Sean’s Comments (group member since Jan 30, 2019)

Sean’s comments from the Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die group.

Mercedes wrote: "Sean wrote: "I definitley got more from The Brothers Karamazov this go-round than I did in highschool."

IMO American high schools want students to grow quickly, when what one does is g..."

Very true. I think the only book I read in highschool that really did what it was supposed to do was Of Mice and Men. Well, Fahrenheit 451 also. But even Lord of the Flies, which I fully understood and appreciated meant so much more to me when I re read it in my 30s.

I definitley got more from The Brothers Karamazov this go-round than I did in highschool.

Pillsonista wrote: "Don't let the sheer size of it intimidate you. It's actually very readable and, more than that, it's very funny. Like so many of Mann's works, if you appreciate the irony, it's a breeze.

The Magic Mountain is possibly my favorite novel of all time, but Joseph and His Brothers is seriously underrated. I prefer it to Doktor Faustus any day...."

Thanks! I am looking forward to it.

It's nice that my library will auto-renew a book for me if nobody puts a hold on it. Let's hope that nobody puts a hold on my newest acquisition, Joseph and His Brothers by Thomas Mann. I will undoubtedly need more than my initial allotment of 3 weeks to get through this one.

I just finished Girl with Green Eyes by Edna O'Brien. Somebody said earlier that this book was better than book one of the trilogy. I totally agree. So much more depth. But more later when the group read catches up to me.

I am in no hurry. Take your time. I appreciate the time you put into it.

I just like the raw numbers. Pasted as a new post here or in a new thread. The other lists are very interesting and fun to look at for sure. But less needed at least for me.

I don't mind all the noise created by the special characters. I have been able to figure them all out... except this one...

Под игото Вазов, Иван 3.991351

But process of elimination was my plan...

Thanks again!

I just now realized that this list does not include the 2018 additions. Is it easy enough to put up the Wilson score for these books?

The Goldfinch
Americanah
The Flamethrowers
A girl is a Half-Formed Thing
H is for Hawk
The story of the Lost Child
10:04
H(A)PPY
Winter (Ali Smith)
The Circle

Thanks

Mercedes wrote: "Dracula

That was a fun."

Wasn't it? Loved that ride.

Moving on to Next Month's group read, Girl with Green Eyes, because my upcoming book schedule is packed with huge books.

I finished The Country Girls by Edna O'Brien. It was not bad. I liked it.

This was my first Joseph Conrad. His writing is so descriptive. I was amazed at his ability to make me see what he was describing.

I liked this book. I just didn't love it. All the discussion about anarchy and the philosophizing that the anarchists did just kinda blew past me and dulled the experience. But I did like the story. (view spoiler)[ I liked the way the bomb failure was brought out although it made me a little sad. At first I did think it was Mr. Verloc who got blown to bits, but I figured it out when the address was in the clothing. I knew Mrs. Verloc did that so Stevie could find his way home.Poor Poor Mrs. Verloc. When she lost her mother then her brother. (hide spoiler)]

The net effect this book had was making me want to read more Conrad. I look forward to more amazing, dark, and descriptive content. Even if I have to wade through some other stuff.

It's time for a long overdue re-read of The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

Last night I grabbed my copy of The Country Girls by Edna O'Brien. It's my self-imposed prerequisite to next month's read: Girl with Green Eyes (aka The Lonely Girl)

Nocturnalux wrote: "With Nada I have read 30 female authors from the list. It is not even remotely impressive but it is something.

The next goal is, 40 titles authored by women."

I just accomplished that exact same milestone over this weekend also. With The Poisonwood Bible.

This weekend I finished Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges. I could feel myself getting smarter with each page. But ended up not being smart enough. I looked up more words in this book than any other I have ever read. What an interesting guy he is.

I also finished The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. this was a fascinating read that I really enjoyed.

Luís wrote: "That's a novel recounting the hunt for the last priest who still officiates clandestinely in a region ..."

Awesome. Thanks Luis

How did you like this one, Luis?

151. The Power and the Glory by Graham Greene

Karen wrote: "Finished all the Beckett on the list!! Not one of my favorite authors and I will probably never reread any of these. That's why I wanted to finish them off -- I would have dreaded picking up anothe..."

wow! Well done. this is a task I am also dreading...

I have just finished my 50th LIST book of the year. Of course, that consisted of books like The Nose, The Purloined Letter, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories, Amok and Other Stories, The Garden Party and Other Stories, The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories, and The Pigeon (do you see what they have in common?).

Now I have a ton of 1000+ page books to read. So if I can just read 50 a year I should be good by the time I am 72. I got this!

Mercedes wrote: "We started reading Dracula out loud... excellent first two chapters!"

I bet that will be amazing read out loud. I really hope you are doing the classic Dracula Transylvanian accent. I want to know who's is better yours or the hubby's!