You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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Chit Chat About Books
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Jan 2013 - What are you reading & why?
Rusalka wrote: "Mark wrote: "...."While I agree sometimes the classics can ramble and rave on too much, I always wonder if modern retellings of classics would cleanse the story of some of the elements we love so..."
Classics don't work for me, EXCEPT for the Russian ones which I think are wonderful. Their characters have such depth. When places are depicted you feel as though you are there.
I think Mark's on to something there. The digressions into Russian culture & religion are just doing nothing for me. I have to say I'm also not feeling much for the characters either. The three brothers seem to be archetypes and are not believable, rounded characters as a result. I can say without any shadow of a doubt I won't be reading this classic again!
I can't think of an example of what I have in mind. Lots of people have borrowed the story-line from a classic and put it in a contemporary setting, but I don't think anyone's stripped down the classic itself, and left the original words - just less of them.All of this stuff is out of copyright, so anyone could give it a go!
I'm still reading Anna Karenina on my kobo. I have been reading it for 3 weeks now and my kobo still says I am only 1% finished. Since this seems to be a glitch, I wonder how far along I actually am! This is one drawback for e-readers.I should also add, I am enjoying the digressions but sometimes the philosophy gets beyond me as I am not classically trained (even though Id id go to university).
Shannon wrote: "I'm still reading Anna Karenina on my kobo. I have been reading it for 3 weeks now and my kobo still says I am only 1% finished. Since this seems to be a glitch, I wonder how far along I actually a..."Oh how disheartening! I had to keep marking out the parts with post it notes, and reward myself when I completed a part. If it was constantly at 1% I may have gone crazy.
I am reading Dear Theo
. I like it much more than I liked
. It is more about the art and his struggle learning to draw and use color than just the story of his life as Irving wrote in Lust for Life. It is still full of anquish and his struggle to go on, but on a more personal level. His letters repeat a lot of the things he was involved in, but his descriptions and feelings about what he saw and what he wanted to do are amazing. In his letters, he paints with words too!
Cherie, Sunflowers is good too.Is "Dear Theo" a collection of REAL letters or is it a fictional rewriting of them by Stone?
Kimberly wrote: "I've started 
and 
"Ooh Kimberly. You have started, I need to do that too.
I also started A Game of Thrones and have read about 50 pages so far - it's not as scary as I thought!
I have A Game of Thrones and the three next ones on my kindle. I've read all 4 but now everything is so muddled (so many characters, intrigues and side stories) that if I want to read the last one (and I do) I have to reread them all. How many pages is that all together? 3673 OMG!!
There aren't that many messages in this thread so I just renamed it to Jan 2013 instead of starting a new thread.
Oh, Roz! That's what worries me about this series too! Re-reading isn't just an afternoon job.
Sometimes if I really liked a series I don't mind. I find things I missed the first time (or second or third lol). I think I've read the Outlander series by Gabaldan 3 times. It's just that I'd have to carve out a lot of time to reread this one. 3673 pages? What was he thinking?
Roz wrote: "Sometimes if I really liked a series I don't mind. I find things I missed the first time (or second or third lol). I think I've read the Outlander series by Gabaldan 3 times. It's just that I'd hav..."There's a good site with chapter summaries on each of these books if you want to save time.
http://towerofthehand.com/books/101/
Roz wrote: "Sometimes if I really liked a series I don't mind. I find things I missed the first time (or second or third lol). I think I've read the Outlander series by Gabaldan 3 times. It's just that I'd hav..."Outlander series 3 times, Roz? Wow!
Pragya, I know. 3x. There's just something about that series I like. The characters, the history, I don't know. But 3 times????
I just could not finishThe Garden of Evening Mists. Here is why: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...Please, I want a good book now! I will try the audiobook The Sheltering Sky
I'm reading
I got an ARC of it months ago and I figured I better read it now. It's pretty good so far and fits in with a few reading challenges I'm doing this year.
Chrissie wrote: "Cherie, Sunflowers is good too.Is "Dear Theo" a collection of REAL letters or is it a fictional rewriting of them by Stone?"
Stone edited the letters where Van Gogh made so many repeats, but they are his real letters. Stone wrote in the preface "My aim has been to edit the 1670 pages of material down to a swiftly flowing, continuous, normal-sized book". The volume I am reading is 480 pages. I wish there were some from Theo too, but there are none. I only wish it because of some of the responses from Vincent, but for the most part one gets the idea.
Shannon wrote: "I'm still reading Anna Karenina on my kobo. I have been reading it for 3 weeks now and my kobo still says I am only 1% finished. Since this seems to be a glitch, I wonder how far along I actually a..."It sounds like you need a 'Stripped Out' classic, Shannon!
I'm reading Russell Blake's Jet I, mostly because I read his blog... not a very good reason, but it's a pretty good book :-)
Janice wrote: "There aren't that many messages in this thread so I just renamed it to Jan 2013 instead of starting a new thread."Oh, I was so goofed up cause I saw that I had read "The Reader" in this thread, and I hadn't read it in 2013! Now I understand.
Cherie wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "Is "Dear Theo" a collection of REAL letters or is it a fictional rewriting of them by Stone?"
Stone edited the letters where Van Gogh made so many..."
Thank you for explaining.
Lisa wrote: "I am about to start reading Wuthering Bites. Wuthering Heights is one of my favourite novels so it will be interesting to see it rewritten as a vampire novel."Wuthering heights is a remarkable book. Wuthering Bites sounds interesting. I'll wait for your review.
