even though I’m reading 2 other books! I know I read it as a kid so I’m wondering if the story will come back to me, at some point.

So, I broke down and bought Travels with Charley at the used bookstore. I still have the audiobook checked out so I may do a combo of reading/listening.

John - I’ve been using the App since 2012 and these same problems still exist! I get on the desktop version a few times a month to update my challenges.

I didn’t really care for the Inspector Maigret book I just finished. I’m now reading Solaris. My library book club is discussing it this Sunday so I’m going to try to finish it by then. I watched the movie last month.

Has anyone watched the 1994 movie? I remember buying the book after seeing the movie. I must have really enjoyed it! But, then I never read the book. I’m looking forward to finally reading it this year.

I fell asleep again on my 2nd try! I’ll have to listen tomorrow while driving and waiting for my dad at his PT appointment. I’m really interested in this one since I’ve been to a lot of the places he writes about. Just from the few pages I’ve heard, it seems to have some humor to it.

I started listening to Travels with Charley the other night but I fell asleep very early on! I’m going to try again tonight. The narrator is actor Gary Sinese.

I just started Maigret on the Riviera by Georges Simenon.
Unless I’m updating a post, I primarily use the app which is why I don’t always link my books. Just FYI, for those of you who don’t use the app so much, when you only link the book cover and not the title, sometimes app users don’t see the image! It helps if you link both. The app also randomly cuts off words so sometimes sentences don’t make sense or the meaning is actually changed when a key word is left off! I wish the programmers would fix these problems.

I popped into our Multi-Generational Center today to ask a question and wound up leaving with 5 Inspector Maigret books (by Georges Simenon) from the community bookshelf! I’m not a big mystery reader but I’m going to try one or two. I left 3 with my dad, who likes mysteries and has watched the TV show. They are very short (<150 pages). Any Maigret fans??

Well, we had our “big” snowstorm yesterday ~ 2 inches! It’s mostly melted now but most of the city was shut down last night and today. I remember once in Nashville that my car was completely frozen over in an inch of ice, including the locks. I haven’t seen an ice storm since moving to New Mexico. Don’t miss that weather. Hope all of you are safe and have power!

I put it on hold at the library. I’m #1 on the list so I should get it soon, probably a transfer from another branch. I own the sequel, Tales from Watership Down, and may read it too.

Finally, we have a snow forecast this winter! We are supposed to get 1-3 inches tomorrow. Compared to 1-2 feet it sounds like nothing but, living in the desert, we will take it! I love going for a walk in the snow and especially while it’s snowing. It just doesn’t feel like winter without at least one snowfall!

My library has neither author in print or electronic format.

My husband was so kind to remind me that I still have The Count of Monte Cristo to finish. I read through page 500 in 2021. So, my goal is to read a minimum of 1 chapter a day and finish it up this year! I’m also starting The Trumpeter of Krakow, set in 1461 Poland, a 1928 children’s classic by Eric P. Kelly. I set up a personal challenge to read books set in or by authors from the Baltic and East European countries. Other than Russia, this will be challenging for me! I’m starting with books I own.

I had to miss my book club meeting, to discuss Cats Cradle, since I was quarantining. I’m really disappointed since that was the only reason I read the book! I’m almost finished with The Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart, which I am enjoying.

I’ve read 4 Steinbeck books, which were all good, but my favorite was East of Eden. I also remember liking the mini-series back in 1981. The one book that I still want to read, hopefully this year, is Travels with Charley. In reading the summary, I see that I’ve been to many of the places he talks about in his book, including his starting point Sag Harbor, Fargo, Amarillo, and the Redwood National Park. I love that he is traveling with his dog, too! I’m really looking forward to this one! Just thinking about it makes me we want to do some traveling, but I have to wait until April.