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.

Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach. I had no idea what to expect here. I liked it.

Update

D - Owen Dunne - The Art of Fielding - 3/2/22

Update

W - Weena - The Time Machine - 2/24/22

Woohoo!

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. It was okay. I expected more.

Update

P - Phileas Fogg - Around the World in Eighty Days - 2/23/22

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne. More pure adventure.

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

Around the World in Eighty Days was originally written in French.

Embers by Sándor Márai. More on the group read thread.

Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I was afraid as a Russian novel it wouldn't stand up to D & T... but to me, it did.

I'm very glad to see people's reaction to this book. As I was reading it and enjoying it so much, I was worried that others were not getting the same experience I was getting.

That "hard to put down" feeling for sure. The delayed revelations of what happened between these two was masterfully done. I never got the M-M feeling. Interesting... But at the first mention of Krisztina I immediately thought, "uh oh"... But wasn't sure. But then the next time I picked up the book off the coffee table I had a sudden epiphany glancing at the cover - my cover - - Of course she's involved... duh!...


The masterful strokes in this book were not limited to the story telling and the delayed revelations. I also loved the descriptive language. When he described the storm, when he described the woods during the hunt. Everything was so elegant and beautifully done.

I do understand what Corina is saying about the monologues. Do people really talk like that? (we could ask Marlowe of Lord Jim) But during those long monologues I imagined Konrad slumped in his chair, chin on his chest, thinking about all these events. See, The General has been in this house for the last 41 years. Konrad has been travelling, London, Southeast Asia. Konrad has kept himself busy to avoid thinking about things. He probably has less to say. The General however has been thinking and thinking and has thought a very long time about what to say. Even after he's said it, and says he has questions, he answers all his questions himself. Even when Konrad refuses to answer, The General just says, "Good". He already knows the answers. He's had enough time to decide what they are himself.

Did Krisztina know that Konrad planned to shoot The General? I'm not so sure. When she said, "Coward," she could have just been referring to the cowardly way that Konrad ran away. Not necessarily that he was too cowardly to shoot. But I agree that it was left ambiguous on purpose. I think the point is that we can't always know everything that goes on inside a person's heart.

I think another question is why didn't he shoot? The General asks it, but doesn't pursue it. Perhaps he knows and wants us to figure it out. Is it the friendship was too strong? Did they both think so? Did Konrad flee because he couldn't face what he'd done with Krisztina and what he almost did to The General?

I really loved this book. And it's a perfect example of a book that I had never heard of until I began this list.

The Daughter by Pavlos Matesis

and

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne

Sándor Márai, the author of Embers, died on February 22, 1989.

I just finished Fathers and Sons which mentions Eugene Onegin. So Pushkin's now moved up my list.

Update

S - Stinikov - Fathers and Sons - 2/17/22
K - Konrad - Embers - 2/18/22

Time to discuss! SPOILERS ABOUND IN THIS THREAD. If you have not finished the book, proceed with that knowledge.

Update

E - Ellen James - The World According to Garp - 2/15/22

I also could have used any number of the unnamed Ellen Jamesians.

The World According to Garp by John Irving.

Irving is one of my favorites. This being the least favorite of those I've read so far. But still good.