Shannon wrote: "While on the road I read several easy reads like mysteries and YA. Now I am reading Anna Karenina because I suddenly realized that I had never read it and there is a movie being made and I would w..."Anna Karenina is a classis undoubtedly. It is one of my favourite novels.
I had started reading Tom jones but halted reading it for few day due to my interview. Hope to start it again.
Abiha wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I am about to start reading Wuthering Bites. Wuthering Heights is one of my favourite novels so it will be interesting to see it rewritten as a vampire novel."Wuthering heights is a ..."
Lisa said she did not like it, Abiha. I have it on my TBR list. I may read it someday.
There is a quite a bit to think about in The Sheltering Sky, but.....My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I have changed my mind a million times about whether I should read A Fine Balance. Audible changed their rules, now selling all books even the very long ones for one credit. So I bought it. What if they change their rules again! I hope it is not too depressing. I am satisfied if there is just a little, teeny bit of hope or some humor or just something to lighten it.
I'm on my way to Liberia in
which I picked up on a whim at the library today.
Kimberly wrote: "I'm on my way to Liberia in which I picked up on a whim at the library today."Whoa... that looks like a serious book! You'll have to tell us what you think of it when you're finished.
I've finally finished The Brothers Karamazov. That was a very very long book, and one that would have benefited from a nice, stern editor. Talk about getting distracted!
two on the go, that couldn't be more different:
For an alphabet, I have Never Hit a Jellyfish With a Spade: How to Survive Life's Smaller Challenges
For the "tell me a story" challenge I have The Death of King Arthur: A New Verse Translation, translated by Simon Armitage. I read another of his translations of an early English alliterative poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and it's a style of poetry that I really enjoy reading. Looking forward to this one. Too short (at 176 pages) for an alphabet, so very pleased to have an excuse to read it.
two on the go, that couldn't be more different:
For an alphabet, I have Never Hit a Jellyfish With a Spade: How to Survive Life's Smaller Challenges
For the "tell me a story" challenge I have The Death of King Arthur: A New Verse Translation, translated by Simon Armitage. I read another of his translations of an early English alliterative poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and it's a style of poetry that I really enjoy reading. Looking forward to this one. Too short (at 176 pages) for an alphabet, so very pleased to have an excuse to read it.
Janice wrote: "Kimberly wrote: "I'm on my way to Liberia in which I picked up on a whim at the library today."W..."
It's a good read Janice, the author tells her story wonderfully.
I finished The Lock Artist. I'm disappointed in it. But then, any mystery is going to have a tough time following on the heels of Gone Girl.I've started Skinwalker on audiobook because it was the next on the list. I'm not sure about this book. I may not finish it.
I just finished
and what an emotional rollercoaster it was. To have witnessed and experienced the things that happened during the war in Liberia is unimaginable. 5 stars, this one has me wanting to read and learn more about the country, it's history, people and politics.
I'm about to start reading Peter James' novels. This is my first time reading books in this genre I'm praying I don't creep myself out. Anyone read anything by Peter James?
I also started
which I'm 25% through already.
A week into The Age of Innocenceand still only halfway so boring. I wish I could walk away from a book. it was the monthly read for my classic reading group and many have abondaned it some have 5 starred it and the rest like me are forcing through it to stubborn to put it down
I'm currently reading
by John Berendt for my "B" book. I decided on this one because I loved Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil I'm not all that far into it, but it really isn't pulling me in as much as the other one did. Hope it gets better.
I finished A Fine Balance, and I do recommend it! There is humor mixed in; without it you would sink. You are enveloped in another time and place. The characters become your friends. Yes, they are beggars, maimed, poor and destitute.My review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
***************
Now I am reading The Map of Lost Memories: A Novel, which is set in Cambodia. I hope to learn a bit about the Khmer Civilization (9th through the 15th Centuries) wrapped in a fun adventure story lead by a strong woman protagonist. What will characterize this book most: culture, feminism or adventure?
Chrissie wrote: "I finished A Fine Balance, and I do recommend it! There is humor mixed in; without it you would sink. You are enveloped in another time and place. The characters become your friends. Yes, they are ..."Chrissie, so glad you enjoyed fine balance. It is good isn't it. The one your reading now sounds very interesting. let me know what you think when you are done. You can be my guinea pig! ;)
I started
last night for my AtW challenge.
Travis of NNY wrote: "A week into The Age of Innocenceand still only halfway so boring. I wish I could walk away from a book. it was the monthly read for my classic reading group and many have abondaned it some have 5 s..."Travis, over the years I have aquired a taste for Edith Wharton and Henry James, and I think that you do have to develop that taste. It isn't easy to pick up one of their books and just start reading. Hang in there.
I have been re-reading The Thorn Birds
, but I have had a malicious migriane for the past two days and haven't read anything. So sad. : (I am loving the re-read though. This is an awesome book. I am reading it for my AtW challenge.
Sorry to hear about you not feeling well, Connie. I read The Thorn Birds a l-o-n-g time ago. I am probably due for a re-read. Maybe for the Toppler. I am currently reading The Book Thief for my B book. I love it!
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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While I agree sometimes the classics can ramble and rave on too much, I always wonder if modern retellings of classics would cleanse the story of some of the elements we love so much and make us reread them again and again. There has to be some reason we still pick up some books over 250 years later, over a contemporary book.
Although, very happy to be proven wrong if you know of some good ones Mark.