Connie's 2013 List

[Sue]

Connie wrote: "completed The Remains of the DayKazuo Ishiguro"

That's one I do want to read.

[Rusalka]

And did you like it?

[Ava Catherine]

See my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/...

Yes, I did enjoy this book and do recommend it highly. Ishiguro is one of my favorite authors, and this is one of my favorite books by him. If you are watching Downton Abbey on PBS (Masterpiece Theater), Stevens, the English butler who is the main character in the book, reminds me of Carson at Downton Abbey. His entire life has been spent in the service of Lord Darlington and is intertwined with the character of his employer. When Stevens looks back over the last thirty years of service, he is trying to determine if his life's work has been worth the devotion he has shown Lord Darlington. Has Lord Darlington been a great man, thereby making Steven's life great?

[Ava Catherine]

Completed Mrs. Woolf and the Servants: An Intimate History of Domestic Life in Bloomsbury Alison Light

For this book I hovered between 3 and 4 stars, but finally came down on 4 stars because the book is well researched and gives new information about Woolf. There is also new information about Woolf's writing life, which I enjoyed.

I wrote a review for this book and lost it. I shall return and rewrite my review tomorrow.

[Janice]

I'm afraid to try The Remains of the Day because I didn't care for either Never Let Me Go or A Pale View Of Hills. Yet I have heard so many people say that Remains is so good.

[Ava Catherine]

Oh, I am afraid that you might not like it if you did not like Never Let Me Go, which has a bit more action than the other two. Kazuo Ishiguro is a reflective author and one must be a reader who enjoys thinking and reflecting as you read. His books are character driven and not plot driven. For some people it is torture to read his books, but for some of us, we enjoy reflecting on the lives of the characters.

[Ava Catherine]

I completed several books during a toppler for another group last week, but I have to sit down and write the reviews now.

Faceless Killers Henning Mankell

Chocolat

The Wedding Officer: A Novel of Culinary Seduction
Anthony Capella

The Wings of the Dove Henry James

Where Angels Fear to Tread E.M. Forster

A Room with a View E.M. Forster

Haunted Ground Erin Hart

A Cup of Light Nicole Mones

Out of Africa
Karen Blixen

Reading Lolita in Tehran Azar Nafisi

[Janice]

Add my *high five* to Judy's. I'm currently reading Chocolat, but not for this challenge. It was supposed to have been for the toppler. hahaha

[Laura]

Connie wrote: "I completed several books during a toppler for another group last week, but I have to sit down and write the reviews now.

Faceless KillersHenning Mankell

Chocol..."

how in the world do you read so much? i don't know if i am not reading the right books these days or if i no longer have any attention span. i think i just miss square books. i just don't get caught up like i used too.

[Laura]

Amanda wrote: "Connie wrote: "So many books...I just want to grab them all!"

Me too! My TBR list never gets any smaller."

mine gets bigger by the day. i get a little sad when i go into a book store when i see all of the potentially fabulous books i may never get to read.

[Laura]

Rusalka wrote: "I have a bookshelf labelled Aussie for some of the reads I remember or have read since signing up to goodreads. Otherwise Tim Winton is mentioned over and over again as the best Aussie writer in......"

i love tim winton. i think i loved riders the best. but maybe not.

[Alexandra]

This is a great list, Connie! I´m trying to "steal" some of your books as I am just putting together my own around-the-world-list...

[Rusalka]

I found this today Connie if you and Judy are still partaking in your Aussie binge. Probably some great suggestions on their I have never heard of http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2013/...

[Amanda]

Was just wondering what you thought of Reading Lolita in Tehran and Faceless Killers? I just finished Reading Lolita in Tehran myself and was planning on reading Mankell's book The Dogs of Riga soon.

