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

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

I’m reading Pietr the Latvian (#1 Inspector Maigret series) by Georges Simenon.

I read the first page just to get a feel for the writing style! I’m finishing 2 library books before starting this one. I own it so it can wait. The edition I have also contains “Juneteenth”.

I didn’t realize this was a Jan group read. I borrowed Maus (but it’s not The Complete Maus) from my parents a few months ago. I’ll go ahead and read it.

I just put it on hold from the library but not sure how long the wait is. It may just need to be transferred from another branch. I’m really interested to read it again since it’s been 40 years since I’ve read it!

Rosemarie- Good luck finding it! Does your library have an InterLibrary Loans program? I’ve had to go that route to find a find a few British authors who aren’t so popular in the US. I looked in Hoopla and it has the study guides for the book but not the book itself!

I'm also interested in Invisible Man.

I am really glad to see Pietr the Latvian on the list! I had that on my plan to read in 2020. Also, I'm glad to see Dona Barbara. That's such a good book that I would consider rereading it!

I am interested in The Red and the Black and The Adventures of Augie March. I don't care which month. I'm reading Vanity Fair now, otherwise I would've suggested it.

I don't have time to read this one but, like Jazzy and Gabi commented, I have Every Man Dies Alone. Maybe we can add it for next year or do a buddy read? As much as I would like to, I can't keep up with all of these group reads!

I read this book in high school English, back in the '70s, and loved it! It was one of the few required readings that I enjoyed. I've been meaning to re-read it.

I read #13 & 14- Seven Crystal Balls and Prisoners of the Sun (a 2 book story) set in Peru with an Incan theme. I enjoyed them! My favorite line was from Snowy saying (or thinking, I don’t know which) to a llama, “Hoity toity. Aren’t you grand?” 😂 The ending was predictable (same tactic used in a famous American classic) but maybe some readers will be surprised. The one I’m most interested in reading next is the one set in the Soviet Union.

Welcome Gabi! I joined this group for the same reason, not because I’m a classics reader but because I wanted that push to try a few. This group is great for that motivation with the different challenges and group reads!

I recently took my first trip to Europe and stayed in Bavaria. It was absolutely wonderful!

I read 3 Tintin books in 2017- Red Rackham’s Treasure, The Lost Unicorn, and Tintin in Tibet. Of the 3, I liked Red Rackham the best. I especially love the dog Snowy and his funny thoughts! I like the series, just for something light, and would probably read more of them if they were more accessible. I had to go to a different city’s library to find them. Mine has a few now. I think this series is more well known in Europe than the US. I thought I was fairly familiar with children’s lit but had never heard of the series until 2 years ago.

Thank you all for your suggestions! I have 3 of the books mentioned plus Tess of the D'Urbervilles (which I think I read decades ago plus saw the movie). I have some catching up to do!

A Group of Noble Dames sounds good! I have quite a few Thomas Hardy books in my house that my husband has read. I’ve yet to read any of his works, I hate to say. But, I will read one soon! Any suggestions which one to start with? My husband recommends The Mayor of Casterbridge.

Mikiko - The Door into Summer sounds really interesting plus I haven’t read anything by Heinlein so I added it to my 2020 TBR. Thanks for the recommendation!

Leslie- To use Hoopla, you download the App but your library has to be associated with it. It’s free to use and you can download different media - music, movies, books etc. I don’t use it much, only if I can’t find things on Overdrive. I’m not sure if you have to use it on a mobile device.

I did find Dom Casmurro on Hoopla so I downloaded it and will try to read it early.

My library doesn’t have any of Ginzburg’s books so I will not be reading it. It’s possible I could find it through ILL. Hoopla has several other books by her but not this one. The Manzoni Family sounds interesting. I might try that one. Has anyone read other books by her, that you recommend?

I found a used book store (the 2nd largest in our state) in our neighboring city. So, of course, I had to browse through it. This is what I left with: Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene, My Century by Günter Grass, The Jungle Books, The Rotters' Club by Jonathan Coe, The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hašek, and The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse. They are all books I've wanted to read for a long time but I think I will start with The Rotters' Club since there is a 3rd book in the series that just came out in August. I still need to read the first two!