[Ava Catherine]

There are so many wonderful books and just not enough time to read and review all of them! ; )

Lurk42 and Amanda: I am so like you! I love going into bookstores and seeing all the wonderful books and wondering what treasure I'll leave with today. The library is exactly the same way for me! But is free!!! ; )

[Ava Catherine]

Amanda wrote: "Was just wondering what you thought of Reading Lolita in Tehran and Faceless Killers? I just finished Reading Lolita in Tehran myself and was planning on reading Mankell's book The Dogs of Riga soon."
I really love Mankell. For me, the mysteries I love are the ones that are steeped in the flawed characters who try to solve the crimes rather than in a terribly gruesome depiction of the murderer's crimes. I don't do so well with gratuitous violence and gore. Mankell writes about the deeply flawed detective who is trying to solve the crimes and hold his own life together at the same time. It is not just a murder mystery, but a story about the life of a man who happens to be a policeman. I was smitten with Mankell the first time I picked up a book of his.

Reading Lolita is a book I don't think you can say you like or love because of the subject matter; however, it is fascinating. It made me so thankful to have been born in a free country. Because females have so much freedom in America, I think we tend to assume that is true around the globe. Books like this are eye-opening. I was truly absorbed in the book and awed by the courage of the women in the book. Such small things we take for granted required tremendous risks for these women.

[Ava Catherine]

Completed: The Oresteia: Agamemnon / The Libation Bearers / The Eumenides Aeschylus: Greece

[Janice]

Judy wrote: "It looks all Greek to me! *grin*"

LOL! Bright eyed and bushy tailed are you this morning?! (Good grief, I sound like Yoda!)

[Ava Catherine]

My two fun friends making me smile! ; )

*Judy, you should try Aeschylus. He is like an early Shakespeare...

Agamemnon returns from the Trojan War, and his wife Clytaemestra is determined to exact revenge for his sacrifice of their daughter, Iphigenia, to the gods. Although she has waited over ten years to seek vengeance for her daughter's death, Clyaemestra never wavers in her decision. She greets Agamemnon and his mistress Cassandra with sweet smiles and all the regalia fitting a victorious king; however, when he steps out of his bath, she traps him in a net and hacks him to death with an axe. She also murders Cassandra, laughing with joy as the blood flows. These murders for vengeance are the heart of the trilogy.

[Rusalka]

I have a soft spot for Cassandra and have to point out, she's not there by will!

[Ava Catherine]

You are so right, Rusalka! And to make matters worse no one believed her prophecy of her impending death. (as well as that of the king) Just imagine knowing you are about to be murdered, but no one will believe you!! Poor Cassandra!!!

Judy, Clyaemestra is the definition of a cunning, wild woman. Sly like a fox!

[Ava Catherine]

Finished The Misremembered Man Christina McKenna

Always enjoy spending time in Ireland! ; )

I found this jewel on an Amazon kindle sale. It is a beautiful book!

[Alexandra]

This sounds wonderful. It went on my TBR list... I really liked your review, Connie!

[Barbarac]

I got it on Amazon kindle sale too! I'm glad to hear it's a popular read, or to-be-read.

[Ava Catherine]

I am so glad you were able to get it while it is still on sale. It made me cry, and then it made me laugh. : ) I love the Irish idioms, too.

[Ava Catherine]

I have finished Little Black Book of Stories A.S. Byatt. Byatt is one of my favorite authors.

I have also finished Julius Caesar William Shakespeare.

[Ava Catherine]

I have finished Rebecca Daphne du Maurier, The Snowman Jo Nesbø, and The Painted Girls Cathy Marie Buchanan.

[mussolet]

How was Rebecca, Connie? It is looking at me from my shelf, but I'm not sure whether I want to look as well.

[Ava Catherine]

I love Rebecca! I highly recommend it. It does take about sixty pages for the exposition, but after that you don't want to put it down.

[Ava Catherine]

Finished Sea of Poppies and Peony

[mussolet]

I have Sea of Poppies as well. Your bookshelf is very interesting to me :).